Who is Today’s Angler?

This post comes from takemefishing.org. A cursory glance at the statistic highlights tells us that the age and gender distribution is healthy, and that people value the sport for much more than just catching fish. Bodes well for the future! Anybody in the PNW have any thoughts on the subject? –KH

Who is Today’s Angler?

From looking at participation numbers, I’m on the bandwagon to get more folks out fishing, and to figure out where we’re at I read a lot of research done by some very smart folks.  I just finished a report conducted by Take Me Fishing and the Outdoor Foundation, and I learned some interesting facts that I didn’t know.  Here is a link to the study and here are a few interesting statistics with my take aways.

Who Are We?

1.   34.4% of anglers are women.
2.   65.6% of anglers are men.
3.   In 2013, participation by women has increased by 7%.
4.   In 2013, participation by men decreased by 7%.
5.   Our number of anglers remained about the same…

The Top 5 Reasons People Go Fishing:

1.   Get exercise 65.0%.
2.   Be with family/friends 58.3%.
3.   Be close to nature 52.7%.
4.   Enjoy the sounds/smells of nature 50.1%.
5.   Observe scenic beauty 48.2%.

The Top 5 Reasons Newcomers Tried Fishing:

1.   Experience excitement/adventure 49.4%.
2.   Spend time with family 47.1%.
3.   Ease of access to fishing 37.6%.
4.   Try catching my own food 29.4%.
5.   Solitude 28.2%.

How old is Our Group?

1.   37.7% of anglers are 45+ years old.
2.   29.9% of anglers are between 25-44 years old.
3.   9.6% of anglers are between 18-24 years old.
4.   8.1% of anglers are between 13-17 years old.
5.   14.7% of anglers are between 6-12 years old.

What do We do when We’re not Fishing?

1.   48.9% exercise, and that could be anything from running to weight lifting to biking or bowling.  They’re a very active bunch.
2.   22.9% enjoy watching wildlife.  It could be birds, deer, gators, you name it.  They like to be in nature and they like to watch animals.
3.   20.6% like to hunt. 

Where do We Fish?

1.   90% of anglers fish within a 4 hour drive of their homes.

Time for me to make a few calls and see about getting some old friends back on the water.  I hope you’ll do the same.

Tom Keer is an award-winning freelance writer who lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Visit him at www.tomkeer.com or at www.thekeergroup.com.