My mom, Jocelyne, is great for so many reasons - she's done all the usual stuff that awesome moms do like made me feel better when I was sick or heartbroken, helped me with my homework and drove me to dance class, but in addition to doing all those things I'm really grateful for, she has also always been a fab fishing partner. Ever since I can remember, mom was right there with dad at fishing tournaments and on the water whenever she got the chance. In fact, she even had her own fishing TV show for a couple of years...and her and my dad went hunting and fishing on their honeymoon! Cool chick right?!
I'll always remember when we fished in Belize together (dad was there too), where we split our time between fishing the flats for bone fish and bottom fishing for mackerel. My dad caught a trophy size bone fish and my mom and I caught a bunch of mackerel so later that night we celebrated with a few drinks under the stars on the beach. What a life!
Another memorable fishing trip with mom was about 5 years ago when we fished the ladies tournament at Langara Island Fishing lodge. Langara is a favourite for all the Izumis - we always have an amazing time there - and this trip was no different. We fished for Salmon everyday and joined the other women anglers for wine and delicious food...It just occurred to me that the fishing trips that include my mom, usually involve luxury - maybe I should always be planning trips with her!
When it comes down to it, it doesn't matter if mom and I are fishing for bass on Lake Ontario, bonefish in Belize or salmon on the Pacific - fishing with mom is always a pleasure
I'm going for Master Angler walleye, channel catfish and even have time to catch up with an old friend!
A 3 part fishing trip in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Ray Troll fishy art and self-guiding at Silverking Lodge in Ketchikan Alaska!
Having fun and learning on and off the water during Season 4 production.
Mariko having fun on set with country music singer Craig Campbell for his new song FISH!
For most of Mariko Izumi's childhood she donned a lifejacket, travelling to fishing tournaments around the country. As the daughter of pro angler Wayne Izumi and the niece of Bob Izumi - host of the long-running fishing show Real Fishing, Mariko was immersed in the TV and fishing industries early on, and inevitably was reeled into a fishing career of her own. Originally from Ancaster, a small city just outside of Toronto, Mariko finished high school and studied her first year of University in England at the Herstmonceux Castle, travelling to more than a dozen countries in Europe during that time. Upon returning to Canada, she studied at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she earned her honours degree in French studies. She followed that up by participating in a graduate program in public relations at Humber College. During her graduate studies, Mariko hooked up with WFN, and began hosting The 5 Cast with Mariko Izumi on the network's web site. Clearly comfortable in front of the camera, Mariko's five-minute webcasts caught on quickly and her fan base began to grow exponentially. The realized Mariko could add a fresh face to their programming line-up and 2008 created a show for her, WFN's Hookin' Up with Mariko Izumi. Now in its fourth season, the show affords Mariko the opportunity to travel the globe in search of the coolest places to wet a line, and is challenged to complete a series of tasks, some centered on fishing. Whether it is cooking with a world famous chef, partying at the wildest hotspot in town or fishing with some of the best anglers, Mariko, who also serves as the show's associate producer, has a great understanding of how to keep the audience's attention and have fun on the water.
