Where have all the youngsters gone

Having fished 4 different waters in the last 2 weeks, The Kennet, The Thames, The Avon, and the Stour I noticed a lack of the younger generation fishing. Most people fishing were my age or older and I saw England win the world cup. So where have they all gone.................

Its not just fishing it is other outdoor activities in general. Many youngsters these days play games on-line or on PS/Xbox etc. Rivers in general I don't think many fish whatever the age - it seems commercials are favoured.

I have only started fishing recently but I am not considered a youngster at 35 I have yet to fish a river (planning to do so this weekend) it is finding a spot to fish I am having difficulty with. Another reason why anglers might not opt for rivers is that when you search for a river to fish the results are generally low stock, or the otters have had them!

My nephew (13yr old) has just started coming fishing with me. He has never been fishing before now and used to just play computer games, and he has absolutely loved it. Not commercial fishing either, but big pits. Also says he wants to start coming shooting this winter when I swap the rods for the gun. Long may it continue.

Well I think I did my bit to get some back on the banks last Saturday. I had 64 kids as young as 4 years old have a half hour session. And not one unhappy face amongst them. Next problem is getting them to the next stage.

Much depends on where you are fishing. Unless it's where the dads, grandfathers or uncles of such kids are, you aren't likely to see the kids.
As it seems that so many modern anglers never set foot near them, a river isn't the most likely place to see them. I haven't seen a kid on a river for quite a few years, unless I've taken my nephew. When I have taken my nephew, I've not seen another angler. If I go anywhere with any expectation of seeing kids, it's on my syndicate, where there are two school age members, or on one of rare forays to a local commercial/day ticket stillwaters. I can't imagine there being too many modern kids that would be allowed to cycle 5-15 miles to fish on their own, as I did as a kid.

There's quite a lot around my area, more of the ages between 13 and 25. The younger lot tend to be a lot more clueless but quite a few have been taught by their fathers, brothers etc, so they have some clue. Around here, in terms of the younger anglers, there are two.ends of the spectrum; there are those who come up to you, asking for tips and advice, asking why they're not catching, whether their tackle is appropriate etc. Then there's the other end, there's the ones that have wanted to go fishing and their parents simply go along and buy them Home Bargains "starter fishing kits" which consists of tackle thats just not right for coarse fishing on our waters. There's a group of them that are,what I would say, below the bottom end of the spectrum if I'm honest; they're between 13 and 15 years of age (okay okay go ahead and say "they're only young" but I was certainly a lot more considerate at that age) and they can very quickly ruin a day's fishing; they will go up to anyone and everyone asking if they've caught anything and if you reply "yes" they will stand within a few feet of your peg/spot and (literally) cast right into your.swim, or inches from, then they'll say "oh my lines not over yours its fine". Just downright ignorant little ********s! I've had many a swim ruined by them. I've tried and tried to help them and veer them away from being as they are, but nothing at all is working... But, how are they supposed to know what's right or wrong and the etiquette thag you should have on the banks. There's not enough clubs or fisheries offering coaching sessions, it's all going to continue to be down to fathers, uncles and whatever to show the youngsters what to do.

cal_sutt said:

There's quite a lot around my area, more of the ages between 13 and 25. The younger lot tend to be a lot more clueless but quite a few have been taught by their fathers, brothers etc, so they have some clue. Around here, in terms of the younger anglers, there are two.ends of the spectrum; there are those who come up to you, asking for tips and advice, asking why they're not catching, whether their tackle is appropriate etc. Then there's the other end, there's the ones that have wanted to go fishing and their parents simply go along and buy them Home Bargains "starter fishing kits" which consists of tackle thats just not right for coarse fishing on our waters. There's a group of them that are,what I would say, below the bottom end of the spectrum if I'm honest; they're between 13 and 15 years of age (okay okay go ahead and say "they're only young" but I was certainly a lot more considerate at that age) and they can very quickly ruin a day's fishing; they will go up to anyone and everyone asking if they've caught anything and if you reply "yes" they will stand within a few feet of your peg/spot and (literally) cast right into your.swim, or inches from, then they'll say "oh my lines not over yours its fine". Just downright ignorant little ********s! I've had many a swim ruined by them. I've tried and tried to help them and veer them away from being as they are, but nothing at all is working... But, how are they supposed to know what's right or wrong and the etiquette thag you should have on the banks. There's not enough clubs or fisheries offering coaching sessions, it's all going to continue to be down to fathers, uncles and whatever to show the youngsters what to do.

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I believe there are a few reasons for that, some are.

Becoming an unpaid baby sitting session where kids are merely off loaded so that they can go shopping or whatever.

