How Angling Became Trendy Again
Living in an always-on, always-connected digital age, you might be surprised to find that there’s a growing trend for fishing around the world. This used to be a time-honoured pastime that people adored, committing hours of their spare time to angling, whether it was lake or river fishing or deep-sea fishing by boat.
Scientists have proven that there’s a direct link between outdoor activities like fishing and improved mindfulness. It’s an opportunity to switch off from everyday life, escape to the wilderness and focus on the only thing that matters at the time – catching that all-important fish.
Fishing is a Big Deal Stateside Too
In the U.S., angling has surged in popularity in recent years. In 2022, 54.5 million Americans aged six or older said they went fishing. Most interestingly, the 2023 report from the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation revealed a 40% uptake in female anglers in the last decade. 19.8 million women said they went fishing in 2022. In fact, 4.1 million Americans had tried fishing for the first time in 2022. Suggesting that almost 10% of anglers were newcomers to the pastime.
Fishing is the perfect disconnect from screens. A great opportunity to start appreciating the great outdoors once again. With sustainability a red-hot topic, fishing has also positioned itself as the eco-friendly pastime, with ethical, catch-and-release fishing allowing individuals to engage with nature without short or long-term damage to the wider environment.
Digital trends and social media have also played a significant role in fishing’s revival. In the iGaming industry, there are many successful angling-themed slot games, which are available to play on any device. The Fishin Frenzy slot is one of the original angling games in the UK, which has since become a franchise in its own right thanks to multiple slot spin-offs. As for social media, multiple high-profile individuals and influencers have helped to make angling cool gain.
The Most Popular Fishing Influencers on Social Media
On social media, there are hundreds of influencers posting and talking about fishing as both a pastime and a way of life. One of the most popular influencers for fishing is South African international cricketer, Quinton De Kock. The explosive batter, who has almost 700,000 followers on his account, says in his bio that he plays cricket and “juggles his fishing addiction in between”.
In the UK, the loveable dog, Ted, from the BBC TV series Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, has also caused a stir on social media. He’s got his own social media page, with over 200,000 followers. Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are two of Britain’s most successful comedians of the modern era. The duo, who have both gone through their own battles with ill health, embark on fishing trips to random, picturesque locations across the UK. After initially airing in 2018, it’s proven so popular that the BBC have delivered seven series in total.
In their most recent series, which aired in the autumn, the duo fished for salmon in the north of Ireland, cast out for bass and sea trout at north Norfolk’s Blakeney Point and sought out perch from Bedfordshire’s River Ouse.
Fishing has been enjoyed for centuries and is more than just a passing trend, but as people rebel against modern life, this timeless tradition is sure to get even more air time.