Fear of Fishing

Participation in fishing has increased rapidly over the last 2-3 years. The COVID Pandemic really got the ball rolling with people looking for outdoor activities that allowed for social distancing. Also, a rise in "farm to table" lifestyle has more people growing their vegetables and hunting/fishing for their meats. Regardless of the reason, more people went fishing in 2021 (55 million) than ever before. While that is exciting news for anyone involved in the fishing industry, there is still lots of work to be done. With the U.S. population topping 330 million, there is a very large percentage of people who have never tried fishing. Today we are going to look at one of the reasons that is keeping some people from fishing: FEAR…

There are two types of fear that keep people from trying fishing: Scared of Fish – It is quite common to be afraid of sharks (Galeophobia), but many times, individuals are even afraid of small and seemingly harmless fish. Such an irrational or persistent fear of fish is called Ichthyophobia. The word originates from Greek "ichthys" which means fish and "phobos" which means fear. While this is not a common reason, it does need to be recognized. Most experts suggest gradual exposure/desensitization techniques for overcoming the fear of fish.

The second reason seems to be the most common "fear" that non-fishing people have: Scare of The Unknown – The common phrase we hear at TackleDirect when it comes to non-anglers is that they "Simply, don't know where to start". Being one of the nation's largest tackle retailers, TackleDirect carries over 80,000 fishing related products. For someone who has never tried fishing, that can seem overwhelming at the least. Not knowing which pole to use, which reel to pair, or even which bait to try for a species of fish can stop people dead in their tracks when it comes to fishing. So where does one start? Listed below is a good example to follow from Patricia Clement, who grew up in Brooklyn and just recently tried fishing for the first time:

1. WATCH VIDEOS

There's tons of how to video's on YouTube and other social media handles.

2. IN PERSON OBSERVATION

Go to a local pier, pond or river and just watch others fish. You don't have to actually participate in hands on fishing to catch the experience. You can sit on a pier and read or just relax as you observe others fish. Just familiarize yourself with the atmosphere.

3. CHARTER BOAT/GUIDED FISHING TRIPS

There's plenty of companies that will take you out on a boat fishing. These companies provide everything you will need. If you don't feel comfortable touching live bait or a fish, guess what, some charters have a crew that will do it for you.

4. TAKE IT SLOW

Maybe your first step is touching a live worm. Stop by your local bait shop and pick up a box of worms. Open it and just watch them squirm, then tap one. Guess what? You touched a worm, next pick it up. The feeling never changes. Like anything else, you’ll get used to it and will laugh at the fact that at one time you were scared to touch a harmless worm.

5. GO ALL IN

Are you feeling fearless? If so, just go for it. That’s what I did and you can do it too. One day I just went to a bait shop and asked: What do I need to buy to go fishing? They told me, I purchased, then went to a local pier and I’ve been hooked ever since.

If the fear of the unknown is keeping you from fishing, we hope you found this article helpful. If you are like Patricia and make it all the way to step #5, our team at TackleDirect is here to help you with any question you might have. From basic to advanced questions, our experienced crew can steer you in the right direction. Learn more at www.TackleDirect.com. We would love to hear from you!