I think spring 2011 was the first time I met Youri and the rest of his friends fishing in Sweden.
Since then we have meet almost every year they have been here and I think we all have learned something from eachoter in some way.
Youri is a very skilled guy and that’s why I decided to do a interview with him.
Downunder you can see our first meeting 2011.
Already many lies about size and other things in life.
You can also see how a pikeangler looks after a week of fishing, (nice goggleburn).
Who is Youri Debie?
51 years old, born with a fishing microbe in my blood, (there is only 1 cure for this, just fishing).
Living in Belgium, northern/flemish part.
Married and 2 kids who do not fish.
85% of my time fishing I spend in Holland since there is more waters avaliable with permission for boat fishing, good ramps etc.
Belgium is poor in terms of boat ramps, permission on boat fishing quality and qty on fish.
Addicted to Sweden since I was a child, of course for the huge amount of fishing possibility.
I feel very comfortable on water and in the woods even when I’m alone.
Beside fishing I like to sport. In the past table tennis and football. Nowadays walking, jogging and biking.
I also like the good life, (eat, drink, contact with good friends, sport, fish…to eat and drink…).
Once started, I can’t hardly stop the things I like, (my problem).
Often deadly tired after a day fishing but so happy.
We have to drive an average 1.5h in the morning and evening again. So long days and less sleep…
When did you start fishing?
Quite young, about 6 years old I believe.
First with my father and grandfather during holiday etc.
Later on often alone and/or with friends since I was just 8 year’s old.
What did you start fishing with?
Bread and worms, whatever was avaliable to catch.
I remember I had a simple bambu rod. 3 pieces from a fair, fishing in the garden of my grandparents small flood. The flood is only 3m wide, max 50cm deep.
At that time I was happy with just a few small fish. Fishing all year around every free moment.
When did the fishing went from hobby to specimen?
I slowly evolved in roach and bream fishing.
Later I learned to catch the bigger species which gave me more sport and satisfaction.
After this I wanted to do other fishing.
I met someone who also wanted to fish in other ways and mainly catch predators.
One of them bought a boat, I joined him and slowly we learned different methods.
First trolling, later vertical jigging and in between casting for pike, zander and perch in all ways.
I discovered that a big pike gave me most satisfaction and catching them motivated me even more compared to quantity. So Last 15 years I became extra interested in big pike. Extra in Holland the qty big pike was quite high. The challenge is bigger since I believe they are more intelligent in a certain way.
Above all I prefer a lady.
Here are two vertical pikes…
It’s not always about pike, he’s also good at zander and perch.
Was it some special experience that made you start fishing for pike, or big pike?
Already since the beginning of predator fishing I felt a bit more attracted to pike compared to sander and perch. When I fish I try to catch the max possible. I like all kinds of fishing and I’m really happy with every catch.
For several reasons I’m a little more attracted to pike because often they are really beautifull.
Also a perch can have the most beautifull color but a pike has a nicer smell, a better fight,
(depends of course always on the size of the fish and material used).
But why does someone perfer blond over brown? I like to see them all, just a small preference, a better match between us.
The trill, the beauty, and often the fight. I was lucky to catch some species who were incredibly strong.
Strange, some give hardly a fight, I do not understand why completely. Surely the way they are hooked, depth, shape, water condition and surely temperature.
How many 120cm+ have you caught?
4.
What’s youre favorite method for pike?
It’s to use what is needed to catch. For sure casting with shads and other rubber baits.
In the past, casting and have a live bait beside the boat. This combi is the max but nowdays it’s not allowed anymore in Holland. Untill roughly 2010 we could use live bait.
In the morning we started trolling for some perch and later on I used them beside the boat and in the meantime casting. It was a perfect combo to have maximum result.
Sometimes I just stopped casting because the pike (and really big) did not allowed me to cast too much.
What characterises youre homewater?
The diversity/variation of the river ending in the big lakes. Turns, depth variation and plants.
A nice variation of species.
Sand and artificial put stones breaking the stream.
But where we live the water changed very hard over past years, more clear and more plants.
You can say ideally for pike but also the quantity of all kind of fish decreased so much.
This makes that we need to put more effort, change our way of fishing etc.
The river…
How does a potential big pike water looks for you?
Surely a rather big water which is equal to more big pike I believe.
Extra important are of course enough small fish.
Depending on the moment of the year the pike needs variation in their environment.
They need shallow water to spawn and quick deep water later on to hide/hunt.
Where do you search the big pike and why there?
After winter the shallow water and later deep water.
Preferably going very step from land to deep, they really like it. Always with a hiding place to have cover to attack.
Do you think the moonphase have effect of the pike and if, when have it been best for you?
Hard to say because also other parameter have big influence.
Where we live often an nord/NE/ eastern winds is negative.
Hot, a lot of sun and no wind is not so good.
But indeed, full moon can be quite negative if no clouds even if the other parameters are ok.
How do you prepare before fishing?
For sure a good preparation is important.
The bait need to feel and swim as I feel it need to swim. If it doesen´t I feel not so trustfull. It disturbs the concentration and my feeling to the water.
I always like to have a big variation with me and spare. If i loose 1 type I like to have an extra with me.
I expierenced that if I could not prepare as needed my bait, I can´t sleep well.
More important when not fishing for a long time it’s more hard and I need more time to get into that good concentration and feeling of trust what ever happen.
If you have more days on the same water you experience a lot, know quickly where to find the fish, how and where to fish etc. with a better catch as result.
I remember days where I knew before that I would catch big pike. And indeed very soon I caught them.
A week later just the contrary…
Wich speed do you prefere for big pike?
The speed a pike prefer.
