Discover the interview with Tanguy Marlin, Product Manager / Chef de produit at Sert / Sakura and a leading figure in lure fishing in France. Tanguy is a great competitor and has been involved for years in the major lure fishing revolutions in France. From Lucky Craft à Sakura via ProTackle, Tanguy Marlin describes his career.
Hello Tanguy, firstly, could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, my name is Tanguy Marlin, I am 37 years old and I am from Paris. I spent all my childhood there, my parents moved around a lot and so I discovered the Pays de Loire during my studies, then the Gironde where I have been living for fifteen years now.
Where did your passion for fishing come from?
Like many people of my generation, I discovered coarse fishing with my grandparents, my uncles and my father, which we practiced quite young with my brother.
It became a more gripping passion as I grew up where I practiced all types of techniques: carp, feeder, stroke, snappers, spoons and lures, etc ... Around my 12 years old, I was kayaking a lot and therefore spent a lot of time at the water's edge, that's when lure fishing took over and revealed itself to me.
I lived in the 94 and not far from a fishing store called Wagner, in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés. He organized a local fishing school every Wednesday. I went there diligently at the end of each kayaking practice. It was there that I met Hiroshi, who was an initiator and revealed ”this click in me.
At that time, many players were preparing what was shaping up to be the modern lure fishing revolution as we know it today.
Thierry Cloux and Henri Limousin had launched the magazine "Fun Pêche", Michel Tarragnat wrote an article every month on a new technique of lure fishing in the magazine "La Pêche et les Poissons", Franck Rosmann and Laurent Poulain flew over the Challenge ranking interdepartmental.
In short, it was the democratization of sport fishing with lures and I had the chance to meet these actors! This is most certainly one of the reasons for my addiction to fishing.
What fishing techniques do you practice at the water's edge?
As I told you, since my adolescence I have only been fishing with lures at 99%. Very occasionally I do feeder, blow, or land fishing a bit, but it's more of an excuse to spend some more time at the water's edge.
Do you have a favorite fish?
It is very difficult to choose a particular fish, even though the black bass was revealing in my learning to fish and remains one of my favorite fish. Otherwise I am not "stuck" on a species.
On the contrary, I appreciate the idea and the experience of capturing new species with lures. This is an aspect of the discovery offered by this hobby and that should not be overlooked.
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I was lucky to have parents who have always supported and followed me in this passion. Then the meeting with Hiroshi allowed me to discover baitcasting, modern lures and to meet a large number of fishing personalities.
At the time he told me that until I am able to put a jig in a cup at 10 meters, I will not be able to advance in this technique. That "pitching" was the essential basis for learning the casting and all the throws.
Until I manage to line up the successful pitches, we won't go fishing together. As I was really passionate and stubborn, I devoted many hours to it, until I succeeded.
From that point on we would go fishing together, and Hiro was kind of my "master", I followed him everywhere and spent a large part of my free time, of my weekends and holidays in the offices of Yellow Bass to spin him a helping hand to take advantage of having all its magazines, catalogs, videos and mountains of lures close at hand!
One thing led to another, I met a lot of people in the professional fishing world but also in the associative world thanks to Black Bass France. I started a BEP Aquaculture, and before the end of this diploma Hiroshi offered to hire me at Lucky Craft France.
From there I worked for 7 years for Lucky Craft, participated in exhibitions, open houses, which allowed me to live for and of my passion at 100%.
Then, I started my own account for an Italian company ProTackles, which created Molix and I distributed famous high-end Japanese brands (Keitech, Evergreen, Imakatsu, MajorCraft, Toray and so on)! It worked very well the first few years, but the rest was more complicated and got the better of this experience.
In the continuity I joined Serves and Franck Rosmann to develop the brand Sakura 10 years ago.
So much for the professional aspect. Otherwise I also participated in a lot of competitions.
The 1time was also the 1er 100% Black Bass competition organized on Vidourle in Marsillargues in 2000, where with Lionel Grou we had the chance to win against bass icons of the time, we were as proud as roosters!
Then, I took part in other competitions by regularly changing partners: Philippe Bortin, Antoine Delaire, Laurent Poulain, Thierry Lecleach.
In 2005, we started to team up with Guillaume Martino on international and national competitions with a lot of success, then in 2008 or 2009, I teamed up with Jean Christophe David on the national circuit (AFCPL, predator challenge etc.) .
