10 pretty cool things you should know about Monkey Climber’s Gio Vanhooren

Hi Folks!

It’s been five years since the launch of Monkey Climber Magazine, and far be it from us to let such a momentous landmark go unnoticed. It’s hard to believe that the years have passed so quickly. Monkey Climber has never been afraid to shout where other’s creeped. The founder of Monkey Climber and apparently chill dude, Gio Vanhooren sat down with us for a particular hard-hitting episode of Q&As. Beside that we asked Gio and his co-founding girlfriend Eve to curate a very special gallery for us, and that they did. Enjoy a very personal and pretty hard-to-find word rap with the main man behind the everlasting Monkey Climber tribe. Here’s part I of our not-so-typcial interview.

Fashion or carp shows?
Gio: Can anyone tell the difference these days, pleaaaaase? And where’s my 5 panel, y’all!

Are you into tea or coffee?
Red Bull, mein Freund! After seven years of teetotaling on the Red Bull front, I started drinking it again last year, after 36 hours without sleep which involved a murder scene, a police raid, an illegally reserve caught 54 pounder and a missed plane to Rio, Brazil. Death to coffee by the way, I don’t like the stuff although, I had this very successful, self rolled Coffee Birdfood bait back in the 90s. As for tea, I like a brew whenever we have English anglers over, or some sweet Turkish apple tea when we’re out in the city.

What has been your favourite moment in 5 years of Monkey Climber?
All the arguing with my girlfriend. When it comes down to the mag, she’s the designer and she’s always right, lol. No, on a serious note, getting our asses over to Yorkshire, which involved taking a night ferry to Hull, and having drinks with Rod Hutchinson.

Mono or braid?
Mono(gamy/e) it is. As I am not a I’m not a motherfucking F-I-M-P like you!

What is always the first step for a new MC edition?
Panic! Sheer panic really! Generally when the latest issue comes out late again (as was the case with MC#10 now), we always say like ‘this time we really are going to make some way forward with the next one (or two) so it does not happen again’ 🙂

What is the most epic fail that’s happened to you during an angling session?
Well, funny you should ask, but this one time, not so long ago, I nettled my urethra… That went as follows; I know this swim on a local reserve where you need those sexy thigh waders to cast your rods out to a plateau far out, but for baiting the swim up with the throwing stick, the days prior to my session I did not need them, I just did this from the bank itself. So this early morning on the actual session, I jumped over two fences into this bird sanctuary, go down to the swim, waded out up to my thighs, only to notice that the water level was at least 60-70 centimetres higher than normal As I did not bring any chest waders, the only way now was to strip off my clothes and cast my three rods out naked. When all that was sorted, I started to climb up on the bank again, only to get nettled in my private parts, right in the most painful part of it. Man, that hurt! And I fucking blanked as well!

When did you last ride your bike?
I wish I could say yesterday as I normally would, but it has been ages mate. I am suffering a pretty bad back injury for the last three months you see.

Honestly, what drives you to having such a strong belief in print?
Loads of reasons really, but mainly the feeling you get from it, and from touching something that is made with so much love. Print lasts, you know. In ten years time everyone will remember a good book, journal, or hopefully one of our issues, which will not be the case with the latest ubercoolest bokeh you just posted on Instagram. We are living in a very fast, digital world right now in which print will only survive in those cases where you have this added collector’s, or bookshelf value, if you know what I mean.

Who’s you favourite photographer?
Stephan Vanfleteren (check out his book ‘Atlantik Wall‘)

Are you flushing in-between?
What do you even mean bro? The toilet? Gobbledygook to me!

Our final part will be published Dec. 30 2016. Stay curios!