There is all the rigmarole to go through getting a police check and the qualifications that seem to be expected nowadays.

The fear of being held responsible for anything that might go wrong in this litigation mad world we live in.

Organising and paying for insurance to cover the above.

I fear that a generation of kids that live in some sort of cyber world has been spawned, god help them when they have to come out of that cyber world into the real one.

Good few around here, but most just sit at Mud holes fishing for Pasty F1 carp.

PC, Computer Games, and the lack of having parents that will give time to their kids. Rather be sat in front of the TV watching silly so called reality TV shows mg: so sad.

A lad a couple of doors away comes with me and my mates now and then on the rivers, he loves it, but he can't fish the local river Lea on his own until he is 17, club rules.

thecrow said:

I believe there are a few reasons for that, some are.

Becoming an unpaid baby sitting session where kids are merely off loaded so that they can go shopping or whatever.

There is all the rigmarole to go through getting a police check and the qualifications that seem to be expected nowadays.

The fear of being held responsible for anything that might go wrong in this litigation mad world we live in.

Organising and paying for insurance to cover the above.

I fear that a generation of kids that live in some sort of cyber world has been spawned, god help them when they have to come out of that cyber world into the real one.

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Totally agree with all that. Parents use such clubs for their convenience rather than the kid's interests and the police checks and insurance are crippling many legitimate projects.

We tend to see some kids in my area especially in the school holidays.

Usually when I go to my local tackle shop which is on a commercial fishery I tend to see kids out enjoying their day.

It is a totally different thing however on my local stretches of the Hampshire Avon.

I also agree with Sam that I doubt many knids would cycle the sort of distance that we did to go fishing when we we young. These days they would expect their parents to taxi them to and from . . . . . .

Ray Daywalker Clarke said:

Good few around here, but most just sit at Mud holes fishing for Pasty F1 carp.

PC, Computer Games, and the lack of having parents that will give time to their kids. Rather be sat in front of the TV watching silly so called reality TV shows mg: so sad.

A lad a couple of doors away comes with me and my mates now and then on the rivers, he loves it, but he can't fish the local river Lea on his own until he is 17, club rules.

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To be honest if they,re fishing ,they,re fishing why do you have to assume that they should only fish rivers,just because you seem to think less of people who fish commercials,most of you lot who slag off commies,calling them "mud holes","Pig Puddles",etc,probably couldnt catch on them anyway,so at least when you blank on a river,you have an excuse!!!Gazza

In three years of fishing the Avon I never saw a single angler under the age of 45 yrs appx.
Since I gave up on the Avon Ive fished the Stour and the Test and the youngest angler Ive seen was one guy around 25 on the Throop.
I did see another on the Test around 20 last year and he certainly knew what he was doing, mind you he was fishing with his Father who was also a good angler.
The free stretches of the Itchen are different and usually there are the 'regular bunch' of 12-15year olds and their discarded bikes all demonstrating excellent river fishing skills (especially when the ST are running ) but they are local, living a few hundred yards away from the riverbank.

My nephew aged 21 and has been keen on fishing since he tried it at Centre Parks when he was 15, but he got hooked on day ticket carp waters after that and now has an array of photographs of the big (20lb ish) carp and impressive bream he has caught.
Our only problem is we live 200miles apart.....but one day we will fish together.
.....

Like Peter I used to 'bike everywhere for my fishing as a schoolboy, but nowadays I wouldn't ride my bike on the roads, there just isn't enough room for the cars, let alone bikes mg:

.

I see very few on the waters I fish - rivers and big stillwaters. I am able to adapt to various waters and situations due to my previous experiences - the younger end, with their limited experience will become frustrated. I believe, in time, the true essence of angling will be lost, but to a very small number.

I, ve been saying for years that angling has been going into a long slow decline. Youngsters genuinely seem uninterested in the outdoors--- sure, some fish , and are pretty good at it wether on a commy or a river, but nowhere near the same numbers enjoy the sport as in years gone by.
In my city thousands deserted the place most days of the week , guys on shiftwork in the steelworks left straight for notts and lincs in droves, weekends it was a mad dash , virtually every pond, lake, canal locally was rammed and between five and eight AM sat/sunday mornings virtually every car on the A1 was loaded with guys headed for some distant venue, not to mention the hundreds of coaches AND trains., tackle shops on every corner flourished in providing for their needs too.
All gone now, guys in Mac jobs or call centres dont have the money and as someone said interest to introduce their kids to the sport , maybe on account of social /family breakdown.
It will never return as it once was thats for sure.
There will always be youngsters that fish tho--- just in much fewer numbers.