{"id":4978,"date":"2026-08-10T16:40:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T20:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hooklinescience\/?p=4978"},"modified":"2026-08-10T16:43:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T20:43:53","slug":"can-fishing-improve-well-being-as-we-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hooklinescience\/can-fishing-improve-well-being-as-we-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Can fishing improve well-being as we age?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Researchers take a closer look at what benefits fishing could offer later in life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research Need<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people fish for relaxation or sport, while others fish to provide food for themselves and their families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recreational fishing often is a low-pressure activity that allows people to move at their own pace, alone or with others, depending on personal preference. Because it doesn\u2019t require intense physical effort, it is especially accessible and appealing for older adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we get older, staying mentally healthy matters just as much as staying physically healthy. Researchers on the other side of the globe wanted to know whether fishing might support older people\u2019s overall well-being, and, if so, why that connection might exist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To study this, they looked at fishing\u2019s role in helping meet people\u2019s three basic needs: having the freedom to make their own choices, feeling capable and able to improve at something, and having connections with other people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Did They Study?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Yunnan Province in China, the research team surveyed 364 adults who were actively fishing when they were approached. The anglers were at least 60 years old and had also been fishers for at least a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team asked participants how often they fished and how much they enjoyed it, along with questions about their overall happiness and life satisfaction. Participants also rated how much they agreed or disagreed with different experiences related to fishing, such as feeling free to choose when and where to fish, feeling capable and improving their skills, and feeling connected to others while fishing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Did They Find?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who fished more often tended to report higher levels of happiness and overall well-being. The results showed that fishing was linked to well-being both directly and through the positive experiences people had while doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strongest link amongst senior fishers was the sense of freedom fishing provides — the ability to decide when, where, and how to fish. This sense of independence was the largest contributor to well-being, suggesting that having control over the activity itself is especially meaningful for older adults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fishing also helped people feel capable, giving a sense of progress and personal achievement over time as people were learning new techniques, choosing the right gear, and adjusting to different conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social connection was also important, although it played a slightly smaller role. Some participants benefited from spending time with other anglers, sharing knowledge and building friendships, which can help reduce feelings of loneliness. At the same time, fishing is enjoyable alone, which may explain why social connection was helpful but not as important as the sense of independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So What?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These findings suggest that fishing is more than just a relaxing pastime, because it may also support mental well-being as people age. Because recreational fishing encourages independence, continued learning, and social interaction, it can serve as a simple and low-cost way to support healthy aging as a complement to more traditional, medical approaches to health. Supporting access to flexible outdoor activities like fishing could play a meaningful role in helping older adults staying healthy and engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wang J, Chen L, Mei Z, Yin X, Song L and Zhang X (2026) The influence of recreational angling on mental health among older adults: a self-determination theory perspective. Front. Psychol<\/em>. 16:1745450. doi: 10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1745450<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funding was provided by the National Social Science Fund of China (Western Project) (Grant No. 25XTY013) and the Yunnan Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Planning Social Think Tank Project (Grant No. SHZK2025207).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The text from Hook, Line & Science<\/em> is available to reprint and republish at no cost, but only in its entirety and with this attribution: Hook, Line & Science<\/em>, courtesy of Scott Baker and Sara Mirabilio, North Carolina Sea Grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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