Italo Labignan graduated from Sir Sandford Fleming College as a Fish and Wildlife Technician and gathered three years of experience with Canada’s Ministry of Natural Resources. He went on to become a professional taxidermist as well as a successful tournament angler. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, having an extensive background in Canada’s outdoors, Italo pursued a career as an outdoor writer and started his promotional work representing several leading fishing tackle and outdoor equipment manufacturers.

By the mid 80’s, he began developing his strong public speaking & presentation skills and notoriety that he became in high demand for assisting companies who were looking to obtain high quality fishing and outdoor video footage.

Italo in 1985 pioneered a concept for his own sport fishing television series that would set a new standard of quality on Canadian television. The series for the first time in Canada would combine conservation and education with entertaining fishing action!

In the fall of that year, a pilot was produced for the Canadian Sportfishing Show. The series was immediately picked up by TSN – Canada’s Sports Leader. The series was so well received across Canada that TSN broadcast 26 original episodes in the first season. Canadian Sportfishing has continued to be broadcast a minimum of 3-times a week, 52-weeks of the year, for the last 21 years on TSN. In addition Canadian Sportfishing is seen on a series of Over the Air Stations as well as on WFN at the present time.

In 1985 Canadian Sportfishing Productions Inc. was established and within two years it started developing several other divisions and productions. By the early 90’s, it became the largest ‘outdoor communications’ company in Canada. Italo developed several other TV series, published books, operated a travel division, published Canada’s only National Sportfishing magazine and annually would attend many special events that would attract thousands of spectators.

Italo is a founder and partner of Canadian Sportfishing Productions Inc. He continues to be an integral part of the television, commercial and industrial production division. His hands-on learning has given him the ability to come up with production concepts, the ability of organizing and coordinating production units and very efficiently executing them. He is familiar with every facet of Canadian Sportfishing Productions Inc. and continues to be the host of the Canadian Sportfishing show and executive producer to the production division. Italo maintains a leadership role in the directions that the company is expanding in at the present time.

He lives with his wife Barb, and has four children; Amanda, John, Jessica and Patricia.

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