With brighter days and fresh water ahead, it’s a great time of year for angling. But while your members are dusting off their rods and dreaming of big catches, there’s an important question every club committee should be asking — do you have a plan for this season’s memberships?
From chasing renewals to getting new anglers through the gate, it can feel like a lot to juggle. But it really doesn’t have to be! Whether you run a small syndicate or a busy fishery, Clubmate was built by anglers, for anglers — and it’s here to make your life a whole lot easier.
Every Club is Different — But the Challenges are the Same
Take a look around the country and you’ll find clubs in all shapes and sizes. Some have waiting lists as long as your arm, others are crying out for new members. Some are thriving, others are quietly struggling. And all too often, what’s missing isn’t the quality of the fishing — it’s having a clear plan to find and keep anglers.
The great news is that digital technology has made this easier than ever. With over 350 fishing clubs and fisheries already using Clubmate, more and more committees are ditching the spreadsheets and wondering why they didn’t do it sooner!
Getting New Anglers Through the Gate
It might sound obvious, but if people can’t find your club, they can’t join it! Have a think about what a newcomer might type into Google — “where to fish near me”, “carp fishing in the North West” or “fishing club for beginners in X”. Does your club show up?
A few simple things can make a big difference here:
- Get online – A proper club website goes a long way. Clubmate can help you build an affordable, specialist angling website that puts your fishery in front of the right people.
- Get social – Posting your catches, fishery news and any special offers regularly keeps people interested and helps spread the word.
- Make it easy to join – Family tickets, junior memberships and late-season discount offers are brilliant ways to bring new faces on board. Whatever makes your club great — shout about it!
- Run beginner events – Taster days and family sessions are one of the best ways to grow your membership. Clubmate is even the Official Membership Software Partner for the Canal & River Trust’s Let’s Fish! Angling Academies — a fantastic initiative getting more people into the sport.
Keeping the Members You’ve Already Got
Here’s something the most successful clubs understand — holding onto your existing members is just as important as finding new ones!
The single biggest thing you can do is stay in touch. Anglers who feel included and kept in the loop are far more likely to re-sign when the time comes. With Clubmate’s membership tools, that’s never been simpler:
- Renewal reminders go out automatically — no more chasing people up or hoping they remember.
- Members can re-sign in seconds from their smartphone via the Clubmate app, any time of day or night.
- Share your latest fishery news, rule updates or newsletters instantly by email, text or push notification.
- Keep all your member data safe and in one place — fully GDPR-compliant and accessible wherever you are.
Compare that to the old days of cash tins, paper records and endless phone calls — the difference really is night and day!
Want to See it in Action?
If you’d like to see how Clubmate could work for your club or fishery, the best place to start is a free, no-pressure chat with one of the team — all fellow anglers who understand exactly what you’re dealing with.
👉 Book your free demo today — and make this your smoothest season yet.
Want to find out more first? Take a look at Clubmate’s full club features or explore the commercial fishery software options for bigger venues.