Let me start with introducing myself with some (14) pictures, it’s a 240 seconds story, also made available over Audible if you prefer listening to reading.
Early Years
I am Hans Roose, born and raised in Roeselare, the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) part of Belgium. Mathematician and IT development engineer (AnyWare) at the base and later founder of AnyWareFishing, 7 years ago.
I got fishing in my veins since the age of 10. With my parents and some of our family I visited France, and I got so bored since I was the only one who couldn’t swim. My dad bought me a bamboo rod and I started catching fish in the Ardèche — and got the fish fever!
From the age of 14, I was allowed to fish in a local village pond, yet my mother refused: “too dangerous, you can’t swim!” Needless to say, I took a swimming course and got the brevet in that same week, catching my first carp just days later.
It was in that period and at that pond that I met my youth friend Bart de Baes, who taught me how to cast a fly. I loved it! But flyfishing was elite in those days, and I had no budget at that age to start such an expensive hobby.
Ireland & Bellyboat Adventures
I started bellyboat fishing in Ireland back in 1994, where I caught my first big pikes. I caught so many pikes and made so many friends over the twenty-five years I visited the Green Island. Creating Memories.
Seabass on the Fly
In 2003 I picked up fly fishing again and developed a second passion — an obsession actually: seabass on the fly. That’s how, in 2004, I met my nowadays best friend, soulmate and Godfather of my youngest girl Lily: Didier Lemmerling.
We did numerous sessions together for both pike and seabass. So many adventures. Creating Memories. And it was with him, on the bellyboat, that I caught — after several blanks in a row — my very first seafish on the fly: a COD!
Family & Travel
Then came the kids… very little time left, yet always time for fishing and Creating Memories.
Of course I took them bellyboating with me to Ireland.
I took them around the world fishing — here in Costa Rica catching the most beautiful roosterfish.
And caught travelling also the very most beautiful creature that mother nature made (after the pike of course 😊).
The Outdoor Business
First day on the Volkerak, September 2006 — invited on the Lund Explorer of a colleague I met at work. Creating Memories. He was a vertical fishing specialist and my second fish was immediately my Personal Best: a 90+ zander.
I came home super excited, pumped up, really stoked and kept telling my wife: what a fabulous lake AND what an incredible fishing boat!
AnyWareFishing
One day in 2018, I made a choice: 25 years of top-level IT were in the books. It was time for a new era: AnyWareFishing. And look where life got me now: 3 Waterlodges at the Volkerak and 7 full-blown Lund boats at our quays at the Mighty Volkerak!
Catching 122 cm pike in European competitions with my buddy Didier!