Since then, I have been competing less in France because the FFPS circuit appeals to me less, and the desire is less there. However, since the creation of France BASS Nation, we regularly participate with Yon Dupaquier on these dates. We had the chance to finish tied for 2nd in the 1time year, which allowed us to qualify BASS NATION in the United States where I was able to represent France in 2018.
One of the only international competitions I participate in every year is the Lucio Open.
Otherwise in 2003, I made my first fishing trip outside our European borders. We went to Florida with Ryusuke Hayashi where we crisscrossed the state to discover a multitude of marine and exotic species on bass equipment. It took me a while to leave.
It was in 2010 that Francis Coutou, former CEO of this company, who when the objectives were reached invited me to join the SERT team for a week of fishing in Madagascar. Again it was a huge revelation and I completely immersed myself in a new dimension of fishing. A real breath of fresh air in my passion for fishing!
You touch from near or far to everything related to the fishing industry. We see you designer, competitor, traveler, product manager at Sert / Sakura. If you were asked to describe what fishing means to you, what would you say?
Fishing is everything I said earlier. But also a little more, there are also many friends with whom we share this common passion! Fishing is my life quite simply ...
Can you tell us a little more about your role at Sert / Sakura?
I am product manager at Sert and specifically for Sakura, where we have been working in tandem with Franck for 10 years. It is a pleasure to work together, we get along well and we share the tasks. He is more the rods, and I more the lures, for other families of products such as luggage, accessories, etc., we share the work again.
It is a multidisciplinary job, which involves a multitude of tasks, such as developing products, finding products that sell in relation to the current market, meeting the needs of fishermen, our distributors, sales representatives and customers, producing catalogs. and commercial documents, manage social networks and websites, find new customers, prepare commercial meetings, plan purchases, control production lines, etc.
There are some exciting aspects and others that are not necessarily funny, as in all professions. You have to be passionate to do this job well.
In recent years, there has been an upsurge in the number of products, materials, manufacturers, French or foreign. How do you think Sert / Sakura distinguishes itself from this increasingly present competition?
Well, it's thanks to our know-how! We've been fishing for so long that we have extensive expertise that allows us to have a solid base in the field of lures and fishing rods. It is a team effort in which you have to be able to count on each other.
We are listening to the market. We listen to our salespeople, our distributors, our colleagues, our professional staffs who provide us with information in real time. We surround ourselves with a reliable, efficient team in the field.
One of the main points at Sakura is to make fishing popular and accessible to everyone. We try to do our best to produce products with excellent value for money. We have to earn a living, so that the retailer must too, but that the public selling price is reasonable for the consumer to be able to equip himself properly without his vital budget being impacted.
This is where the difficulty of the exercise lies. Making beautiful products with the best components is simple and it makes products expensive. Conversely, making products as inexpensive as possible at the expense of quality components and design is not more complicated either.
We are therefore between these 2 niches, and we must find a happy medium which includes our investments in machinery and mold costs.
We develop and design our lures ourselves, in some cases we have even bought machines to carry out certain processes (“Real Life” type and others) and this is a cost to be taken into consideration.
But this allows us to have unique lures, differentiating and specific to our brand, it is one of our greatest strengths!
What are the main qualities to be a good communicator in this environment according to you?
Concerning myself I don't know if I am a good communicator and I don't think so. Contrary to what you might think, I am quite shy. I don't like to put myself forward and I'm like a rabbit in the spotlight ^^
In general, humility does not hurt and when you are a fisherman you have to know how to be modest and respectful. Fishing is a hobby, it is not politics, nor a high level sport, nor anything else. We see too often stories of ego returning to the front of the scene of this hobby, I find that unhealthy.
Fishing is a passion that is only worth living if it is shared.
What are the new Sakura products that you could present to us? What are your goals this year?
There are a lot of products in the range and many have regular seats in my boxes. For this year the main novelties that come to me are:
The Gemibug to fish for chub. It's a simple, fun and playful young fishery. The Gemobug is a kind of "popper bug" which is more in the reaction than the imitation which is the case of its older brother: the Notobug.
The Cajun spinnerbait and chatterbait in 21gr which came out this year is a real butcher's shop! it launches like a missile thanks to an extremely compact head, it allows to cover a lot of ground quickly.
