CALL US TODAY - 020 8742 1556
CALL US TODAY - 020 8742 1556
MEET THE TEAM
Go Fishing Worldwide was founded in 1986 by Maggi Smit. Having worked in the travel industry for a number of years, Maggi found that her customers were increasingly asking for stand alone fishing holidays. As no one else in the UK market was offering this, Maggi decided to plug this gap. She started operations with one of her favourite destinations for fishing holidays, Canada. Since those early days the company has expanded considerably and today offers freshwater and saltwater fishing destinations all around the world.
Our programme offers a great variety of experience for angling enthusiasts, as well as catering for non-fishing companions. We also offer a programme of hosted fishing trips - see HERE for further details.
MAGGI SMIT
OWNER
Maggi grew up in Zimbabwe surrounded by wildlife, lakes and rivers. Childhood holidays combined superb fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities throughout Southern and Eastern Africa.
Over the years Maggi has travelled and fished extensively around the world due to her life long career in the travel industry. Some of her favourite fishing destinations include Florida, Bahamas, Seychelles, Cuba and Canada.
SIMON HOLME
FISHING MANAGER
Simon has been fishing since the age of 10 and had his first fly fishing lesson aged 12. He fished throughout his teenage years and enjoyed exploring the rivers of Devon whilst completing his university degree, graduating from Exeter with 1st class honours in Human Geography in 2020. After this, he worked at the Institution of Civil Engineers for eighteen months, before leaving London to work as an Atlantic salmon and sea trout guide on the Grimsa River in Southwest Iceland. After the 2022 season in Iceland, he spent six months travelling the South Island of New Zealand fishing for wild brown trout.
Simon started working at Go Fishing Worldwide in April 2023, and is enjoying learning about the world of destination fly fishing from Maggi, Tony, Dave, John, Colin and Mark. He will be returning to Grimsa for his third season guiding in summer 2024.
TONY FOX
FISHING HOST
Tony started fishing as a young child with his father and grandfather. Growing up, he enjoyed considerable success at several coarse fishing competitions, before graduating onto fly fishing 40 years ago. He has represented England five times now.
Tony started salt water fishing 25 years ago and has fished most of the Caribbean islands alongside Mexico, Venezuela, Florida and Cuba.
Tony has worked for Go Fishing Worldwide for six years and hosted a number of successful trips for our clients.
COLIN MACLEOD
FISHING HOST
Colin Macleod is a highly respected UK fly fisherman, guide and author. Raised on fishing for the wild trout of Caithness and Sutherland, Colin now lives on the south coast of England where his passion lies with the wild fish inhabiting our shores and the constant development of flies and tactics to catch them.
Mullet are fast becoming one of the UK saltwater fly fisher’s most sought-after species, and Colin has been a leading voice in how to target them on fly gear, a rapidly growing branch of the sport. His 2021 book ‘Mullet on the Fly’ has been widely acclaimed for its comprehensive explanation of how to catch these notoriously difficult fish on fly, interspersed with wit and humour throughout.
Colin's love of the sea now extends to the fabulous flats of Cuba, where he enjoys hosting trips on behalf of Go Fishing Worldwide.
CHARLES JARDINE
FISHING HOST
Charles Jardine began fishing at three years old and fly fishing at six. He attended art school before beginning a career as a journalist and artist. During this time, he went on to become an accredited angling instructor. He has written Sotherby’s Guide to Fly Fishing, which has been published in five languages and is considered the best-selling book of the genre.
After spending a lifetime in the fishing industry, his lengthy CV includes writing and illustrating countless books, designing tackle, founding Fishing for Schools, competing in the England squad, regularly contributing to magazines and being an accomplished piscatorial artist. He is the first living Brit to receive a place in Fly Fishing Hall of Fame.
Today, Charle’s busy life is filled out further with many magazine articles for Today’s Fly Fisher and Fly Fishing and Fly Tying and a regular blog on the Countryside Alliance homepage.
DAVE GROVE
FISHING HOST
Dave started fishing when he was 4 years old and caught his first trout on fly at 6 on a Dartmoor stream. Ever since then he’s been totally hooked on fly fishing. In 1982 he qualified for the English Loch Style team and since then he’s had the honour of being English National Loch Style, Commonwealth, English National River and European Grand Slam Champion. Since 1993, he has competed in almost every Commonwealth championship event. Now he manages the English Commonwealth Team.
Dave started saltwater fly fishing in the 1970s in Florida. From there he branched out to the Bahamas, where he has fished every accessible island. The Bahamas remains his favourite destination to this day.
MARK BOWLER
FISHING HOST
Mark Bowler has been fascinated by fish since the age of seven. He studied Fisheries at Edinburgh University and went on to work on a trout hatchery and trout fishery. Since 1990, Mark has been the Publishing Editor of Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine. He lives in Dunkeld, a spey cast away from the mighty River Tay.
Mark’s enthusiasm for fishing is infectious, and his hosted trips to Slovenia and the Bahamas are popular year on year.
JOHN OLAV OLDREN
FISHING HOST
John Olav Oldren was born in 1970 and started fishing at 7 years old with his grandfather. He purchased the family farm on the banks of the Verdal River from his mother in 1997 and started fly fishing in the same year.
Since 2000 John has been the River Manager for the Verdal River. With the help of family and friends, he built Tingvoll Lodge in 2004, and in expanded it to 10 single rooms in 2023. John is heavily involved in salmon conservation and has been an ambassador for the Atlantic Salmon Trust since 2022. He has worked extensively for wild salmon through both local and the national river boards.
John spent much of his career teaching construction, fly fishing, and hunting in the local high school. Since 2021 his focus has solely been on Tingvoll, where he works tirelessly as a manager, guide and chef. John’s excellent hospitality is famous, and he is highly respected by many valued Go Fishing Clients.
GO FISHING WORLDWIDE
2 Oxford House, 24 Oxford Road North
London, W4 4DH
Tel: 020 8742 1556
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