Fishing boom among young Victorians: 'FishTok' trend takes off

A growing number of young Victorians are trading in their screens for fishing rods, sparking a surge in interest in the recreational activity. The trend, dubbed 'FishTok', is seeing teenagers across the state take up fishing, driven by a desire to get outdoors and connect with friends.

Ivy Renouf, Zane Winterton, and Xavier Clair, three 16-year-old friends from Geelong, are part of this new generation of anglers. They spent a sunny day fishing off Cunningham Pier, enjoying the thrill of reeling in a catch and the camaraderie of hanging out together.

"It's just a nice day," Ivy says. "I didn't want to be in bed at home, or in town because I do that all the time, so I just wanted to get outdoors with my mates."

Zane remembers when he was the only kid he knew who was into fishing, regularly heading out on trips with his dad. Now, he has plenty of mates who want to come along.

"When I was in primary school, before COVID, no-one fished," he says. "It was just me, like, in the whole school."

The trio's enthusiasm for fishing is not unique. Anthony McGrath, executive officer at VRFish, the state's peak body for recreational fishing, says the increase in younger Victorians fishing is irrefutable.

"It's been incredible," Mr McGrath says. "There's definitely been a massive increase in kids fishing."

McGrath attributes the trend to a combination of factors, including social media, a post-COVID desire to get outdoors, and a program that handed out free fishing rods to 180,000 Victorian kids. However, the state government's decision to scrap the Little Anglers Kits program has raised concerns about the future of fishing accessibility for young Victorians.

"We know many Victorian kids have enjoyed this program. I love fishing and we encourage Victorians to get outdoors in a range of ways," Treasurer Colin Brooks said at the time. "Right now, we want to ensure that taxpayer dollars are wisely spent on the things that matter most."

Jet Reef Worsteling, a 19-year-old fishing enthusiast with 2.3 million followers on TikTok, agrees that social media has played a significant role in the trend.

"When I was in primary school and then going into high school, fishing was more of, like, was an older person's activity … it just wasn't cool like surfing or skating or any of that," Mr Worsteling says. "I could never have pictured it in a million years, but I think the last year and a half, two years, fishing is now one of the cool things for young people to go do when they've got free time."