How many women fish, and how that's changing
More than you'd think. The Angling Trust says its Get Fishing campaign introduces over 43,000 people to fishing every year, and twenty per cent of them are female. That's about 8,600 women and girls. Every single year.
In a 2021 Environment Agency release, 40 per cent of women questioned said fishing gave them a chance to reconnect with nature. Back in 2020, the Angling Trust said Get Fishing sessions had already brought thousands of women and girls to the water. So ladies fishing isn't new. It's growing.
The easiest start: a free or low-cost taster
Start with a taster. The Angling Trust says Get Fishing events are free or low-cost, and include a free licence for everyone while they're fishing there. No tackle needed. No bait either. The organiser provides everything on the day, so all you bring is warm clothes, something to drink and a little patience.
The Canal & River Trust runs Let's Fish events on its waterways for families, friends and young people aged six and over. Rods, bait, licences and expert guidance are included. Go with a friend. Or go alone.
Coaching, clubs and the women's teams
Next, find a coach. The Angling Trust points beginners to the Get Fishing map, which lists places to fish and licensed coaches who teach the basics. Then try a club. Ask whether it runs taster days, or can pair you with an experienced member for your first few trips.
Women's angling is also well established at the top level, with England teams in fly, coarse and carp fishing. England Lady Fly Fishers runs the England Ladies loch-style fly fishing team, and began in 1989 under an earlier name. The Angling Trust named an England Ladies squad for the 2024 Coarse World Championship. It also credits the Women's Carp Team England with work to grow women's angling globally. You needn't compete. But the pathway's there.
Do you need a fishing licence?
In fresh water, probably. GOV.UK says you need a rod fishing licence in England and Wales to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel. Club waters and private lakes count too. Children under 13 don't need one, and junior licences for 13 to 16 year olds are free, though you must still get one.
The sea's different. Angling Times says there's currently no rod licence requirement in the sea, which makes a pier an easy, cheap first try. Freshwater licences come as 1-day, 8-day or 12-month options. Most of Scotland, and Northern Ireland, have their own rules, and fishing unlicensed where one's needed can bring a fine.
What to wear
Dress for standing still. You'll move far less than on a walk, so you'll get colder than you expect, even on a mild spring morning. Layer up. A base layer, a warm mid layer and a waterproof jacket on top will cover most days from autumn through to spring. Add waterproof trousers. Wet grass soaks you as fast as rain.
Boots with decent grip matter on muddy banks and damp piers, and a hat and sun cream help on bright days. Water bounces light back at you. Pack insect repellent for summer evenings. Bring gloves in winter. A small seat or cushion makes a long session far more comfortable, especially on cold, damp ground in the shoulder months. Fitted women's fishing clothing is much easier to find than it used to be. No more rolled-up cuffs.
Safety and confidence on the bank
Fish with a friend first. It's more fun, and someone's there if you slip on a wet bank or the weather turns faster than the forecast said. Pick an easy venue. A day-ticket water with parking, toilets and an on-site office is ideal, because you pay on the day and can ask questions.
Tell someone where you're going. Keep your phone charged and dry. Daylight helps. Arrive with plenty of time to set up, and leave before dark until you know the path back to the car. Joining a club gives you regular company, people who know the water well, and a bit more confidence every time you go. Trust your instincts. If somewhere feels wrong, try another.
Looking after the fish
Fish care is simple. Angling Times advises always using an unhooking mat, and holding a fish with wet hands, never with a towel or a rag. Kneel over the mat. That way, if the fish wriggles free, it lands softly on the mat and is unlikely to come to any harm.
Leave the fish resting in the net, in the water, while you get the mat, forceps and camera ready to go. Then lift, unhook, photograph and release. Calm and quick. Read the board. Check the water's rules before you set up, because some ask for barbless hooks, specific mats or a particular kind of landing net.
Which kind of fishing to try first
Start with float fishing. Roach, rudd and perch bite freely, and watching a float slide away is hard to beat on a quiet summer morning. You'll catch plenty. Carp on a commercial fishery is the other popular route, as these waters are stocked for regular bites and the fish pull hard.
Fly fishing suits restless types. A lesson or two on a stillwater trout fishery will get your casting going, and you'll cover plenty of water on foot. Or head to the sea. A pier needs little kit and no rod licence, and you never quite know what's going to turn up next on the line. Try a few. Each method uses different kit, so trying a coached session first saves you buying gear that ends up gathering dust in the shed.
Keeping the memory of a first fish or a PB
Keep it properly. A first fish or a new personal best deserves more than a forgotten photo on a phone, so get a good picture first. Our guide to photographing your catch covers fish care, light and angles, and what makes a photo that prints well. Then print your catch photo, ready to frame.
No photo? A PB print needs none, because it shows a species plate with the weight, the captor's name and the date of the catch. Any fish. Any angler.
Craig Fearn runs Scale & Fin, a UK studio that prints anglers' catch photos and fish art to order. He writes the guides here, and every fact in them links to the body that published it.