From the shores of the Utena lakes to World Championship titles

It is said that you are born a fisherman, not made one. But Gustas Juozelskis, 26, from Utena, says that neither his father nor his grandfather fished in his family. However, at a very young age, he is already a professional sport fisherman and has won several gold medals. Recently, he returned with the Lithuanian team from the World Sport Fishing Pond Trout Championship in Italy, where he also won a bronze medal.

Nine years of work

Juozelskis took a liking to fishing as a child. And, as he recalls, he took part in his first competition at the age of 13.

„My parents drove me everywhere, invested in me, and I put in a lot of work myself and achieved results. Now they have come to terms with this hobby, which has become my way of life. My mother never thought of taking away my fishing rods or selling them, but sometimes, when it was cold and I didn't have anyone to go fishing with, she would offer me to stay at home," he said.

Looking for like-minded people, G. Juozelskis joined the sport fishing club „Utenis“. He is still the youngest member of the club.

Vaikinas did not hide the fact that fishing is not just a pleasure for him. It has become a daily job and a way of life. But there have been ups and downs over the years.

„Fishing may not seem like a sport, but believe me, it's a sport not only for the muscles in your arms and legs, but also for your brain. Last year, when I received the award for the best sportsman in the cultural centre of Utena, the whole hall laughed that fishing was a sport. But fishing is actually a big and hard job. You have to walk about 20 kilometres per competition," the angler shared his observations.

The road to the big championships has been long and difficult, according to G. Juozelskis. Nine years of participation in the Lithuanian Spinning League. Only after nine years of constant training and participation in Lithuanian championships did he make it to the Lithuanian national team, together with Justas Šidla from Utena.

„In 2024, we took part in the World Boat Spinning Championships in Northern Ireland. Šidla and I came first in the individual category and won gold in the duos. At the end of November 2025, 15 participants from Lithuania, including three from Utena, travelled to the World Championships in Italy. Me as a participant, coach Gediminas Švilpa and backcourt representative Žilvinas Žalėnas. In total, I have already won three gold medals and one bronze medal," said the Utenisian.

Like a truck against a sports car

G. Juozelskis not only fishes, but also acts as a guide, organises recreational fishing trips and accompanies fishermen to them, and encourages young people and children to take up fishing. This year he plans to organise a competition for children.

„Until now, we used to practice in the ponds of Vasaknai (Zarasai district), but there are big fish there, and we have to catch small ones at the World Championships. So after training like this, competing in a competition is like competing in a car race with a truck against a sports car. We used to come first in the Lithuanian championships, but when we went to the world championships we didn't adapt. We were only strong in our own backyard, so we decided to take the initiative for change. Last year, we set up a pond in Tauragniai on the land owned by Paulis Gimbučius, where we will train ourselves and invite children and others who want to try the sport. The sport is gaining popularity in Europe, with new countries joining in. It's not interesting to boil in your own juices, the more people who join, the more fun it will be," said G. Juozelskis hopefully.

He does not promote ice fishing, and in winter he only catches salmon and sea bream in rivers and spends the rest of his time relaxing. He said he has become convinced over the years that success in fishing is determined by the number of days spent on the water and by the way he thinks with the fish, his psychological disposition, concentration and patience, not by superstition.

„If you set yourself up for failure or doubt your own strength, you will fail. You have to believe strongly in what you are doing and not judge or even think about other competitors. If you lose, you need to rethink what you did wrong and get back on track. And I don't believe in superstitions, I have taken bananas and canned fish on board. So when I go fishing, you can wish me good luck," joked the fisherman from Utena.

G. Juozelskis has a philosophy of releasing the fish he catches, and if he craves a fish dish, he buys it in the shop. His biggest catch was a 1 m 90 cm catfish from the Utena pond (Klovinių dam). He said that he hardly has any time for fishing for pleasure, but in 2024 he spent 188 days on the water. The statistics for 2025 have not yet been counted, but, as he said with a smile, the number should be as high as possible.