Tackle Trade World - May 2023

FEATURE
Last Cast
If I had not met a friendly fisherman in
Ireland through a tackle shop who showed
me the ropes, it would have taken much
longer to find locations to fish and have
hours of enjoyment.
RECONNECTING WITH NATURE
Because of the increase in technology,
there are concerns that children are losing
their connection to nature and a pace of
life that is kinder to their well-being. The
percentage of mental health disorders
in children is on the rise, the university
dropout rate has increased by 28 per cent
over the last year – students as young as
eight are increasingly seeing psychologists.
If I think back to my own childhood,
SFGFC Influencer Event October 2022
LAST CAST...
The industry has a huge chance to capitalise on the
increased interested in fishing and the great outdoors but
we can’t afford to miss the boat, says Robin Elwes, a fly
casting instructor at Sportfish’s Game Fishing Centre in
England.
In 2020 the UK was hit by the
biggest disruption to our normal
way of life. The Covid-19 pandemic
took a lot of businesses by surprise
and made a few established fishing
retailers close, never to re-open. The
shops that survived and staggered through
found a silver lining; fishing allowed us to
get outside whilst social distancing – with
additional psychological benefits to boot!
This rejuvenated the sport and gave
those who were close to retirement a
chance to do what they always wanted to
do, to become guides or instructors, or
merely to go fishing for enjoyment. The
tackle trade needs to capitalise on this
newfound enthusiasm.
Shops have the potential to act as
‘clubs’; they can build relationships with
their customers whilst advising on tackle,
technique and locations, both locally and
further afield.
Crucially, shops need to champion
instructors, guides, or anyone happy to
take a friend fishing and show him or
her the ropes. The enjoyment of a sport
develops with confidence and acquired
skills, in a relaxed environment.
technology wasn’t as prevalent, and I
spent most of my time outside fishing.
There must be re-engagement with
nature.
Yes, it’s harder with pollution
destroying our waterways but still there
are places to go and the opportunity to
help the environment and conservation
through fishing.
Getting people who have been affected
by the pandemic out into the world of
fishing has a benefit for everyone. This is
the role tackle shops have to start filling –
being the bridge where people can make
the link between picking up a lifelong
hobby that has benefits way beyond
catching an 8lb trout on a fly line.
At Sportfish, Theale, we are lucky to
sit on a 60-acre site with three lakes.
The main lake has catch and release,
the Hobby Lake is for private hire and
Kingfisher Pond is for children to come
and try their hand landing a trout with
the fly.
Instruction in fly casting and guiding
is right there – making the day an
immediate success. Local shops must
have a small army of contacts for fishing
locations up their sleeves, they need
to increase learning as ultimately this
will lead in customers returning for
both advice and to purchase even more
equipment.
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