Get to know Marina Gibson.

Her sincere love for fishing and professionalism are some of the reasons that we wanted Marina in our global team of PROvisioners. Marina's commitment to adventure and activism epitomizes what is so important to SLP.

What is your favorite part of guiding?

I get great satisfaction from teaching beginners, and that's why I started The Northern

Fishing School. Most of our students have never picked up a fly rod before. Each one is a blank canvas and excitingly for you as a guide/instructor, you get to watch their progress and confidence grow; even better, you get to witness them catching their first fish! That's pretty compelling stuff.

To be honest, if I could wind back the clock 10 years, I would have loved to have guided somewhere in the world for a few seasons, maybe Argentina, Sychelles, Alaska, the crazier the better!

Do you have a memorable client experience on the water?

I run a cancer charity called Cancer and Pisces Trust which launched in May of last year. We taught 20 people per month at our pilot venue and we are just about to open up our second fishing centre in the South of England.

It's been a great pleasure to connect our members to the great outdoors and benefit from being outside with others who are in or have been in a similar position. The benefits of angling are not only your surroundings and being outside in nature - which is healing for the soul anyway, but because fly fishing is so completely engrossing and absorbing. You have to concentrate 100% and take your mind away from other things. Seeing everyone smile and talk about their newfound love for fishing has been the greatest reward at the end of the day.

What has been your most challenging pursuit?

Taking my "Fly Fishers International" exam is pretty high up there. I trained and took the exam back in 2018. I was eager to improve my casting and teaching skills, and prove to myself and others that I was willing to earn my place in the fishing industry.

It took over my life for a few months during the off season. I kept my training set up by my backdoor so I couldn't ignore it. I was very glad to get my life back when I passed! I am now training for my second FFI exam, but I'm not sure when I'll take it as I have a busy season ahead.

I've recently set a new fishing challenge for myself; I'd like to catch an Atlantic salmon on a split cane this season. I'll keep you posted if I achieve this!

What is your favorite time of the year?

It's hard to choose as every season offers something new.. The Spring is for springers, a

Spring run of Atlantic salmon. Summer has some great trout fishing opportunities. Autumn is aesthetically beautiful. Winter - well I prefer to be as far away from the UK as possible. haha!

Honestly, I don't get much time to fish in the UK during the season, so I really have to make hay whilst the sun shines. I'm trying to change this, so much so, that I've just moved to a house with a salmon river at the bottom of the garden. No excuses now!

There is true value is slowing down and taking it easy; concentrating and observing nature, as much as observing fish. When you go fishing, you have to force yourself to relax and enable yourself to actually fish in the first place. It's all encompassing, just to remove yourself from everyday life and put yourself somewhere that is completely different. The process requires so much focus and switching off from everything else.

What is your go to SLP design?

I love my Forged trout cuff, the new malachite inlay is to die for. SLP is such a statement piece and I literally see them on wrists all over the world!

We have a feeling that we will be sending Marina an Atlantic salmon bracelet soon to celebrate when she achieves her latest goal.

 

Click to learn more about Marina Gibson and her Northern Fishing School