Angling is unlike many other sports because, due to the variety it offers and the numerous methods and species you can target, it allows you to shape fishing into whatever you want it to be. Whether you aren't particularly bothered about catching fish and simply enjoy sitting by a secluded riverbank embracing nature, prefer the challenge of navigating treacherous sea marks to put food on the table, or thrive in the high-pressure environment of match fishing—this sport truly has something for everyone.
As with all things in the world, the rise of social media and the internet has brought both positives and negatives to fishing. On the one hand, it has never been easier for someone to start fishing. With a wealth of instructional videos and articles available online, knowledge that once took years to acquire can now be learned in a matter of days, giving newcomers a jumpstart into the world of angling.
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Not only that, but finding good fishing spots has become much more accessible. Big fish used to be difficult to locate, but now, with a quick online search, anglers can easily discover areas to target the fish of a lifetime. While this is fantastic for the sport—both in welcoming newcomers and helping seasoned anglers refine their skills—it also comes with its own set of challenges.
In recent years, fishing seems to have become far too pressurised. If you enjoy that intensity and thrive under those conditions because it pushes you to fish at your best, that’s great. However, for many, fishing is losing the simple appeal it once had—just getting out for a few hours and trying to catch a fish. As mentioned, fishing has never been easier, with many venues now heavily stocked, and with information available at the touch of a button, anyone can catch a fish. But that vital learning period, the rite of passage that so many of us once had to go through, seems to be fading.
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Personally, I remember spending at least eight months trying to catch my first fish, using a starter kit from Argos with 50lb line, a float that wasn’t properly shotted, and a hook that left two maggots unrecognizable by the time I’d skewered them on. While I’m not for a minute saying I wouldn’t have loved the ability to scroll through YouTube or the Angling Times website for guidance, I remember learning why I wasn’t catching fish. And when it finally all came together—when that 3oz perch took pity on me and surrendered—it was a true sense of accomplishment.
My point in mentioning this is that, with the rise of platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, the world is increasingly driven by the need for instant gratification and this is putting undue pressure on newcomers and seasoned anglers alike.
When I worked at a fishery, helping young anglers and beginners, many came in with the sole goal of catching carp—simply because they were the largest fish in the lake and would generate the most likes on social media. While I can’t blame them for that, it feels like many are getting into fishing for all the wrong reasons. And although we’re struggling to recruit new anglers, it may well be because of the pressure they face—losing sight of the real reason we go fishing in the first place, for the love of it not the photo album.
More than ever, I see anglers—especially in the match and carp scene—who enter the sport with their eyes on sponsorship deals and the near-celebrity status of top anglers within fishing. They push themselves hard for a few years, putting immense pressure on themselves to try and secure those deals, only to burn out and quit altogether, with very often the Facebook post at the end of the match more concerning to them than actually enjoying their day on the bank.
Fishing used to be about enjoying the experience, catching whatever you wanted, while being part of a welcoming community that supported one another. Nowadays, if you don’t catch a specific carp from a particular water, "it doesn’t count". If your PB barbel is ‘only’ 9lb, it’s not considered a big fish, and if you don't post about not winning a match you are called out for glory hunting.
This growing pressure is making anglers question not only whether they’re fishing in the 'right' places, but also makes them feel guilty for simply enjoying their preferred style of angling, when that is the true beauty of angling, being able to fish how and where you want. It seems many of us forget that and need to look at the reasons we go fishing rather than advising how others should spend their time on the bank.
Don't get me wrong, I’m as guilty as any other angler of overlooking certain venues because the fish aren’t big enough, or when fish are caught, we don’t consider them big enough to include in our stories. However, what I wouldn’t do is shame anglers for enjoying a particular aspect of fishing. I often have to warn anglers before we call them put their stories online that there will probably be a backlash, which is absurd when you think about it—since we all share the same goal: to get outdoors, hook fish and remove them from the water for a picture. The infighting and pressure in fishing serves no purpose, and with the challenges and headwinds the sport faces from external sources, the last thing we want to do is sabotage ourselves, surely?
