Profile: Babs Kijewski – the world is her fishing ground

Her story doesn’t begin with a show, a camera or big fish. It begins quietly. In the north of Berlin. With a childlike fascination for everything that lives beneath the water’s surface. Fish, lakes, rivers, the unknown beneath the surface. Her father watches documentaries about the underwater world with her; they snorkel together, observing and marvelling. There is no fishing career yet, no TV appearance, no social media channel. Just this feeling that water is more than just a surface.

My first experience of fishing

Babs later takes up fishing through two school friends. The spot: Lake Tegel. The method: worms and a float. The first fish: a perch. No world record, no trophy photo, no great drama. And yet one of those moments that, looking back, set a course. A float twitches. A line tenses. A fish lies in her hand. Sometimes that’s all it takes for curiosity to turn into passion. For Babs Kijewski, that first perch marked the start of a journey that continues to this day. She became a professional angler, presenter, travel blogger and content creator. She appears in front of the camera, hosts programmes, fishes with well-known figures, travels to special waters and has built up her own strong presence in the angling scene. But anyone who describes Babs solely in terms of reach, media coverage and fame misses the real essence of who she is.

Because for her, it’s not the stage that takes centre stage. It’s the fishing. Babs is always on the lookout – for new waters, new species of fish, new techniques, new situations. She’s not one of those who settle comfortably into a niche and stay there. Sometimes she goes after predatory fish, sometimes carp, sometimes catfish; sometimes she heads for saltwater, sometimes for salmonids; sometimes to major rivers, sometimes to lakes, sometimes to places that, for many anglers, sound more like the setting of an adventure film than a weekend trip.

A change of perspective when fishing

It is this versatility that makes it special. And it makes it fascinating for our topic. Because boat fishing is exactly that: movement, freedom, a change of perspective. You don’t stand on the bank and wait for the right fish to come along. You go out looking for it. You read the water. You pay attention to the wind, the drift, the depth, the structure and the temperature. The boat isn’t just a means of transport; it’s the key. It opens up a fishing ground. It makes the water feel bigger. It takes you to places where the day’s catch is still up in the air.

Babs is clearly in her element in this world. She regularly ventures out onto large bodies of water, fishing in the Netherlands, France and far beyond. She now lives in France, where she explores waters teeming with carp and catfish, amongst other species. At the same time, she remains committed to predator fishing and the great open waters. A boat, a fish finder, an outboard motor, tactics – all these are part of her fishing, without necessarily taking centre stage. For her, technology is not an end in itself. It is part of the journey to the fish and part of the outdoor experience.

A role model for women

Babs sees boating and fishing as a way of connecting with nature. As a journey. As a learning process. As a way of life in the great outdoors. As an opportunity to start afresh time and again – on a different stretch of water, using a different method, targeting a different species of fish.

Of course, this also makes her a powerful role model for women who want to go fishing or out on a boat themselves. But not because she’s lecturing anyone. Not because she constantly has to prove that women can do it too. But simply because she does it. She heads out, fishes, travels, tries new things, might even take a tumble now and then, picks herself up again and talks about it. That’s far more powerful than any slogan.

After all, boat fishing isn’t some exclusive club. It’s a feeling. That slight jolt when the boat is pulled away from the Trailer glides. That first glance across still waters. The wind that decides where you start. The fish finder that suddenly reveals signs of life. The cast towards a drop-off. The bite on the rod. The fish in the landing net. And sometimes, quite simply, the moment when you realise: this is exactly where I wanted to be.

Babs Kijewski has turned this feeling into her life’s work. From her first perch on Lake Tegel to fishing trips around the world. From a child’s curiosity about the underwater world to becoming a professional angler with international experience. She shows just how far a passion can take you if you follow it. And she demonstrates, quite incidentally, that there’s enough water for everyone.

​Profile: Barbara “Babs” Kijewski

• ​First experiences of fishing: Berlin, including Lake Tegel, amongst other places.
• First fish: Perch on a worm and a float.
• Today: Professional angler, presenter, travel blogger, content creator (@babskijewski)
• Key areas: Freshwater and saltwater, predatory fish, carp, catfish, fishing holidays, large bodies of water.
• Focus on food: France.
• Boat cover: Large bodies of water, guided tours, modern boating technology, international fishing trips.