For most of Mariko Izumi's childhood she donned a lifejacket, travelling to fishing tournaments around the country. As the daughter of pro angler Wayne Izumi and the niece of Bob Izumi - host of the long-running fishing show Real Fishing, Mariko was immersed in the TV and fishing industries early on, and inevitably was reeled into a fishing career of her own.

Originally from Ancaster, a small city just outside of Toronto, Mariko finished high school and studied her first year of University in England at the Herstmonceux Castle, travelling to more than a dozen countries in Europe during that time. Upon returning to Canada, she studied at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she earned her honours degree in French studies. She followed that up by participating in a graduate program in public relations at Humber College.

During her graduate studies, Mariko hooked up with WFN, and began hosting The 5 Cast with Mariko Izumi on the network's web site. Clearly comfortable in front of the camera, Mariko's five-minute webcasts caught on quickly and her fan base began to grow exponentially.

The realized Mariko could add a fresh face to their programming line-up and 2008 created a show for her, WFN's Hookin' Up with Mariko Izumi. Now in its second season, the show affords Mariko the opportunity to travel the globe in search of the coolest places to wet a line, and is challenged to complete a series of tasks, some centered on fishing. Whether it is cooking with a world famous chef, partying at the wildest hotspot in town or fishing with some of the best anglers, Mariko, who also serves as the show's associate producer, has a great understanding of how to keep the audience's attention and have fun on the water.

Mariko's Fishing Favorites

• Favorite places to fish - Langara Fishing Lodge in British Columbia and Los Suenos Resort and Marina in Costa Rica
• Favorite fishing partners - mom and dad
• Favorite type of fishing - saltwater fishing for dorado (mahi-mahi) and salmon
• Most memorable catch - when I was about eight, catching a large mouth bass behind the hotel in Orillia, ONT where dad and bob were fishing a tournament
• Favorite fish to eat - red snapper and salmon