The Get Fishing CAST Awards – take the next steps on your angler pathway

The Get Fishing CAST Awards, developed by the Angling Trust, with funding from the Environment Agency and support from Sport England, are a series of progressive skills awards for anglers in England, designed to support, reward, and recognize angling achievements.

They are a natural progression from the Get Fishing Awards and start with the CAST Starter level to build and progress through multiple levels towards becoming a skilled and responsible angler.

The Get Fishing CAST Awards are popular with newcomers who want to take the next steps on their Angler Journey and with coaches and fisheries that want to help people to develop a regular and lifelong angling habit.

Get Fishing CAST Awards sessions have been a resounding success with schools, alternative education providers, community groups and support services.

The Get Fishing CAST Awards structure of programme delivery is very are popular with the growing number of angling social prescribing providers that as part of our Get Fishing for Wellbeing project, are helping highlight all of the wellbeing benefits that fishing can bring to people.  who have one or more long-term conditions, need support with their mental health, are lonely or isolated or have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing.

For info on taking part in or running a Get Fishing CAST Awards programme, please simply email your nearest Regional Angling Development Officer – they will happily help you find your nearest Get Fishing CAST Awards, or help arrange something for you!

Photo credits: Thanks to Get Hooked on Fishing for the CAST Awards photo – these bespoke, peer-mentor led social-inclusion sessions are a resounding success with schools, alternative education providers, community groups and support services

The Angling Trust’s ‘Get Fishing’ campaign is proudly supported by
Shakespeare, Exclusive Tackle Partner and Angling Direct, Exclusive Retail Partner
as we all work towards getting more people fishing, more often.

The Get Fishing campaign to get more people fishing more often is funded by the Environment Agency from fishing licence income as part of the National Angling Strategic Services contract with the Angling Trust, and Sport England. Children under 13 do not need a licence, and licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free but you still need to register and receive a licence before you go fishing. You can get a licence for the full year, for 8 days (ideal for holidays!) or just a day’s fishing.

NOTE: Although young children who are under 13 year old do not need a licence to fish, the person supervising them needs to have the proper fishing licence before they take hold of the fishing rod or help the child fish with it.

If there’s something that you cannot find here to help you start fishing or return to angling, please contact your local Regional Angling Development Officer – you can find the nearest one to where you want to go fishing here.