Sport / Gunn making a splash in the angling world
Liam Gunn, who now lives in Aberdeenshire, has featured on the cover of Sea Angler magazine for a second time
AN ANGLER from Scalloway has landed his second cover feature in Sea Angler magazine as his rise throughout the sport continues.
Liam Gunn is the cover star for this month’s edition of a publication which is described as a “bible” for those who love angling or want to take it up.
The 31-year-old, who now lives in Kintore in Aberdeenshire, is also a regular contributor to the magazine that he has grown up revering.
He said he has been “obsessed” with fishing since he was seven – and his dedication to angling has now seen him become a trusted voice within the sport.
“I grew up tinkering around Scalloway Harbour, and I was really curious about all things to do with fishing,” he told Shetland News.
“My mam was really good. Even from the age of seven she would let me just go out with a line and potter around.
“I would just go down and ogle the big commercial fishing boats, and then started buying any books I could get my hands on about fish or fishing.”
He said his granny bought him his first Sea Angler magazine, which was eventually “worn through” by how often he read it.
“I was fishing pretty much every day after school, and weekends too,” he said.
“Basically if anyone would take pity on me and drive me, I was all over Shetland fishing.
“Instead of playing football, or getting up to no good, that’s what I was up to.”
At the age of 13 his mam took Gunn to Dundee for trials for the Scotland team, having watched his love for the sport flourish.
Gunn recalls arriving at the event in a blue boilersuit, a Shetland ganzie and a pair of Dunlop wellies – much to the amusement of his oil-skin suited opponents.
“I did well enough that I beat most of the boys that were laughing at me and got into the Scotland team,” he said.
That earned him a place at a home nations event in Kent – a “fantastic experience”, he said – where he helped Scotland to earn a bronze medal.
Back at home Gunn nurtured his passion by beginning to hunt for bigger catches – and annoying a Scalloway neighbour in the process.
“There was a man who collated the record books for fish, and I was forever knocking on his door saying ‘I think I’ve got another record’,” Gunn said.
“Then he would have to get the scales out and weigh it, then add it to the book. I think he was fed up with me.”
After turning 18 Gunn said he realised there was “more to fish for” than what was on these shores, and decided to move to the mainland.
“That gave me more freedom to go fish wherever I wanted to go,” he added.
Fishing on the mainland is “a little bit easier” and “more predictable” than the isles, he said, because in Shetland there is “a lot more ground to cover and a lot more areas to fish”.
Despite not knowing anyone in the angling community when he moved to the mainland, Gunn set about making a name for himself in fishing circles.
He began writing for a blog and started his own Facebook page – the Norse Angler – though he said the latter was only because he thought “people don’t want to see my angling rubbish all over Facebook”.
After being signed to rod company Century Sea Fishing, Gunn was asked to write reviews for them – which opened the door back to Sea Angler magazine.
And over two decades after his granny bought him his first edition, Gunn has now adorned the front of that very magazine on two separate occasions.
He said it was “a fever dream” to even be considered for its pages.
“When I was first lucky enough to be on the front cover I was just amazed. Even when I first started writing for them, it just didn’t really compute or hit home,” he said.
“I really enjoy writing. I think I’ve fallen in love with fishing even more.”
Gunn is now on the trail of monster fish, with his record catch a 219lb skate – almost 100kg – which he is aiming to better this year.
Having been holding a fishing rod for nearly quarter of a century, Gunn thinks his love of angling is two-fold.
“It’s the escapism of it that keeps me going back to it,” he said.
“You can sit for 30 minutes to an hour where you don’t think about anything else other than what you might catch.
“It’s nice to have that, it’s nice to be able to switch off.
“But it’s as much about having fun as it is about catching fish, and the community around it is great.
“There’s been times where I’ve come home soaking wet, having caught nothing but with a big smile on my face because your friend has fallen in or something.
“It’s a really great thing to do, and hopefully to pass that on the next person that shows an interest.”
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