Cyril Gressot, Mediterranean fishing instructor-guide
Discover the portrait of Cyril Gressot, fishing instructor-guide in the Mediterranean Sea and specialist in tuna and lich fishing with lures
Hello Cyril Gressot, before starting, could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
I studied for a long time at the science faculty of Montpellier then a 3rd cycle in marine biology which led me to work at ifremer in Tahiti. Subsequently, I worked for the Department of Gard for several years, still in the water sector as a regional engineer.
I have been fishing since the age of two, both in freshwater and in the sea. I have done a lot of competitions in freshwater, always with lures.
It was in 2009 that I discovered bluefin tuna fishing with lures and I started taking more and more friends, which led me to graduate as a fishing guide instructor in 2011.
For a long time, I carried out this activity in duplicate and on an ancillary basis. But the different films that I made for SEASONS or with my friend Cyril CHAUQUET on tuna and lich fishing in particular, articles and word of mouth allowed me to finally exercise this fascinating profession full time for 3 years! I also organize a few trips for fun and write regularly for several fishing journals.
What fishing techniques do you suggest?
I only offer lure fishing. Whatever the species of tuna, lich, bonito, wolf, bluefish, my credo is 100% lures / 100% emotions.
You made bluefin tuna and lure fishing one of your specialties. Can you tell us a little more about your 100% lure services? What makes this fishing so special for you?
My specialty is fishing for bluefin tuna and lich on hunts and only with lures. The fishing periods for bluefin tuna are from July to October. For the other species that we meet such as wolves, liches and bonito it goes from April to November.
A typical day begins around 8am and we start by looking for the liches with the popper and then we go hunting for the tuna a little further offshore still with the lures.
It happens quite often that I catch liches, tunas and skipjack on the same day, which corresponds to real tropical fishing, but in France!
Fishing for tuna on hunts and for lich with surface lures are for me the techniques that provide the most emotions because they are visual fishing and therefore filled with adrenaline.
Do you still have a favorite fish?
Very difficult to answer this question because I like all fish ... but the pike, the lich and the tuna come first!
What do you like most today about being a fishing guide?
Share my passion, my knowledge and above all make a fisherman's dream come true. I very often have fishermen who dream of catching a lich on lures or a tuna on hunts and when that happens and I see their smile, that's when I tell myself that I am doing the most beautiful job in the world.
What is your type of clientele? What are they looking for behind your guidance?
I have all audiences and social categories. Fishing is in fact a multi-generational and multi-class sport… When they come to fish with me, it is above all for hunting tuna or lich and I also think I will share a moment of conviviality.
You are also a marine biologist by profession. How do you transcribe this knowledge in marine biology to your clients?
My scientific knowledge often helps me to interpret the behavior of fish, to better locate them and to determine the type of prey they eat. This is sometimes a big advantage ...
You who have had the opportunity to travel a lot for fishing abroad, what is your view on the world of fishing in France?
Fishing in France has been moving in the right direction for a few years. The profession of fishing guide instructor has become more democratic and it has now become normal for many fishermen to go for a day with a guide, which was not really the case ten years ago. .
Sea fishing has also evolved a lot and lure fishing is now very common. It is certain that we are not yet at the level of Florida where fishing is a real institution and where all measures are taken to promote this sport. But that is gradually changing and I hope we will get a bit closer to it in the years to come.
What qualities do you think are required to be a good guide?
Of course, you must first be a good fisherman and have a sense of the water and know the techniques and the environment. But it is also and above all a contact job. Knowing how to adapt to people and have a good relationship is also very important I think.
Do you have any future projects you would like to tell us about?
I always have travel plans and new species to fish and I would like to develop services, especially in Florida. But for now, I am very busy in France!
What is your fondest fishing memory?
Difficult because there are so many… I would say a fishing trip with my friend and twin brother Cyril Chauquet (famous host of fishing enthusiasts) where we were at Jurassic Park in northern Quebec. In the space of an hour and in the same bay we chained more than ten pikes between 1 m 10 and 1 m 20… Incredible !!
My world record for the lich in 2015 also remains a great fishing moment ...
What is also your best memory during a guide?
There too, there are so many… Without doubt the fight of more than 4 hours with a tuna of more than 200 kilos. It was an intense moment.
Also, the magnificent swordfish (Xyphias Gladius) that we made with lures three years ago. It is one of the most exceptional line shots I have had the opportunity to see.
A message to pass on to young people who would like to discover the world of sea fishing?
Go for it… Fighting has nothing to do with fresh water…
Useful links to get to know Cyril Gressot and his profession better:
Learn to fish with a fishing guide
0660419493
About The Author
Rodmaps
Rodmaps is above all the story of Nicolas and Matthieu, two friends passionate about fishing. Since our childhood, our passion drives us to travel through France and to travel around the world in search of adventure and trophy fish. Through Rodmaps, we want to share our passion for fishing with as many people as possible and make people discover the joys of this sport around us, because yes, fishing is a sport!