The latest participation report from the American Sportfishing Association and the Outdoor Foundation counted 57 million recreational anglers in 2025. That’s a strong number, well above the level before the COVID-era surge, and the report says minority participation has increased over the past decade. Women now account for more than 21 million anglers who fish at least occasionally, according to the report.
The biggest issue for angling growth, though is that nearly one million anglers left the sport in 2025. That is to say, they reported fishing previously, but didn’t go at all in 2025. The demographics call this “churn”.
This leaky bucket has become one of the biggest challenges facing the fishing industry. The sport continues to attract some newcomers, but keeping them involved has become increasingly difficult. The reasons probably have less to do with the fish and more to do with the way Americans live today.
Demographics are working against fishing in ways that the industry cannot easily change. Baby Boomers formed the backbone of recreational fishing for decades. They bought boats, joined fishing clubs, subscribed to outdoor magazines and introduced their children to the outdoors. Many are still active anglers, but the oldest members of that generation are approaching 80.
Every year, the sport loses thousands of experienced anglers simply because people age—or die.
Replacing them is a challenge because American families have changed as well. The large families common a generation ago have become much less common. Many households today have one or two children rather than three or four. That means fewer opportunities for parents and grandparents to introduce youngsters to fishing.
The participation report found that 86 percent of current anglers started fishing before age 12. A child who learns to enjoy fishing often carries that interest into adulthood. A young adult who reaches 20 without ever developing a connection to the outdoors is much less likely to suddenly become a dedicated angler.
Where people live also matters.
America has become increasingly urban and suburban. Millions of people now live in apartments, subdivisions and densely developed communities where access to water is not part of everyday life. A child growing up near a farm pond or creek may have discovered fishing naturally—I know I did, and so did most of my cousins and friends. A child growing up in a city may need a parent to organize a trip, find a public access point and provide transportation before ever making a cast. And in most cases, that adult guidance just isn’t there today.
The cost of fishing has become another concern, particularly for boat owners. Fishing from shore, a kayak or a small aluminum boat can still be affordable, but the image many newcomers see is often the high-dollar side of the sport.
Through May of last year, new registrations of powerboats 15 feet and longer were down 4.3 percent compared with the rolling 12-month average per the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Towboats, runabouts and pontoons all remained below their recent averages. Freshwater fishing boats were one of the stronger categories, running slightly ahead of the average, but saltwater fishing boats continued to struggle.
Industry analysts point to rising prices, higher interest rates and growing inventory costs as reasons some buyers are hesitant—or completely out of the market. The average price of many boats has climbed dramatically since 2019.
Fuel, insurance, tackle and travel expenses all compete with household budgets that are already under strain. Fuel at over $5 a gallon at most marinas can’t be ignored, either.
Time may be the most difficult resource of all.
Youth sports alone consume enormous amounts of family time—my grandkids are constantly on the road for “travel ball”, wrestling and other competitions. The spontaneous fishing trips that many older anglers remember—grabbing a rod and heading to the water after school or on a Saturday morning—are harder to fit into modern schedules.
And then there are smart phones.
Smartphones and social media have changed the way Americans spend their free time. A youngster who once spent an afternoon fishing a neighborhood pond may now spend those same hours watching videos, playing online games or scrolling through social media feeds. Many kids stick their noses in that screen and don’t come up for air until parents force them to do so.
Yet social media is also one of fishing's greatest opportunities.
Videos explain everything from tying knots to reading electronics. State agencies and fishing organizations provide access information, regulations and fishing reports online. Smartphone apps help anglers understand tides, weather patterns and navigation. Someone who has never had a mentor can now learn from experienced fishermen around the country.
Social media has also introduced fishing to people who might never have discovered it otherwise. A young angler in an urban neighborhood can watch others fish, ask questions and become part of a community that extends far beyond local waters.
The same technology that keeps people indoors can also inspire them to go outside.
But getting them out there to try it, that remains with us, the current generations of avid anglers and boaters and all in the related industries that support so many of us.
Unfortunately, federal DOGE programs last year did away with funding for the Recreational Fishing & Boating Foundation (RBFF), which for over 20 years had helped boost programs like this on a national basis, so it’s now up to state agencies to do the job. (To be fair, it appears there was more than a bit of waste in inflated exec salaries in RBFF; it was a good idea that fell to typical Washington excesses, unfortunately.)
The RBFF reported that within just a few months of their marketing and outreach campaigns stopping, fishing license sales fell 8.6% across 16 states tracking data on the national dashboard.
Some states—Missouri is one of the stronger—offer regular kid’s fishing days on heavily stocked ponds to get youngsters started, as well as in-school programs; https://education.mdc.mo.gov/school-programs/discover-nature-fishing.
Alabama’s GoFish program hosts learning programs for kids and their parents on a regular basis around the state; https://www.outdooralabama.com/GoFishAlabama.
California’s DFW hosts both a Raising Fish in the Classrooms program and a student fishing program; https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing-in-the-city/SF/School-Programs.
Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission has an in-school program getting underway Aug. 20—details for teachers and sponsors here: FWC School Fishing Program.
Texas has multiple programs sponsored by TPWD as well as by the state’s 4-H programs; https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/angler-education/learn-to-fish; https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/sportfishing.
Check your state for similar programs—and if you have time and opportunity, help bring a few new anglers on board this year.
– Frank Sargeant, Editor, The Water Wire