NEW BLOG: The best thing about fishing – from Skyla and dad James – a journey from small roach to big carp (…and a new PB!)

We heard from our colleague Dave Munt who is the Angling Trust’s Regional Angling Development Officer for North East England. Dave supports local clubs, fisheries, coaches, schools and charities to organise fishing events where complete newcomers can have a go at fishing, take their first step on the angling journey, and learn how to fish at have-a-go events running this summer.

Dave told us:

I’m supporting lots of Get Fishing Events this summer school holidays as part of our Summer of Fishing awareness campaign, where families can find free and low-cost fishing activities for kids to discover a new life skill of angling that not only brings them back into contact with nature, encourages mindfulness and screen-free time but is interspersed with bursts of excitement and activity when the fish start biting!

Bringing angling to the masses this summer across the nation is part of the annual Summer of Fishing campaign, funded by the Environment Agency, and organised by the Angling Trust’s Get Fishing Team, who work with partners to help run and fund safe, friendly and fun fishing activities for families at beautiful venues all across England.

At a Get Fishing event last week, one of the pupils taking part was Skyla who was accompanied by dad James. Skyla caught my attention because she was clearly a very attentive young angler! She seemed fully absorbed in the fishing and I commented on this to dad who told me about her angling journey so far and why this was the reason!

Dad, James explained to me:

Skyla has been fishing for a little under a year. She started off with a £7.99 beginner rod and reel set and soon started catching roach and perch! Amazing! After seeing her enjoyment I thought I’d love to bring her along with me for a few longer sessions and a bit of carp fishing for bigger fish. Pretty soon Skyla decided she was ready to have a go.

First time out, we set her up fishing a method and at a spot I knew would be likely to see some action and hopefully get her hooked on fishing…

Well that was an understatement!

5 weeks later she’s had 5 runs and managed to land 3 decent carp! Mission accomplished.

If you asked me to tell you what’s been the highlight of the journey so far? Well, That’s a new PB (personal best) fish for Skyla that weighed 20lb! Wow!

Me, mum Atlanta, family and friends are absolutely over the moon for her! It’s such an amazing feeling to be a dad who has helped their child get into something I love so much myself, and know how good this could be for her and for us to spend a bit more time together as a family too.

James continued:

I asked Skyla what he favourite thing about fishing is. Here it is, in her own words!

“Learning how to look after and hold fish properly“

Such brilliant news! If you want to get your child or another family member or even a friend into fishing this summer, have a look for one of our Summer of Fishing events – most are free, the rest are low cost and they all include tackle and bait to use on the day, and a free one-day fishing licence, covered by the Environment Agency who generously support our Get Fishing campaign with this offer, worth at least £7.30 to everyone over 16, who needs a fishing licence.

Come along and try something different this school holiday You’ll be amazed how it helps children and adults alike find a special kind of peace and quiet, and so much fun and laughter too! Give fishing a go this Summer of Fishing!

Hope to see you at an event soon – tight lines!

Dave

David Munt
Regional Angling Development Officer North East
Angling Trust
[email protected]

About Summer of Fishing 2025 – events this school holiday – free or low-cost beginner have a go Get Fishing events:

This Summer of Fishing, our Get Fishing Award programme is in full swing during school holidays where fun, safe and friendly events we are helping to organise, will handhold any newcomer angler from starting out fishing at absolute beginner level through the Bronze, Silver and Gold Get Fishing Award stages with progressive angling skill levels that end up with you saying you know how to go fishing with the right tackle and skills to safely catch and return fish.

Then if the participant wants to, go further still and take part in the Get Fishing CAST Awards where more advanced sessions are designed to develop any particular area of fishing that has captured the imagination, to improve on a fishing skill, or even just to try as a completely new or different kind of fishing!

You can Get Fishing too! There are so many locations to choose from. Events are free or low-cost and include a free fishing licence for everybody while they are fishing at the event, generously donated by the Environment Agency to encourage more people to get into the wonderful activity of angling, which brings health and wellbeing benefits, focus and fun times to so many families who take part.

Get Fishing events are a great introduction to angling because you can simply turn up and fish and don’t need to bring any of your own fishing tackle or bait – it will all be provided on the day, by the event organiser. All the Get Fishing events running from now through summer 2025 can be found in our Get Fishing event pages.

Come along to a beginner have-a-go fishing session like this, and discover why fishing is good for your body and mind, why it doesn’t matter what age or ability level you are, and how fishing is great for children to get outdoors and gain focus and concentration in nature, and away from their screens.

Bring friends and children to learn to fish, see some nature at the waterside and enjoy a wonderful experience for the whole family. It’s great to learn a new skill, re-awaken your love of the great outdoors and embrace some newfound knowledge that you can use when you come fishing again.

There will be more events like this coming up this Summer! Keep checking our Summer of Fishing Events diary to find out when.

The Get Fishing campaign is funded by

The Angling Trust’s 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.

Get Fishing is Proudly Supported by

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.

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.