Sportfish Welcomes James Stokoe

Sportfish is delighted to announce that it has appointed top salmon and sea trout angler, fishing guide and winner of BBC2’s 'The Big Fish', James Stokoe as a brand ambassador.

James will be working closely with the Sportfish team to deliver regular social media content; presentations; talks and demonstrations; films and events, as well as giving insights into the performance of tackle, clothing and accessories.

Farlows Group Managing Director, Robin Philpott, caught up with James during a break in filming of a recent episode of BT Sport TV’s On the Bank on Hampshire’s River Itchen and commented:

“We are delighted to have secured James’s services and his contribution and commitment to the Sportfish Reading Show earlier this year was outstanding. James is a hugely talented and entertaining angler and one who portrays our sport to best effect at all levels. I’m sure he will be a very positive addition to our wider team.”



About James Stokoe James first cast a line at the age of 13 and knew straight away that fishing was forever going to be a part of his life. Growing up watching the angling adventures of anglers such as John Wilson, Matt Hayes and Rex Hunt he dreamed of fishing his way around the world and he was, in his own words, ‘an absolute fishing fanatic’.

Totally self-taught, James honed his skills through persistent effort, trial and error – and a lot of broken rods – on his local River Tyne, a venue that has shaped his fishing career and one that continues to enchant him. The Tyne is in James’s soul, he lives and breathes the river, watches as it changes from day-to-day and now runs highly-acclaimed guiding courses on selected beats.



A fascination with all things salmon and sea trout fired James’s early passion, and continues to do so, but he is a genuine all round angler and in 2017 his early dreams of fishing adventure came true when he was fortunate enough to be chosen from thousands of applicants to take part, along with seven other anglers, in BBC2’s fishing programme, Earth’s Wildest Waters – The Big Fish.



As the winner of the series James was catapulted from his beloved River Tyne to worldwide recognition and has portrayed our sport in positive terms to millions of fishers and non-fishers alike ever since.

James is proud to be an ambassador for the Angling Trust and the Atlantic Salmon Trust and, in addition to his new role with Sportfish, also works in association with Costa Del Mar and Fulling Mill.

Why Do We Fish? Join James Stokoe in a short video clip as he asks, ‘Why do we fish?’