Discover the history of Fish Connection, French distributor specializing in high-end lure fishing equipment, through the eyes of one of its co-founders: Olivier Mathiot.
Hello Olivier. For those who do not yet know you, could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us where your passion for fishing came from?
My name is Olivier Mathiot and I come from a family of fishermen. My father put a rod to be my hands from a young age and I grew up listening to his tales of fabulous fishing parties that they told each other with his friends, my grandfather and my uncles, all passionate too .
My father was a real fanatic and all our vacations or outings were for fishing ...
Our garage was a real Ali Baba cave, predator, trout, fly, sea, blow, I was spoiled for choice and so I was able to learn all the techniques.
Can you tell us about your journey?
I studied aquaculture and hydrobiology hoping to find a job related to fishing but without great opportunities.
I started working in the food industry and then in industry before taking over the management of one of the last French fishing tackle factories.
A big challenge with the objective of diversifying the company in a sector dominated by Asia which has a low cost workforce but also technology. I knew in advance that it was better to diversify into design and distribution.
So I decided to create Fish Connection in collaboration with David MERY 3 years ago in order to take a 100 % lure fishing orientation. David MERY is a true lure encyclopedia and an outstanding technician; without him, Fish Connection would never have seen the light of day.
For those who do not yet know Fish Connection, could you tell us about your company?
Fish Connection is a distributor specializing in high-end lure fishing equipment. Basically, we import material that we resell to retail stores. We are in charge of the logistics part of these products but above all of the communication thanks to our team of referent fishermen who test the products in the field and ensure their promotion on social networks.
Our main suppliers are based in Japan, we have the honor and the privilege of working with some of the most prestigious brands (OSP, Evergreen, Deps etc…).
We also distribute Wolfcreek lures, a Swedish brand specialized 100% pike as well as ZOOM Bait, a legendary American brand well known to bass fishermen.
Other legendary houses will enter the catalog next year but it is still confidential ...
What are the specificities of Fish Connection compared to other distributors of fishing equipment?
We have decided to donate 1% of our turnover to dynamic AAPPMAs and specialized associations to finance sustainable re-stocking projects in predators.
So we created the FISH CONNECTION CONTRIBUTION 2 years ago with a charter which frames our donations in order to select actions comprising coherent fisheries management plans, such as for example the restoration or the establishment of spawning grounds, reserve areas, No Kill routes, dates specific closures, information and awareness tools (pike perch and Black Bass spawning period, etc.).
Each of our products is stamped with the pictogram bearing the words “Fish Connection Contribution” indicating to the fisherman that he directly finances the stocking by his purchase.
We also make it a point of honor to only offer equipment and lures adapted to our fisheries. We select only the most efficient models.
A fisherman who buys a Fish Connection product is guaranteed a suitable, quality product that will above all allow him to hang fish.
Fortunately, we are not the only ones to operate in this way, but many distributors import products without worrying about the fishermen…
What are you most proud of since the creation of Fish Connection?
Without a doubt, the creation of the Fish Connection Contribution.
Even if our aid represents a drop of water at the national level, we have contributed to great actions on the ground. We are hopeful of inspiring other distributors and brands in the industry.
What are your ambitions for this year?
We continue in our momentum, we are spurring enough development to sustain the activity and strengthen the team.
We note that many young start-ups, new concepts and new distributors are entering the world of fishing. Why do you think this sector is so dynamic today?
As with all sectors of enthusiasts, fishing attracts a lot. It is the dream of many to work in the field of their passion, but the market is very competitive and the opportunities are few.
Social networks have completely changed the game with the emergence of many influencers who reach a large audience. Some manage to monetize their notoriety as best they can, but it often comes down to a few samples offered by the brands for product placement.
These new communication channels, which did not exist a few years ago, have opened up new marketing perspectives.
Before, communication was the panacea for big brands who could afford pages of ads in all magazines. Today, with an Instagam or Facebook account, you can reach thousands of people with little or nothing spending.
The other side of the coin is that we find very good as well as very bad.
Many try to take a chance, but starting from scratch today is almost impossible unless you offer a non-existent concept or service.
How do you see the future of the fishing trade in France?
Contrary to popular belief, except for the big brands, fishing is a difficult business and not necessarily super profitable in France. Many retail stores are closing in the face of competition from e-commerce sites and in particular from certain Chinese platforms.
Like other sectors, we suffer a lot from counterfeiting which destroys a lot of skilled jobs. The race for discount is also contributing to the deterioration of our working conditions in Europe and to the fall in wages, but consumers look at their wallets without necessarily making this link.
I think that this trend will unfortunately strengthen and that the future lies with hyper-specialized technical stores. The big brands will have to redouble their ingenuity and continue to invest massively in innovation by constantly reinventing themselves in order to maintain their leadership.
It is also urgent to review our fisheries management because our waters are getting poorer and discourage more than one fisherman. The development of the Black Bass is clearly the solution to make freshwater lure fishing sustainable.
Any future projects you would like to tell us about?
We have been secretly working on the creation of our brand for a little while.
If all goes well, we should be able to announce some good news for 2020 ...
What fishing techniques do you practice at the water's edge?
My work and my family do not leave me enough free time to practice all the techniques that I like, so I mainly focus on predator fish and a little trout with lures.
On the other hand, I am fortunate to have a lot of material to test, so I put absolute priority on product testing. For me, it is essential to know perfectly the products that we sell.
So I have a slightly different approach from a “classic” fisherman, I am constantly in discovery mode and I must say that it is extremely captivating to constantly get out of your comfort zone.
What is your favorite fishing?
It really depends on the conditions, I like cranking fishing to clear my head, I also love Texan and jigging fishing but what I prefer above all is still sight fishing.
What is your favorite fish?
The Black Bass without hesitation, you can fish it with a multitude of lures and techniques, it is the sport fish par excellence.
Any fishing anecdote to tell us since the launch of Fish Connection?
It's not really an anecdote but rather a little delirium that I had recently.
I went to New York for a short stay with my wife for her 40th birthday, without children but also without fish, that's what she thought.
She didn't know that it was possible to fish right in the middle of Manhattan and when she saw me put my rod in the suitcase she understood that I was not kidding.
As much to say to you that the schedule was ultra tight and that there was not marked Bass Fishing on its list.
In the end, I still managed to free myself one morning to explore the lakes of Central Park and fish for my first American Bass in the middle of New York.
Useful links to learn more about Fish connection and fishing in general:
Which fishing rod to choose according to the lure used?
