Ivo Balinov, Co-owner and Marketing Director

Ivo has been fishing for over 35 years. His experience covers North America, Europe and the Caribbean. An experienced instructor, Ivo has helped countless people with their first steps into fly fishing. He has also coached many advanced anglers, including several national champions of Canada and members of Canada's National Youth Team. Ivo has learned from some of the World's best competition anglers from the Czech Republic, Spain and the UK.

Ivo started European nymphing more than 17 years ago when these techniques were virtually unknown in Canada. Subsequently, he introduced many others to these productive ways of fishing through organized classes and informal encounters on the water.

With a strong passion for improving and helping others, Ivo organized, for the first time in Canada, master classes by some of the World's very best competition anglers from Europe, on a range of advanced techniques from dry fly, through lake fishing, to fishing rivers with nymphs and streamers. This effort continues today under the banner of the Smart Angling World Class Fly Fishing School.                 

Ivo has been a successful competition angler with top finishes at major tournaments, including team gold and individual bronze at the 2016 Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships, team silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships, team gold at the 2018 and 2019 Canadian National Fly Fishing Championships and numerous top finishes at other national, provincial and regional tournaments in Canada. He has served as Pro Staff for several fly fishing brands.

In addition to freshwater fishing, Ivo has a passion for chasing bonefish and permit on the saltwater flats, which he has been doing across the Caribbean for the last 15 years. 

Listen to Ivo sharing views and experience on competitive fly fishing, cutting edge techniques and equipment at the Flyfishing 97 Podcast. Part one. Part two.