New to Fishing? 10 Reasons To Try Angling in 2023

For many UK anglers, experienced or new, the great news to come out of another National Lockdown is the fact we can still go fishing.

As reported on the Angling Trust Website...

The DCMS Sports Team confirmed the following: “fishing is allowed as exercise so long as participants adhere to the rules on staying local, gathering limits, social distancing and limiting the time spent outdoors”

For those who can no longer part take in the sport or are looking for something new to try in 2021, fishing may just spark your interest! Many anglers have had the fishing bug since they first picked up a rod, but if you are yet to give fishing a go, here are a few reasons why it is such a beloved pastime.  

1. The 'Take' (When the fish bites)

This is that heart-stopping moment where the peace, tranquillity, and silence are broken and you become connected with something wild and raw. It feels like an electric shock coursing through your body and all your senses become heightened, fuelled by pure adrenaline. Those first few moments when you respond to the shrills of your bite alarm or the dip of your float and pick up a rod that has a feeling of solid resistance – that’s pure magic.

2. Fishing Benefits Your Mental Health

Not only does fishing give you the thrill and excitement of battling a fish but it is incredibly good for your emotional and mental health too. Fishing stimulates your problem solving, patience and improves your focus and awareness skills. To view more details of fishing and health, check this blog post.

3. Fishing & Physical Exercise

During lockdown restrictions getting that full-body workout at the gym is a no go but with fishing, you can at least get that heart pumping as you furiously reel in a stubborn carp on the end of your line! Mobile angling leaves you lifting your tackle up and down the bankside as you find feeding fish which also builds your strength and stamina. 

4. Appreciating each Species of Fish

For freshwater anglers, from coarse to fly, you will come across roach, tench, bream, pike, trout, perch, mirrors, commons, fully-scaled, linears, and even koi! Fish in the UK come in many shapes and sizes but they are all perfectly beautiful ‘prizes’. It’s a privilege to be able to observe and catch these masterpieces of nature so make sure you treat each and every fish with the utmost care and respect when handling on the bankside. Check out some of our more detailed guides for catching some of the species just mentioned.

5. Surrounded by Nature when Fishing

When we’re out on the bank we experience nature at its best and most pure. Those magical sunsets or the first few precious hours where night ebbs away and is replaced by the sun illuminating the sky – these are sights we are privileged to behold. As anglers, we’re immersed in the British countryside’s flora and fauna. From the iconic image of a kingfisher sitting on your rods to the first lambs of spring and the first snowdrops or bluebells, angling gives you the time to appreciate nature and escape from the sterile urban concrete madness, for a few hours at least.

6. Angling Achievement and Goals

That feeling of finally landing the fish you’ve spent years chasing, tried many different bait and tactics to hook, and spent hundreds of hours obsessing about is a big moment for any angler. The sense of accomplishment and achievement can be enough to bring even the most hardened of anglers to tears which many then capture in a selfie with their catch.

It’s like that feeling you had when you caught your first fish – the wonder, the excitement, and the amazement are all rolled together into a big ball of emotion. If you are not a complete novice and are looking to goal for 2021, why not check out the top catches of 2020 and aim to beat one in 2021? Having a goal in mind for your fishing keeps you motivated for the sport and gives you something to strive for in the new year. We promise, the total and utter feeling of satisfaction and a buzz of landing your dream catch outweighs the next blank session you may have!

7. Fishing helps with Socialising

Although things are a little different with lockdown restrictions, usually fishing offers time well spent with other anglers whether its the fishing trip itself or stopping off at your local tackle shop for your fishing essentials and the exchange for fishing tips!

Every type of person from all walks of life can be connected by this wonderful pastime. Although social distancing applies for stores and for when at your fishing venue, you can still socialise with your fellow anglers from afar or from online.

You can still get your fishing tips fix from ADTV over on Youtube or share your thoughts on fishing matters over on Angling Direct Twitter, Facebook or Instagram! Fishing connects people and, whatever stage you are at on your angling journey, you can rest assured that you’re bound to meet some true characters and lasting friends on the road ahead.

8. Having Fun when Fishing

We all need our spirits lifted with a good laugh and fishing can certainly fulfil. Whether it is with your fellow anglers playing a prank on you at the bankside or you are fall victim to going over in your wellies whilst netting a fish! Although it can be a competitive sport, keep angling fun and do not take yourself too seriously!

9. Peace, Rest, Reflection

Work, family, and finance are three big modern-day stresses. Carp and coarse fishing can take you ‘back to basics’, relieving the stress of modern-day living. We promise all new anglers, the moment you take the kit out of your car and head to your chosen peg your mind becomes totally one-track, focusing on nothing but catching a fish. The sense of simplicity and peace is amplified by the environment, giving you the breather you need.

10. Endless Fish to Catch

You can never get tired of fishing, even when restricted to your local venues and closed seasons, there are so many fish to catch, it is just finding the time to catch them! Once you've caught the fishing bug you'll agree with the following statement;

"You never regret a second spent fishing, but you do regret every second you could have fished but didn’t!”

Of course, these are just 10 reasons you should start fishing in 2021 but there are plenty more! What are the reasons you love fishing? Let us know via our social media on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

If you need more convincing, check out all our beginner guides to angling on the AD blog.