Young anglers show us how it’s done at Portishead Marina – Get Fishing Events help beginners get into fishing

Reel Fun Fishing Tackle Shop teamed up with the Angling Trust to run a special coaching event at Portishead Marina, where new anglers could earn their Bronze and Silver Get Fishing Awards.

The day was led by Angling Trust Licensed Level 2 Coaches Dean Asplin and Neil Wylie, who guided juniors through both float fishing and spinning techniques to target bass, mullet, and eels. With perfect weather and plenty of enthusiasm, young participants showed great skill, patience, and excitement as they learned to fish safely and responsibly.

Dean Asplin (pictured above) said “Fishing is for everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do or where you live – anyone can get into fishing and enjoy its health and wellbeing benefits.”

Through accessible events like this one, the programme continues to grow participation and foster local communities around fishing – ensuring the future of the sport is in safe hands.

Angling for Wellbeing

Beyond catching fish, days like these highlight the broader benefits of spending time by the water. The Angling Trust’s Get Fishing for Wellbeing initiative promotes angling as a proven way to boost mental health, reduce stress, and connect with nature.

Angling offers quiet time outdoors, mindfulness in practice, and a sense of achievement – elements increasingly recognised by healthcare professionals and social prescribing programmes across the UK.

“Angling offers the opportunity to escape the demands of a busy work and home life by surrounding yourself in nature and wildlife away from a world of technology. It provides an opportunity for our minds to rest and reset.”
Angling Trust, Get Fishing for Wellbeing

Building Confidence and Community

For the young participants at Portishead Marina, the event was about more than learning new techniques – it was about teamwork, patience, and confidence. Many left not just with awards, but with new friendships and a lifelong interest in the outdoors.

The Reel Fun Fishing Tackle Shop team said they were thrilled to see so many juniors embracing the sport:

“It’s brilliant to see how quickly the kids picked things up  they were helping each other, cheering every catch, and showing real enthusiasm. That’s what fishing’s all about.”

Events like these form part of a wider effort to make angling inclusive and sustainable, showing how it can positively impact both individual wellbeing and local community life.

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
• 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.