I remember we were casting and some pike followed to the boat without attack. I caugth both when I was trolling at a speed of 4 km/h. I experience every fishing day again when we are diagonal jigging.
The higher speed, the better. It seems that the fish has no time to look carefully and have to attack otherwise the chance is gone.
Is the sonar important for you and how do you use it?
Very very important.
Surely to understand depth evolution, to get a map in my mind how a spot is below the water.
Also to see if there is some lunch for the predators, plants or just stones and structures.
Is there some special depth that have been better for you?
As I stated, depends a bit on the time of the year.
If I have to name one, a steel wall near to shallow water.
Fish the shallow water during the spawing time, deeper afterwards.
Look for the smaller live baits.
What’s youre experience about luresize for pike?
For sure big lure is more effective for big pike.
I have a friend who is more in to constant big lure’s and his album is really impressive.
Maybe except high summer period. Every year I catch nice fish around 1m on small shads and plugs.
They are also better when the pike has overpressure on standard big lures.
Name youre top 5 baits.
You know I like a lot soft baits. The simple reason that we always can use them.
Casting, trolling in shallow water, cast or troll them very deep, slow and deep, fast and deep, whatever.
There are no bad baits, just bad fisherman, (joke but also true).
Easy follow the bottom from undeep to deep, even vice versa.
1. Bulldawgs, small and big. I forgot them a bit past half year.
Often is a jerk bait more catching. My absolute favorite’s are the hybride types, very selective to huge pike.
2. Why not one 1? Limited to more shallow water.
3. Livebait. Not higher since it’s a more passive way of fishing, I like the active fishing.
Maybe when I’m more aged I will be obliged….
4. Big shads and other rubber things.
5. Small shads about 7cm.
Catching all but high summer also big pike. On a 10gr rod, spinning or falling to the deep.
Catching big pike on small shads on light rod’s is really the max stated that the fish can swim and fight
freely. When the shad is falling the attack is magnificent, it’s a big bang and then a trilling fight nearly as
good as an org…
Last Sweden trip I caught also a 105cm but also big trouth on 7cm shad.
On the picture below you can see Youri with a Pikewallis shad.
Made by Jeff Boggs in USA, pimped by a flemish guy and it cathing pike in Holland. That’s cool!
Tell us a little about the boat you use.
A rather small boat, 4.5m long and 1.7m wide.
Open, aluminium. 30hp with front and back troller since I often go for vertical/diagonal jigging.
A simple but good old Lowrance X85 fishfinder.
The big advantage of my boat is that it´s quite light and not so wide. Very reactive to follow the track I have in mind, or to follow changes in depth.
Describe how you work to find the pike a fishing day, (youre tactics).
First I decide the method, casting, trolling or jigging.
If it is a known water I try some spots. Depending on the result I continue if it was ok. If the catch is bad I often change completely. Ex if we were fishing on shallow water we change to instance deep water.
If the fishingday are on a new water, or beginning of season trolling can be very usefull to get known.
We troll often with 4 rods on different depths, lures and spots. Depending on the result after a few hours we can make a new plan and change method.
I know that every year you come to sweden you succeed to catch a big pike, what is the secret to sucsess?
Make a plan based on experiences and decide the tactic every day again. Be flexible and try different methods, spots and trust on your own skill’s, knowledge and experience. Surely be confident knowing that they are there somewhere. Meanwhile enjoy.
Enjoy fishing, friendship and nature. There is always something unexpecting happening and whatever happens, be happy with it.
My lures are always ready before the trip and I have everything extra to adapt, ex colors etc…
Here are some of the friends Youri sharing his passion with.
What characterises a fisherman who regulary catch big pike in youre opinion?
Focus, trust, preparation and the drive to pull trough. Trust that the moment will come sooner or later.
We say that a fisherman needs to be patient, this is a cliché but very true.
Of course, frequently fishing to feel the water, make a plan.
Over a certain period use rather big baits also helps and makes te quantity decrease, but it is selective…
Give us youre top 3 tip for catching a big pike.
Fish often, feel the water and adapt. Be confident and try. Make a plan, stick to it unless it really does not work over a long period. If they are hunting I know I will catch them.
When you fish during a week as we do in Sweden, succes was guaranteed over past year’s and not only at certain «easy» places.
When you fish often, sometimes you feel really the time is right. Use this time because suddenly it’s over or at least different.
How many days do you use to fish in a year?
I’m married and have 2 kids, 16 and 19.
I like to sport to and have a quite busy job so my fishing time is unfortunatly limited.
Every year it seems a bit less. I estimate about 30 days a year maximum.
To be good and constantly successfull it should be the double.
I’d like to fish more with combi live bait and casting, but for live bait it takes also time to catch, keep and prepare them. In Belgium it’s still allowed but I have not enough time.
Do you think it’s some diffrece beetwen youre fishing and the swedish style?
Yes, but it seems that more and more we all take the best of both world’s slowly.
I’m not the right person to answer this.
Some other tips?
Do not to forget to enjoy when fishing, never fish blindly.
A good preparation is half of the job. Not only the bait but also study the water map, make sure that the boat and equipment are ok.
I wish to say thank’s for sharing this interview with us.
At the end Youri have some extra words for us. At the same time we just enjoy some more of his wonderful catches.
As you know for me there is a time for everything and we have to choose the moment.
At the start of the season we fish a lot on shallow water. I often catch all type of predators together at the same spots near to eachother. In the past, it was often stated that pike and zander did not live together…
Bull shit! The picture downunder explain this, often on my favorite hybride jerk.
Also the bi color 120cm pike that you saw earlier in this interview was caught on 1-2 m deep water, and the fat perch on a huge shad.
