FISHING FOR TALENT

Chris Ogborne considers the options

You know what the trouble with fishing is? It’s age. Depending on whose figures you believe, the average age of anglers in the UK is somewhere between 45 and 55 –realists say it’s nearer the latter. It’s scary for us existing anglers because unless we can attract the next generation, and quickly, the very future of the sport is in question.

It’s hard to say quite how this happened, because barely 20 years ago nobody was talking about it. Fishing in all its forms was massively popular. Competitions attracted close to 600 club teams each year, with many of those clubs running qualifiers just to get into the six-man team. There were star anglers who were household names, and their exploits were followed slavishly by the angling populace.

It’s much too easy to blame the internet and video games for the subsequent shift in youngsters’ preferences towards staying indoors. The underlying cause may be less identifiable.

Cost is, of course, a factor. It’s expensive to go fishing – that’s not just about tackle but also the necessary permits, not to mention travel costs. Unless the next potential obsessed angler can find a parent, relative or mentor to take him or her, that obsession will never get off the ground.

Then there’s the tackle trade itself. Smaller specialist manufacturers simply can’t compete, with the multinationals. Bespoke tackle, artisan producers and old-fashioned individuality are more warm memories than anything else. These were the aspiration-makers, guys who produced kit that you promised yourself one day. Kit that made you, and the sport, feel special.

The question anglers ask each other each day is: How do we make fishing feel special again? Happily, there are some initiatives in progress. The hugely popular National Fishing

Month (NFM) is one such, masterminded and managed by Naidre Werner of the Angling Trades Association. Her enthusiasm has driven this forward to the point where it genuinely is a milestone in angling.

The UK Game Fair at Stoneleigh is supporting NFM – the event will be formally launched there on 22 July. On top of this, the UKGF is hosting a major innovation of its own in the form of a hands-on Advice Centre where youngsters and beginners are actively encouraged to come and meet the experts, see the latest tackle, and most importantly, have a go. There will be live fishing on stocked ponds and the River Avon, with tackle supplied by the biggest brands in the industry. Kids will have the chance to catch their first fish at the show. And nobody ever forgets their first fish.

The good news is that there are still investors prepared to create and market premium tackle again. Brands like Loop and Arctic Silver make tackle to make your mouth water (the latter will be one of the key new products showcased at the UKGF at Stoneleigh).

Fishing in all its forms needs to evolve. For the last decade we have been guilty of standing still, but at last this is changing. Exciting new disciplines are emerging such as Pike on Fly, LRF in the sea, fishing from kayaks, and the fascinating use of modern technology in the carp scene, where miniature cameras are introducing a whole new dimension to the sport.

But the ‘next big thing’ will only take us so far. It is down to the existing body of anglers to support, encourage, help and nurture the next generation. Make it your mission to take a youngster fishing this year. Take them to outdoor events like the UKGF, and get them inspired by the fishing and the countryside.