Is Fishing a Sport?

Fishing, or angling, is one of those activities that is surrounded by debate as to whether it qualifies as a sport – with a recognised governing body, fishing can be classified as a sport.

The International Confederation of Sport Fishing, translated from Confédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive, (CIPS) was founded in 1952. It is officially recognised by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) which is the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations.

Officially, fishing is a sport.

What is a Sport?

Sport is defined as being an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. A hobby is an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.

Fishing in terms of sitting and relaxing on a lazy Sunday with a couple of chilled drinks is not a sport, that most certainly falls under the realm of a hobby as it is a recreational activity. Sport fishing, as the name suggests, is a sport in which anglers compete against one another.

Sport Fishing

The sport of fishing originated from a recreational activity, which itself originated from the need to fish for food (like hunting). Fishing dates back more than 40,000 years and it evolved into a recreational activity as early as the ninth century BC, with evidence of fly fishing in Japan around this period. Neither of these forms of fishing can, of course, be classed as a sport.

The sport of fishing dates back further than you might think. Izaak Walton’s Compleat Angler, published in 1653, popularised fly fishing as a sport. Walton continued to add to the publication for another 23 years, producing second (1655), third (1661), fourth (1668), and fifth (1676) editions of the book.

In modern-day, sport fishing can generally be split into two types of classification – fresh and sea water fishing. The most popular of these is sea water fishing, which commonly targets marlin, tuna, and chinook while snook, salmon, bass, and catfish are targets for fresh water fishers. Competitions are based on certain types of fish, depending on the classification, with anglers looking to catch a higher number and/or heavier fish than the competition.

Angling Trust

The Angling Trust is recognised as England’s governing body for angling and runs numerous competitions suitable for anglers of all abilities. It was formed in 2009 following the merger of six angling organisations, creating one unified body for all anglers in England.

The body’s mission is to “represent, grow and protect our sport” by delivering quality coaches, education programmes, more opportunities to participate, competitions and support for angling clubs. The Angling Trust is also responsible for Team England and the national team’s participation in international events, including World Championships, recently finishing third at the 67th Nations Coarse Angling World Championship.

As well as looking after the sport of fishing, the Angling Trust also does a lot of work to protect the environment, such as polluted waters, the number of fish and fighting against poachers and thieves.

Get into Fishing

For anyone that wants to take up fishing, it takes a bit more than investing in a fancy new rod and bait. Anyone aged 13 and above will require a fishing licence to fish in fresh water lakes, rivers, canals, or still water. No licence is required to fish in the sea waters.

While you do not need to be part of a club to fish recreationally, joining a club will help gain entry to competitions as well as other support from coaches and fellow anglers. Clubs will show beginners the ropes, getting them started and providing expert advice on the best equipment and techniques to use. Angling clubs tend to manage fishing rights for stretches of water, so being a member of the club will make it easier to gain a permit to fish in a location.

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