The History of Sportfishing

A look back into the earliest history of fishing. From a 12-ounce trout to a 1200-pound marlin, extraordinary moments occur when fishing that few other sports offer.

English settlers in the colonies brought over time-honored traditions of fly fishing for small game like trout, but in the 1800s, fishing as a sport made a major surge forward when pioneering individuals in Florida and California set out to develop the tackle and techniques necessary to take big game fish in offshore waters.

As the evolution of tackle caught up with the challenges presented by pursuing larger and larger quarry, courageous men like Zane Grey, Tommy Gifford and Bill Poole set out across open waters on long range expeditions in search of big game fish. Stories of their adventures became the stuff of legends, and their successes inspired generations of anglers in the decades to follow.

Creative minds transformed what was once a simple act of subsistence into an art form. They used their passion and ingenuity to drive the sport forward. They learned from their triumphs and mistakes, building new gear and new companies to share their discoveries with the world. The early to mid-twentieth century saw a rapidly expanding fan base for sportfishing, thanks to seemingly endless innovations in everything from terminal tackle, to rods, reels, line and electronics.

Across the globe, the growth in the sport continued, bringing with it once-unimagined advances in boat design and construction, power plants, communications, sophisticated side scanning sonar, thermal imaging and much more. Throughout the ages, wherever the challenge, and whatever the species, extraordinary moments occur when fishing that few other sports offer. The exhilaration experienced during the presentation of a bait, leading to the bite, the hook set and the ensuing battle, are unique to each and every angler, and when they happen, everything else in the world dissolves away.

Use the words “fishing” and “art” in the same sentence, and most would picture a peaceful stream with a wading angler gracefully swinging a fly rod in the morning mist. Fly fishing is one of the oldest recorded forms of fishing. It came to the colonies from Great Britain in the 1700s, but its practice today would be almost unrecognizable to those early pioneers. Today’s freshwater fly angler has the best of both worlds...centuries old traditions and all of the advantages of modern rod, reel and line technology. Often called the purist form of the sport, it is also one of the fastest growing of all fishing disciplines.

Fly fishing began as a sport of kings and aristocrats. Costly equipment and the rarity of leisure time prior to the Industrial Revolution kept it that way for centuries until a determined group of men and women brought fly fishing into the mainstream of European and American culture. In sportfishing, few things are more beautiful and productive than a well-designed fly. The individuals who create them, and those who teach others how to use them, are an essential part of the history of fly fishing. If the discipline of fly fishing can be described as an art form, then these pioneering individuals are truly, Artisans of the Fly.

The earliest recorded evidence of anglers attempting to fly fish in saltwater dates back to the mid-1600s, but fishermen soon found that rudimentary fly tackle could not stand-up to harsh ocean conditions or the strength of big gamefish. Little more was heard about saltwater fly until the early 1950s, when a small group of innovative men and women in South Florida started to seriously pursue bigger and bigger fish on the fly in saltwater. Today it one of the fastest growing aspects of the sport as anglers continue pushing themselves, their skills and equipment to new heights.

Bass are one of the most prolific game fish in U.S. waters and are also found throughout Europe, Asia, South & Central America, and Africa. Always a popular food source, they were not considered a highly sought-after sport fish until the mid-20th century when advances in modern spinning and baitcasting reels, monofilament line, and artificial lures would bring bass fishing to legions of new anglers A 2018 American Sportfishing Association survey found over 50% of all freshwater anglers prefer to fish for bass In 2020, bass fishing contributed more than 115 billion dollars to the U.S. economy and conservation.

Some of the earliest recorded fishing competitions took place in late 1800s with anglers from local clubs competing to win buttons for capturing fish of record sizes. With the founding of The International Game Fish Association in 1939, that competitive spirit rapidly spread as anglers sought to have their names entered in the books as official world record holders. Initially, they earned modest trophies or merchandise prizes for their efforts. In 1967, Ray Scott brought together 106 anglers to compete in the first All-American Bass tournament and took competitive fishing to a whole new level, making the American bass fishing industry a model for anglers and promoters seeking fame and fortune the world over.

From the 1960s to today, the sport of competitive angling has seen a meteoric rise in popularity. The numbers and types of tournaments now held across the U.S. and around the world, are as varied as the species they fish for. The competitors themselves are equally diverse, coming from every continent on the planet, yet they share a common set of goals: to challenge themselves against the very best the sport has to offer, to become better anglers in the process, and to share in the fame and fortune these tournaments bring to the men and women that win them. These contests have also become an important conduit of knowledge for the future of our sport by bringing the excitement of sportfishing competition and cutting-edge techniques shared on television and social media to anglers around the world.

Today sportfishing is enjoyed by hundreds of millions of individuals every year. With this popularity, comes great responsibility. Fisheries are seeing unprecedented pressure worldwide, the majority of which can be directly attributed to massive commercial operations and environmental challenges. Recreational fishermen, local guides and industry leaders were some of the first to recognize these issues, and they remain at the forefront of those seeking solutions. The key to successful management of aquatic ecosystems must center on science and education, especially of youth. It is only by teaching children to be stewards of the history, resources, and the valuable life-lessons found at the end of a fishing line, that we can ensure the future of the sport, our fisheries, and the planet itself.