Emilie Björkman interview
This time we give the word to Emilie Björkman. Spend a few minutes asking her about everything from fishing, dreams, to family and the future.
Enjoy.
Can you give us a short introduction to yourself?
Emilie Björkman, born and raised in a small forest village in Dalarna. All we did was hunt and fish when we grew up, and of course in the teens we drank some bears and went to some discos in the cities. But other from that, fishing and hunting has always been central for me, but also something to escape into when life got tough and rough. I am now 38 years old, back in my hometown with Stefan, my two daughters and our hunting dog Dellie.
When did you start to fish?
Before I learnt to walk. Both my dad and mom are all into fishing so it was easy for them to bring me and my two sisters along. Both my sisters went for other passions but I stayed in the fishing. I really tried out other things but no, I always came back to fishing in the end of the day.
Why do you fish?
I don’t know how to do anything else. And there is nothing else I rather be doing. I love everything about it. That’s cheesy to say, I know but that’s how it is. I don’t do it to bring food on the table, nor to get time away from my family, it’s just what I do with my life.
How is it to be a personality within the fly fishing business?
Haha, noo, Am I? If I could choose, I much rather be like the best fly fisher out there, than a face that people might recognize. You know what, everything I do, is actually just because I really want to go fly fishing so every job involving fishing, like writing an article, doing a film, having a casting course... It’s all just because then I might afford to go fishing some more.
Besides fishing, what do you like the most about fishing?
Casting, being alone, not being alone, coffee, sausage, tailing loops, flies, lines, rods, noodles, dirt roads, bad sleep, wind knots... all the ups and downs.
What is the best tip you ever got regarding salmon fishing?
Relax and don’t go stressing about. You know, while driving in the car you seldom catch a fish, just keep the fly as much as possible in the water.
And your best tip to the new salmon fisher?
Get help with the right equipment for the river you would like to fish, relax and don’t think about distance more about getting that leader straight 😉
What is your biggest dream regarding fishing?
My dream is to go back to the good years with good salmon runs in almost every river. Meanwhile I hope fly fishers don’t stop fishing and caring about the rivers, if we unite and stand strong, I believe we will have a good chance to counter the stupid decision the politicians seem to make these days regarding fish management.
Could you tell us about the undefined fly-fishing project?
Absolutely! So me and Ted Logart started the production company 4 years ago when we did our first film “Home rivers Recycled”, and after that we have tried to do as much films as possible every year, just because we both want to fish and the out there. But the latest project Free fallin is something else, is It is a testimony from us salmon anglers, on how this new, sad situation is affecting us.
What do you hope to achieve with the project?
We hope to show that having good, healthy runs in our wild rivers matters so much to a lot of people. We hope to strengthen and unite more of the salmon fly fishing community and maybe also straighten one or two question marks on how the baltic salmon is managed today. We are in the final stage of editing and are really proud of how this is turning out, and in mid-January you will be able to watch it on Youtube.
What fish do you remember the best and why?
Of course I will never forget the fish I lost zon 2 Kengis last summer, a memorie you will see in our new film Free fallin in the beginning of next year. But a fish I did not loose is this one, when Ted (camera guy) wanted to go home and sleep and I could’nt stop fishing.
How do you balance your family life and fishing life?
I don’t, that’s the short answer. I live with somewhat of a constantly bad conscious, but at least I get to work my day job with fishing which helps a lot.
If you could make the decisions, what would you do to save the Baltic salmon?
I would just make people with the power change things around, to start and make good and fair decisions in favor of our beloved salmon and their survival.
Thank you for your time Emilie.
Photos: SVT, Ted Logart & Emilie Björkman
