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.
Smart Angling Faces: Ciprian Rafan, Co-owner and Sales Director
When and how did you start fly fishing?
My first memory about fishing is from when I was probably around 3 years old. Since then every day out fishing would be the happiest time of my life. I started using flies to catch fish much later. Fishing was and still is my biggest passion…and according to my wife a case of OCD😉.
What is your favourite type of water? You favourite technique?
My favorite would be a small trout stream. Probably because of my background growing up in Romania I’m used to small to medium size rivers with gin clear water.
My favorite technique(s) is European nymphing but if the conditions are right I will switch right away to the more spectacular dry fly fishing.
What do you like about competitive fly fishing?
I will answer by saying that what I have gained from competitions is knowledge. Every time I compete I learn something new about fly fishing and about myself. I truly believe competition is the best way to improve your fishing skills. At the end of every competition, regardless of whether it’s a world championship or a one-day mini, there are no losers, only winners, it doesn’t matter if you bring a medal home or not. You’ll grow your skills and make a bunch of new fishing buddies.
What do you think is the biggest myth about competitive fly fishing?
Some people say that competitive fishing is not “real” fishing… I believe it is exactly the opposite; I truly believe that fly fishing has evolved a lot because of competitions. This is how we get new techniques, new flies and better equipment.
Name three persons that have inspired and motivated you the most in fly fishing?
Now that is a hard question. The strongest influence was my father. He was the first to put a fishing rod in my hands, though not a fly fishing one. In fly fishing it would be my Romanian friend Cristian Linter, the former President of Fly Fishing Canada Jim Iredale and of course my actual business partner Ivo Balinov.
What is Smart Angling for you?
Some people think that Smartangling is my company but I look at it as everyone’s company. It was a concept born from the frustration of seeing too much of inadequately designed and overpriced equipment. Now we try to run Smart Angling as a company where you have the opportunity to stay in touch with the latest techniques and the best equipment: rods, reels, hooks, lines, etc. Whenever you buy something from Smart Angling you buy a piece of us, our passion, experience and knowledge.
More about Ciprian
Ciprian started his fly fishing journey on pressured European streams where catching a fish was a success. This has helped him build exceptional skills and in-depth understanding of river fishing. He is also an advanced lake fisherman.
Ciprian has represented Canada at major international contests including the World Championships in 2015 and the Commonwealth Championships in 2016. He has held various titles at Canadian competitions, including individual gold at the Quebec Championships in 2014 and 2018 and team gold at the 2015 National Championships.
Ian has been fly fishing for over 30 years. A firm believer that you never stop learning, Ian spends all his free time improving his fly fishing skills and has had the benefit of learning from some of the best anglers across the globe, including World Champions and guiding mentorship from the late Ian Colin James.
Ian has a passion for competitive angling and coached the first all women team to compete in the Canadian National Championships. He is a captain of a fly fishing team and member of Team Canada, having the honour to represent Canada internationally in multiple events, most recently as part of Team Canada’s first ever Gold Medal performance, winning the 2016 Commonwealth championships, followed by a team silver medal at the 2018 edition of this major international tournament. Ian earned the individual Silver Medal at the 2017 Canadian Fly Fishing Championships.
He has been guiding for the past 15 years, along with being pro-staff for Smart Angling and for the Franklin Club fishery. Ian is a certified FFF Fly Casting instructor.
