A new report shows there are record numbers of Americans going fishing.
However, the trend may not last as the research also indicates kids are giving
up fishing faster than before, especially young girls.
(Photo: Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor)
Fishing Participation Hits Record High—But Can it Last?
by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor
The post-pandemic surge of participation in fishing continues to bring a record number of people to the water to try their luck fishing. That is according to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation’s (RBFF) 2025 Special Report on Fishing.
The report says in 2024, 57.9 million Americans ages 6 and up took to the nation’s waterways to enjoy recreational fishing, an all-time high, 19 percent of the U.S. population. In addition:
- 5.1 million Americans tried fishing for the first time in 2024, representing 9 percent of total participants, up from 7 percent in 2023.
- More than 43 million Americans ages 6 and over went freshwater fishing in 2024, holding steady for the third consecutive year.
- After hitting 15 million anglers for the first time in 2023, saltwater fishing participation grew slightly to 15.1 million in 2024.
- For the second year in a row, fly fishing topped 8 million participants.
- 21.3 million women went fishing in 2024, the highest number of female participants on record.
- 36.7 million men went fishing in 2024, the highest number of male participants on record.
- More than 5.5 million Black Americans ages 6 and over fished in 2024, the highest number since activity tracking began in 2007.
- Hispanic fishing participation increased by over 3 million in a decade, increasing from 3.3 million in 2014 to 6.6 million in 2024.
“Despite all this good news, there are two very concerning trends in fishing participation,” said RBFF President & CEO Dave Chanda. “Each year we’re losing more and more participants, and avid participants are fishing less.”
The report says 85 percent of current fishing participants went fishing before they turned 12 years old. However, participation rates fell sharply after a child turned 18, and specifically young girls quit fishing at an 11% higher rate than male youth.
In other words, unless we can keep the younger generation involved and enthused in fishing, the current record number will start falling soon.
“Retaining newcomers remains an integral part of fishing’s continued success,” said RBFF President & CEO Dave Chanda “New anglers are younger, from all walks of life and digitally connected. The industry must remind newcomers about great fishing experiences, highlight convenient water access, provide beginner educational resources, emphasize the social aspects of fishing and boating and recommend cost-effective equipment.”
The Special Report on Fishing, an annual report in its 15th year, provides an overview of fishing participation in the U.S., including participation numbers among key groups, barriers to entry, reasons for participation, and more. RBFF created the report in partnership with the Outdoor Foundation.
The full report is available at TakeMeFishing.Org/SpecialReport.
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. He was a former game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That lead to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. You can follow Capt. Simms on Facebook.
