Fishing for fame!

Friday 15 November 2019

Guernsey fishermen have started making a name for themselves across the world, with a growing international interest in online videos of locals taking to the island's shores.

Thousands of people are visiting YouTube regularly to stream the clips for fishing and foraging tips, while discovering more about the Channel Islands.

Jay Le Gallic has always enjoyed fishing and, for the past two years, has spent his spare time filming his coastal adventures to share on his channel; 'Smash Fishing'.

The channel has built up quite a following over time, with some videos reaching nearly 400,000 viewers.

"it was just a bit of fun really," Jay said. "I've watched fishing on YouTube since I was about 15 and I fish all the time anyway, so I thought it would be a good idea to do it myself.

Pictured: Jay Le Gallic (image from Smash Fishing Instagram page).

"I've been fishing and foraging since I was a child. My dad was a fisherman for 19 years, so it was drilled into me from a young age. My old man took me a lot when I was young, going to find lobsters and bits and bobs on the beach to cook."

Jay regularly sets out with his friend and Cameraman, Sam Teed, scouring the shores for food before heading back up to the beach and cooking it - weather permitting!

 "It was tough to begin with," he continued. "Reaching 100 subscribers was the worst one to get to, that took six or seven months and then it was the foraging that kicked off the channel. There's a huge audience for it. Any sort of survival skills people seem to love."

The channel has now reached 26,000 subscribers and continues to climb.

"We're very hyperactive and very positive all the time and I think that has a positive influence on the channel because the majority of the audience is children and young people," Jay explained. "I think that's what made it go that extra bit further."

 Another local man making the most out of his hobby is Daniel Bourgaize, who has spent the past couple of years working on his 'Inglorious Fishing' YouTube channel.

Despite being completely vegetarian, Daniel has been fishing since he was very young and has even worked on commercial fishing boats.

PIctured: Daniel Bourgaize (image from Inglorious Fishing channel).

"Guernsey is fantastic for fishing," he said. "It's probably one of the best fishing spots in the world. In the Channel Islands you have such a selection of fish; sharks and bluffing recently to gilt-heads coming in and mackerel. The amount of comments I get saying 'I wish I lived where you live' because the viewers see the islands and the scenery."

Daniel films himself fishing from his boat, with interest from viewers as far as Australia, New Zealand, America and Mexico.

"I just love fishing," he added. "Whenever' I've got a spare moment I make the time and go out fishing. There's no point just working all your life and not enjoying it!"

Pictured top: Smash Fishing.