Sébastien Morel, Fishing guide instructor in the Vosges

Discover the portrait of Sébastien Morel, fishing guide instructor in the Vosges and specialist in trout and predator fishing.

Hello Sébastien, firstly can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers ?

Hello, my name is Sébastien Morel, 42 years old. I live in a small village in the Vosges foothills. I took the BP JEPS in 2005 and became a fishing guide instructor in 2006.

I started my activity with the takeover of a fishing shop located in Rambervillers. At the same time, I set up a nature fishing workshop in a social center and taught fishing mainly to children.

I have been a board member of the AAPPMA “la sirène de la Mortagne” since 2008.

At the beginning of 2011, after the sale of my business, I was able to offer more fishing courses, and also discover a little more of Ireland via voyage-pêche-irlande.com.

What fishing techniques do you suggest?

The main fishing techniques that I offer are:

- Salmonid fishing, flies, natural baits and lures.

- Predator fishing by boat or from the shore, with lures: pike, perch, pike-perch.

- The blow, with the big rod, feeder, English, Bolognese. Techniques that I have practiced a lot in the past.

Why did you originally choose to do this job?

I chose to work as a fishing guide instructor in order to pass on and share my knowledge on the different fishing techniques and aquatic environments.

Teaching fishing to my trainees is really rewarding for the enthusiast that I am.

It was after having worked for a good ten years in different industrial sectors that I decided to move on. A need for professional change….

This is how I started to find out about different retraining possibilities. At the time the BP JEPS had just been created.

So I joined the 2nd promotion in 2004 at the National House of Water and Fishing in Ornans where I obtained my BP JEPS in 2005.

So you offer carnivorous and salmonid guides, do you have a favorite fish?

From a young age, I like to practice fishing according to the seasons. With the opening in March of the trout fishing, I take out the minnow rod, in April, the rod to tease the tench, in May, the graylings and trout to the fly and so on.

That said, if I really had to choose a fish of choice, it would definitely be the pike. I would even say pike fishing with surface lures. This technique and this fish has really fascinated me for a long time.

You are also a fishing guide in Ireland, aren't you? Why did you choose Ireland ?

Ah !!!! Ireland is a country that I really appreciate. The Irish are lovely, friendly, and generous people. With an incredible sense of hospitality. Ever since we were kids, reading magazines with a friend, we dreamed of going to confront their big pike, on immense lakes.

And in the end, it was an opportunity that made me discover Ireland. When I passed my BP JEPS, I met Geoffray Begard who went to guide and live there at that time.  Over the years, he created Voyage-Pêche-irlande.com. It was in 2010 that I went there for the 1^time times.  Since then I have been working on this camp for pike, trout and salmon fishing.

Suffice to say that the encounter with this country, does not leave you indifferent, and once you have tasted it… ..

What are the main differences in your opinion between Ireland and France in terms of fishing?

Ireland has nothing to compare to France in terms of fishing, fish populations and natural environments. Whether in lakes or rivers, fish populations are much higher there. This is due to the preservation of aquatic environments (no physical modifications to the environment, riprap, embankment, etc.) which allows a good number of species to be able to reproduce and ensure their biological cycle, which is no longer the case. on a good number of French rivers.

The low demographic density allows natural environments to support human activities. So rivers in good health, unpolluted or little.

The legislation concerning pike fishing to take an example.

The Irish had the intelligence to limit the harvest rather than restrict the fishermen in their techniques. In Ireland it is possible to fish for pike day and night, all year round. The only ban being live fishing and it is only allowed to take one small pike per day. The many parents must be released and returned to their environment.

All these elements put together mean that the quality of the fishing is in my opinion much higher in Ireland than in France.

ALAS!!!! because in France we have a magnificent hydrographic network which is being severely tested. A collective awareness of the protection of water and our rivers will be necessary if we wish to preserve and continue to benefit from this essential resource for man.

