He may be one of the youngest in the WSF team but with over thirty year’s experience, Jim O’Donnell combines a modern approach with a traditional background. Aged five Jim was introduced to coarse angling on the Thames. Thirty years later Jim is still an avid freshwater angler but he’s better known for his saltwater skills - historically as a top UK charter skipper and in recent years for his fishing exploits in the Florida Keys. Alongside fulfilling other angler’s dreams, Jim works as a fishing writer & photographer with work published monthly in several top fishing titles over the last decade. Jim’s passion is to portray and promote angling from a lifestyle perspective and his approach is very hands on. Jim doesn’t go fishing with a camera… the camera comes fishing with him! Follow what Jim gets up to in the UK and Florida here on WSF.

Jim is a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore qualified Skipper, Boat Handling Instructor and a SportsCoach UK qualified Coarse & Sea fishing guide. Jim’s recent work includes a series of basic instructional fishing books for the Royal Yachting Association.

To find out more about Jim’s fishing holidays in the Florida Keys visit his website www.fishinginflorida.co.uk.For private tuition & general questions Jim can be contacted by email on jim@jim-odonnell.co.uk

Name: Jim O’Donnell
Nickname: Jimbo
Age: 37
Years Angling: 32
Home: South Devon
Occupation: Angling Guide, Skipper, Writer & Photographer
Interests aside from fishing: Surfing & Hiking
Favorite Type of Fishing: Specimen angling
Areas of expertise: Boat Angling, Light Tackle Shore fishing & General Coarse fishing
Favorite Species: Mullet, Bass, Barbel, Chub, Tarpon & Bonefish
Personal Best Fish: 9lb 14oz Bass (x3). 165lb Tarpon. 8lb 9oz Chub.
Favorite Places to Fish: South Hams Estuaries, the Warwickshire Avon and the Florida Keys.
Favorite Rod & Reel: Shimano Exage AXS.S.T.C.TE paired with a Shimano Seido 3000SRA
Favorite Line: Power Pro
Favorite Lures: Red Gill Evolution. Strom Chug Bug. Duo Tide Minnow SLD. Berkley Gulp Shrimp
Favorite Quote: “I like taking people out fishing, because it releases their inner child, and in doing so keeps my inner child alive”
Top Tip: Watercraft (finding fish), Stealth (not letting them find you) and correct Bait Presentation are the keys to success in all forms of angling. Tackle means very little if you don’t understand the species you seek and how it behaves!

Website: www.fishinginflorida.co.uk
Facebook Profile: www.facebook.com/saltandslime
Articles on WSF: Articles By Jim O’Donnell
Jim’s WSF blog: Jim’s WSF blog