Inspiring the Next Generation of Sea Anglers in Lyme Regis – Get Fishing Events to get into fishing

Local club and tackle shop partnership helps introduce dozens of young people to sea fishing

We recently visited Lyme Regis Sea Angling Club whose growing junior section is thriving thanks to the club’s partnership with local tackle shop, Tackle Box.

The team regularly take young anglers out on the water and run well-attended competitions – a brilliant way to introduce more children to sea fishing and help them build skills and confidence. Lyme Regis Sea Angling Club has been making waves along the Dorset coast with its thriving junior section — a success built through teamwork, community spirit, and support from the Angling Trust’s Get Fishing campaign. Working closely with local tackle shop Tackle Box, the club recently hosted a family-friendly day designed to inspire children and parents alike to discover the joy of sea angling.

Fantastic work from everyone involved in keeping sea angling alive and thriving for the next generation!

A Day of Fun, Learning and Discovery

On a calm weekend morning, families gathered on the Lyme Regis seafront to take part in the latest Get Fishing event. Volunteers from the club and Angling Trust coaches welcomed newcomers, helping them set up tackle, learn safe casting techniques, and understand the basics of sea fishing.

Angling Trust Regional Angling Development Officer Graham Mabey explained:

“The aim is to make everyone feel at home. You don’t need any experience to enjoy fishing — just a bit of curiosity and a love of the outdoors.”

After a safety briefing and demonstration, the young anglers were soon out on the water, learning how to bait hooks, cast lines, and identify local fish species. The atmosphere was relaxed, friendly, and full of laughter as children caught their first fish under the watchful guidance of club mentors.

Next Steps

During the session, club volunteers and the Tackle Box team shared advice on choosing affordable gear and looking after tackle, while members encouraged families to join future sessions.

Graham added:

“It’s fantastic to see so many young faces discovering fishing for the first time. Events like this show how local clubs can play a huge role in building confident, capable young anglers.”

A Bright Future for Coastal Angling

Lyme Regis Sea Angling Club’s ongoing commitment to youth participation shows how community-led efforts can keep sea angling thriving along the south coast. By opening their doors to newcomers, sharing expertise, and fostering an inclusive, encouraging environment, they are ensuring that the next generation of anglers inherits not only new skills but also a lifelong love for the sea.

“It’s about more than catching fish,” Graham said. “It’s about learning together, making memories, and spending quality time outdoors. That’s what makes it so special.”

About Get Fishing

Our Get Fishing events aren’t purely for sea fishing – we cover coarse and fly fishing too! If you would like to get into fishing come along to one of the beginner events listed on this website – everyone is welcome and even if you have never picked up a fishing rod before, or haven’t been fishing since you were younger, we’ll make you welcome and help you discover the wonderful world of angling, in an all-inclusive, friendly and low-presuure environment. Our Get Fishing days 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 to use on the day, by the event organiser.

The Get Fishing campaign, run by the Angling Trust and funded by the Environment Agency and Sport England, aims to make fishing accessible to everyone. Each year, hundreds of beginner-friendly sessions take place across England — covering coarse, fly and sea fishing — offering free or low-cost tuition and all the equipment needed to get started. The campaign also supports a Get Fishing Awards pathway, guiding new anglers from their first cast to fishing independently, while the Get Fishing for Wellbeing initiative promotes the mental health and social benefits of time spent by the water.

Participants automatically join the Get Fishing Club, gaining access to exclusive resources, newsletters, and a 25% discount on beginner tackle from Angling Direct, the campaign’s exclusive retail partner.

Find an event near you or contact your Regional Angling Development Officer to discover your local options for angling.

Useful Links

• Get Fishing – https://anglingtrust.net/getfishing
• Get Fishing Awards – https://anglingtrust.net/getfishing/get-fishing-awards
• Get Fishing for Wellbeing – https://anglingtrust.net/getfishing/getfishingforwellbeing
• Tackle Box – https://www.spookedfish.com
• Lyme Regis Sea Angling Club – https://www.lymefishing.org.uk
• Angling Direct – https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk
• Angling Trust – https://anglingtrust.net

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 Angling Direct, Exclusive Retail Partner
as we 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.