Just how Healthy is Angling?

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Just how Healthy is Angling?

Speaking as someone who in a past life often spent the hours employed in angling (between fish) chain smoking fags and interspersing that with the consumption of just about the junkiest food available at the garage shop whilst sat firmly on my backside -not very.

For every angler that treks a distance with all the kit or stays on his feet casting lures throughout the day there are probably ten who sit on their bums all day smoking or eating. A quick scan through the major angling publications and a look at their major contributors tells you all you need to know.

Is angling healthy? Not often I wouldn't imagine. Even the stiffest physical tasks involved in the sport amount to little more than sedate excercise.

When it comes to mental health I'm sure benefits are much harder to measure although fishing must have a significant impact on many peoples well being. If I'm ever feeling slightly un easy or stressed being in the outdoors has helped no end. There's a study somewhere to do with mental health and time spent in forested areas, those who spend 1hr a week in a forest as opposed to those who don't. It has positive results that I'm sure would be very similar for angling.
If I was intent on doing some 'proper' excercise I would definately think to look elsewhere than fishing, although do sometimes do a reasonable amount of walking with as much as can be carried.

This research is a very first look into the physical activity levels seen in angling participation. From this research, nobody is suggesting that angling is as physically demanding as football or rugby, however what this research is suggesting is that shore angling has the potential to provide physical health benefits by increasing heart rate to a moderate to high level for a lengthy period of time. The only previous research into this area found that by analysing the heart rate of a game angler, the average heart rate in terms of his % maximum was 54.5% so there is a need for research into individual angling disciplines so that angling is not generalised as one form which would be incorrect. There are numerous different characteristics between game, coarse and sea disciplines which would differ the intensity levels found within each discipline which is another research project in itself! This research will hopefully serve as an education to both people involved and people who aren't involved in angling into the POTENTIAL intensity levels that can be achieved and the related health benefits from angling. Also the importance of remaining optimally hydrated when angling to maintain optimal performance and to negate any negative dehydration related issues.

The evidence is there to see.

Survey a number of anglers on how much they weighed before the took up fishing and how much they weigh now. I bet most of them weigh a lot more.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) said:

The evidence is there to see.

Survey a number of anglers on how much they weighed before the took up fishing and how much they weigh now. I bet most of them weigh a lot more.

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Your not wrong there Corkey...............I took up fishing at four
Jerry

Christian said:

When it comes to mental health I'm sure benefits are much harder to measure although fishing must have a significant impact on many peoples well being. If I'm ever feeling slightly un easy or stressed being in the outdoors has helped no end. There's a study somewhere to do with mental health and time spent in forested areas, those who spend 1hr a week in a forest as opposed to those who don't. It has positive results that I'm sure would be very similar for angling.
If I was intent on doing some 'proper' excercise I would definately think to look elsewhere than fishing, although do sometimes do a reasonable amount of walking with as much as can be carried.

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Great post. It would be very interesting to see a study looking at the psychological benefits associated with going fishing. I'd love to read more about how fishing can improve well being and I think this angle would be a good one to explore.

I am sure that many a potential axe-murdering psycho kind of bloke has taken up fishing and been transformed into a gentler more spiritual nature loving kind of fella. Well most of the blokes down my local pit do still look like axe murderers perhaps theyve just not been caught yet..

The health of anglers probably equates to the health of truck drivers - a bit ****. The problem with fishing is that we carry 40lb of luggage immediately after sitting on our arses for hours on end - getting to the venue, then again when we pack up to go home.

Speaking from personal experience, carting around camera bags after four hours driving, day in, day out, knackered my back. I travel much lighter these days, but too late for me.

In fairness, I know some really fit anglers and some really fat anglers - just a cross-section of the populous I expect.

Interesting study but, for me, not much use because it doesn't reach any conclusions, so I'm none the wiser.