After another successful survey to pick the brains of clubs, coaches and all involved in junior angling, we received another brilliant, eye-opening set of results. So what really stood out in 2025?
After a bulging virtual mail sack of replies to our recent junior angling survey, it’s time to say thanks to all respondents and try to digest the results. There might be different ideas about how we develop youth angling, but one fact is beyond doubt: we have a heck of a lot of passionate, committed people in fishing who are clearly thinking about the future.
As for the key findings, without publishing every response, there were some eye-opening stats and comments that were right on the money. So where do we start?
- Getting juniors fishing is an ongoing battle, but the picture is improving!
Tellingly, an overwhelming 79% of you said replied “yes” to the question “Do you think there is a problem with junior participation in angling?”
In spite of this appraisal, well over half of respondents (61%) said that in the last decade junior participation at their club or fishery had increased. Furthermore, the vast majority (97%) said that they would like to increase their share of junior members or customers.
Recent official stats from the EA back up a rise in interest, with EA data suggesting a 25% increase overall in junior licences (source: Angling Times Aug 2025). But will these numbers lead to a rise in full, adult memberships in due course?
- Volunteers are gold dust, and qualified coaches are still sometimes thin on the ground
A whopping 82% of respondents describing themselves as “volunteers” underlines once again just how dependent angling is on goodwill. Slightly worryingly, however, 40% of clubs and fisheries had either no coaches at all or only one to two!
As for actual events, the evidence shows that clubs are getting busier and better organised: the vast majority of clubs and fisheries held coaching days and events, with an impressive 57% doing this six or more times a year.
- Costs are a key factor – but clubs are helping to make the sport more affordable.
With current cost of living challenges, many of you identified the fact that parents often struggle with the price of fuel and tackle, with a quarter (25%) of you saying that cost was the single “biggest barrier” to angling, alongside issues like suitable venues and kit. However, the really positive news here is that angling is clearly a sport with a big heart and a keen awareness that we need to support parents as well as kids.
An impressive 61% of clubs and fisheries that responded said that they offered some free fishing to youngsters under 16. Meanwhile, 100% of respondents said that they wanted to make our sport either low cost or no cost in terms of day and season tickets, either with free tickets or only a “nominal” discounted fee.
- Whose job is junior angling recruitment anyway?
Another encouraging finding from the 2025 survey was a clear sense of collective responsibility and a willingness to be proactive rather than wait for help. An overwhelming majority (77%) said that “the entire angling community” was responsible for encouraging greater participation.
That said, fishing clubs and the Angling Trust and Canal and Rivers Trust were also singled out as key players. Broadly speaking, the CRT and its “Let’s Fish” events were lauded as the biggest and best organised provider, and Clubmate is proud to sponsor their annual National Celebration of Fishing and Young People
once again this year!
Feedback, comments and other key issues
Anglers are rarely shy of an opinion, and most respondents were also willing to have their say in no-nonsense fashion! We appreciate all your input here, so thanks again. While we couldn’t publish every comment in this roundup, here were some of the most interesting and telling remarks out of many:
“Kids need to fish locally together and regularly so club level work is vital with skills being passed down and fond memories made. The excuse that “Oh they are only interested in Playstations these days” cannot and should not be used by the naysayers because it is not true. They should not be written off in this way.”
“The whole angling community needs to look at how they can encourage young anglers and the tackle trade need to up their game on the starter kits they supply there is no information and not enough of the correct tackle to introduce a young angler.”
“If a club increases its junior membership by either free or nominal sum membership it pushes up the costs of the insurance quite unreasonably. So the costs of insurance rises inexplicably for us or others for allowing or promoting juniors to fish. This places an unfair burden on the club and its adult membership.
“A good structured approach like CRT Let’s Fish is a great model.”
“fishing needs to be promoted more and club/support groups of SEN and mental health advised of the massive benefits of fishing.”
“The whole industry needs to become way more professional. The only organisation that seems to be reasonably professional in its approach is Let’s Fish. Its good to see a couple of tackle companies give them some support at last.”
“The whole angling community should be involved. There is in my opinion a lack of support from the Angling Trade as a whole, they could offer trade prices for licensed coaches buying the required equipment. We also get very little support from our governing body the Angling Trust.”
“I don’t think enough is done to promote fishing for juniors on social media sites, spoke to 2 young lads on our local canal they said they couldn’t find much information online to help them start fishing, so we’re trying to teach themselves, more juniors would like to start fishing if more information was available”
“The cost of fishing tackle is just ridiculous and all the media promotes the ‘named’ tackle or top of the range. Coarse fishing has been replaced by carp fishing with a reliance on catching the biggest.”