The lure is super effective. It evolves in the average of 1 to 3m of depth which is in my opinion the most interesting depths for this type of action whether in float, boat or on board. They are the ultimate weapons, with a quality / price ratio of around 10 euros with an impeccable construction and a level of finish worthy of the best Japanese products.
The R Jig in 21gr, which is really technically suitable for pike fishing in deep water: between 5 and 12 meters. It's quite subtle in technique and a lot of fun, the keys are great with an extremely low drop rate.
The animation must be minimal and we have permanent control and contact with the lure. In short, I became a fan and it is my ideal lure for pike fishing in pelagic and lakes from June to December. You will see a little more about it in the May article of the magazine "La Pêche et les Poissons".
As for the objectives this year, it is to continue on our launch! To make us happy to design equipment that gives you emotions, make you dream and allow you to equip yourself with the best possible gear at the best price.
You are very active in associations, and in the protection of aquatic environments in France. What is your view on the management of fisheries in our country? Do you see any improvements in recent years?
I am indeed part of the office of Black-Bass France. But between work, family, fishing, competitions, traveling, I'm not as active as I would like. I just hope to be a good ambassador to represent the importance of this association.
In 2019, I was present for an animation organized by a dynamic French fishing federation which deserves to be really known! They are very supportive, benevolent, dynamic, listening to fishermen! They really do move to get things done: This is the federation of Aveyron.
Regarding the evolution of French aquatic environments, just look at the latest Fishing Club with the president of the Federation: Mr Roustand to understand that something is wrong… I don't even know what to say to that. The best alongside the worst in the AAPPMAs and the French federations!
What I have especially seen over the last few years is that “the private sector” is interfering in the management of fishing in France. The perfect example is France BASS Nation which arrives with a competition and a simple charter to put the money of competitors and sponsors at the service of our communities.
A big thank you to David Dubreuil, Jean Christophe David, Etienne Fleurant and all the volunteers for that!
This is also the case for the collective "Don't drop the Bass”Which operates by selling the works of Matthias Lotthy, Christophe Hugues, and Daniel Mestrot, whose revenues are released in black-bass mode 1 euros = 1 euros bass!
Bravo to them who by their actions manage to bring together and federate the AAPPMA, the federation and hundreds, even thousands of fishermen around a fish and a common passion.
But once again it is the associative fabric that improves our common law, while others remain inactive even though they have the means and powers to do so.
Any future projects you would like to tell us about?
Well, I just came back from Brazil in December already. The trip went so well, that suddenly we are going back in December 2020, once again for peacock bass fishing. It is a fabulous fish that makes us cross the planet for it!
I know you know what I'm talking about at Rodmaps because you're used to this kind of fishing trip! 😉
Then as I speak to you, I'm on my way to Extremadura to try to catch a 3kg Black-bass.
For the competitions, maybe the BASS France Nation and the Lucio Open in November, but everything will depend on our availability.
For work, our goal is to reduce the amount of cardboard and plastics in our orders and in our packaging. This is a major problem that we should all be concerned about, as it is relatively simple to find solutions for it and contribute to a common effort in the matter.
The next step is to continue working on more ecological and responsible products in soft lures, as well as to develop biodegradable materials, but for that we will still need time that we unfortunately do not have.
A fishing anecdote to tell us?
The most recent, or at least one of our last fishing session in Extremadura (from where I came back and I didn't do my 3kg L bass):
There were 3 of us on the boat, with Yon, Bastien, and myself.
The day was not going to be bad even if the wind was largely there… In the afternoon on a point, Bastien released us 3 fish in 3 casts… the 1er weighs 1.9kg, then a second throw and a second 2.3kg fish! 3th launch and BIM 3th bass… 2.2kg… Small precision anyway! The throw takes place in exactly the same place! Or 6.4kg in 3 fish and 3 casts!
Between the joy and the shock of this incredible moment! Bastien puts down his cane and decides to stop there!
We were anchored and continue to fish the area for 5 minutes, including throwing in the famous “Strike Zone”… but nothing happens.
So I decide to take Bastien's cane, and throw in THE spot… well, a few turns of the cranks later, it's hanged! In joy and consternation! ^^ verdict 2,850kg!
There are anecdotes and there will be plenty. We experienced plenty of it, you and I Nico when we were on the island of Socotra and in Madagascar! 😉
