“I know, certainly throughout Sydney, there are a lot more kids fishing,” Bellissimo said, adding that teenage boys are trading in video games for fishing with their friends.
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“It’s a positive shift, it’s a much healthier shift,” he said. “It’s keeping them more grounded. It’s getting them to understand nature more and the ocean … I think it clears their minds a bit.”
William Kim, of Croydon Park tackle shop Iso Fishing Lifestyle, has seen an influx of teenage boys come into his store. They typically fish in harbour locations, he said.
Kim also attributes the rise in popularity to social media, where teenagers brag about their catches and upload pictures of their fishing days.
“Being on your phones is kind of part of fishing now, so it has become a lot more social … [with friends] and social media,” he said. “With fishing, one thing that you see a lot of, no matter of the generation, is that if they catch something, they want to brag about it. It’s friendly competition.”
Lure fishing, which uses a synthetic bait, is the most popular option for the younger generation of recreational fishers that includes Taylor, who enjoys fishing with his friends every weekend.
“I have so many memories from fishing – we’d wake up, early morning fishes are the best, and we always tell stories … and it’s just such a good thing to do and get outside,” Taylor said.
“You’re there with your mates for a couple of hours, all day. Might go for a night fish, and then you’re always geeing each other up when you get that fish.”
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