Our authorities should  become aware of the potential of our French rivers and lakes.  by going in the direction of green tourism, fishing. A greater number of people would be made aware of this protection.  Something easy to say will tell me certain,  knowing that human and material resources are not up to the task. That said, I must salute the restoration and monitoring actions carried out on certain rivers.  and rivers of the great East as on the Meuse or the Moselle.

What do you like most about guiding today?

As I said previously, share my knowledge of fishing and the environment of course. And what is also close to my heart during my performances is the transmission of the sensitivity and humility that man must have in front of Mother Nature.

The relationship with my trainees while spending good times on or at the edge of the water.

To introduce a technique to a trainee and succeed in making him catch a nice fish  is the best reward.

What qualities do you think are required to be a good guide?

You have to like relationships of course, be patient, helpful, and educator.

Knowing and successfully transmitting knowledge is not always easy.

How do you see the profession of fishing instructor-guide evolving?

I think that the profession of fishing guide instructor has evolved a lot with the growing number of new guides, which is a good thing to promote and recognize our profession.  Lhe appealing to a guide has become more democratic.

When I started out, when I explained my job to a neophyte, people looked at me a bit like a Martian. People did not necessarily understand the meaning of my activity. We were at the beginning of the internet and all this virtual mode of communication has greatly advanced the profession.

In the past, there were fishermen in almost all French families and the transmission of our passion was done a lot by the uncle, the grandfather etc… in my opinion this is less the case today.

Now I hope we can all enjoy this passion and this profession for a long time to come.

What is your type of clientele? What are they looking for behind your offers?

Living in a tourist region, I have to meet all types of audiences.

Young people, teenagers, groups (ALSH or summer camp)  through fishing camps or discovery days of fishing and aquatic environments.

I often have requests from people on vacation, with family or friends who want one or more days to improve or discover a technique. Calling on my services allows them to optimize their fishing time and be more efficient.

As I often say: “Get on my boat, I'll take care of everything”

How do these people hear about you?

The first element is undoubtedly my website www.seb-peche-vosges.fr. There are of course social networks. Word of mouth, which takes a long time to set up, but which is very important.

I also receive clients that I had the pleasure of guiding in Ireland and who come to guide the Vosges afterwards.

Do you take care of your communication yourself? Is it to the detriment of your guiding activity?

Yes, I manage my communication myself, which in my opinion is a real job and which requires a lot of time. It can be difficult to be reactive  to requests as soon as we have started the guiding season and the days are already full.

How could Rodmaps help you in your future projects?

Rodmaps is clearly a showcase that allows you to gain visibility. and participate in my communication.

Exactly, do you have any future projects you would like to tell us about?

Yes of course ! A guide must perpetually renew its services and destinations.

As of 2019, I am joining the Patagonia fishing team which offers trout and salmon fishing trips from January to March in Chilean Patagonia.

I am also working on a project for a new destination concerning predator fishing  in European countries that I keep warm for now.

An anecdote to tell us about a guide?

Anecdotes, I'm in my head. This dates from last spring.

Party since the morning with a client, to hunt down the jugs. At midday, still nothing, not a touch, not the slightest sign of activity.

Considering the relatively pleasant weather that was expected, I suggested the previous day to the wife of this client to join us at the launch, for the snack break and to spend the afternoon with us on the boat. boat.

Pause over, we resume navigation to try another sector. Arrived on the spot a light breeze made me say that the sea anchor would be useful.

"Edmond could you pass me the sea anchor that's in the trunk in front of you?"

The!! Monsieur hands his rod to Madame, who doesn't fish and just holds the rod with it  the lure which is very close to the surface.

and boom hanged !!!! Madame has just had the lure swallowed by a pike.

Monsieur can not believe it and Madame is as much surprised as delighted.

giggles guaranteed !!!

As a result, madam, over-vitaminized by her feat, will continue to fish the rest of the day and will do  two more pike before the gentleman takes his first pike, which will be followed by two or three other beautiful fish.

Funny anecdote that makes me say that “fishing is fishing”

Discover Sébastien Morel's guiding offers: