From Cape Cod to the Florida Keys, the United States has a wide array of enticing options for fishing enthusiasts. But how many people in the U.S. go fishing? Around 58 million Americans flocked to the nation’s waterways to engage in freshwater, saltwater, and fly-fishing activities in 2023. This represented the highest
in over a decade. Meanwhile, the
, measured by revenue, exceeded nine billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Although this figure represented a slight decrease compared to the previous year, the total
, increased by around two percent during the same period.
What type of recreational fishing is the most popular in the U.S.?
Freshwater fishing has long been the most popular fishing activity among recreational anglers in the United States. In 2023, there were nearly twice as many
freshwater fishing participants in the U.S. compared to the overall number of
saltwater participants and
fly-fishing participants. Fishing participation takes place all over the U.S. but
remains highest in the South Atlantic region, which borders parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Other regions have experienced subtle increases in fishing participation and interest, particularly from demographic groups traditionally underrepresented in recreational fishing. In 2023, for instance,
women accounted for a considerable share of recreational fishing participants as did
younger generations.
Why do Americans go fishing?
The social component of fishing is frequently cited as a motivation among hobby anglers, and this is reflected in the relatively high
average number of people per fishing trip. Nearly 80 percent of recreational fishing trips in the U.S. included between two and five people in 2023. However, one of the leading barriers to recreational fishing with one’s friends is the lack of affordable access to boats, fishing gear, and fishing licenses. In 2023, the
gross cost of fishing licenses in the U.S. grew by 11.9 percent over the previous year. Despite the financial barriers associated with recreational fishing, the industry does not look to decline any time soon, as shown by the fact that the
number of paid fishing license holders in the U.S. in 2023 was the highest it has been in the past 20 years.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
