Fishing... It's my life

A look at the pastime of angling in Britain

One million Dutchmen (out of 16 million) play soccer. Almost two million fish at least once a year. Fishing might be the most remarkable sport in the world. The documentary V.I.S.S.E.N (FISHING) dives into the world of Dutch fish and fishermen. Above and under water, on the IJ, at the coast, on the North Sea, in the cities, in the polder and on and by lakes and rivers. The film is a personal, filmic search for the “primordial fisher” in mankind and a portrait of the Netherlands by and on the water. V.I.S.S.E.N is also about what moves the fishermen. Who are the people that fish? Is fishing a hobby, a sport, an escape or a primordial instinct one cannot repress? What goes through your mind when you fish, when you catch something, or when you do not catch anything. And: what's it like for the fish, getting hooked?

When you’re a passionate angler living in a crowded state – in my case, one stereotyped as the land of highways, malls and refineries – you have two choices: move out or adapt. I chose the latter – finding fish, serenity and beauty between the Olive Gardens and Costcos in "Dirty Jersey". I specialize in underappreciated or surprising fisheries, locations and people, and my new series, B-Side Fishing, gives me the opportunity to do what I do best. Some anglers want fancy lodges, a sense of solitude, or destination checkmarks on their bucket lists. That’s fine, but the truth is, we’ve all got great fishing close to home. Great fishing shouldn’t be defined by internet threads and shiny ads; any fishing that inspires you, that gets you pumped can be great. Those are the fisheries you’ll see on B-Side Fishing.

Girly goes fishing

Catfish grabblin...shark wrangling...flying-fish fighting...and wrestling beasts by the boatload...its the worlds most extreme encounters of man vs. fish. From Americas swampland...to the oceans off Papua New Guinea...to Sardinias Mediterranean shores...since mans roamed the earth, hes fished for food, sport, and survival. For most, the tools are rod and reel, spear and net. But for some, its personal. To catch whopper fish, they use extraordinary bait. Their own bodies. Nothing more than fingers...hands...even whole arms. Noodling. Tickling. Grabblin or hoggin. Whatever you call it, its catfish wrangling. For these obsessed anglers, handfishings their toughest test of strength and endurance. Dedicated and determined, they carry on traditions old and new. Showdowns with powerful predators...intense competitions for sport and food...and mad melees of man vs. fish. All for the extraordinary thrill of fishing adventures Caught Barehanded.

When my dad became seriously ill, he stopped working and took up fishing. Fish swim in their microcosm, unaware they could become prey. The pond is both a constraint and a contemplative mirror, in which the father-daughter relationship occasionally glimmers. And the observer becomes the observed.