NEWS EXCLUSIVE Could a social media star be the best way to get more kids fishing?
Why social media stars are the key to bringing fresh blood and new anglers into the sport
“Fishing is great for your mental health. You’re out there with your friends and nothing much else”
ONE of Britain’s biggest online stars has fallen in love with fishing in front of millions of fans – and many people within the industry believe such personalities could be key to engaging children in the sport.
Comedian and prankster Arron Crascall has more than 11 million fans on Facebook and Instagram combined, and they got to witness his angling awakening on a trip last week with Alan Blair, operations director at tackle giant Nash.
Accomplished all-rounder Alan took the 38-year-old on a tour of three Essex venues in search of silvers, pike, perch and carp. It was the first time Arron, who grew up beside the sea in Dover, had fished since he was a kid. “What an experience,” he said. “I fell in love with it. Fishing is the best!”
In addition to bagging a few chunky carp, Arron also landed perch of 2lb 13oz and 2lb 14oz, and his first-ever pike.
He said: “To catch big perch was incredible. When I was a kid I was told the spines on their backs were poisonous and I still believed that until Alan showed me they aren’t! And the pike! They’re scary creatures! Like the barracuda of the lake!”
Arron, best known for very public practical jokes, loved his angling adventure so much it doubled in duration from 24 hours to 48, culminating in a night at Kevin Nash’s bigcarp water Church Lake.
Alan Blair told Angling Times that getting big names with huge young audiences into fishing could be the key to broadening the sport’s appeal.
“When we went back to the lodge on Church Lake I sat there thinking that if the Environment Agency or the Angling Trust really wanted to get more kids into angling then Arron is your ticket,” he said.
“These kids are sitting on their phones from the moment they get up and they look up to people like Arron – they want to wear the things he’s wearing and do the things he’s doing. It’s mindblowing how many followers he has. If he was to become an ambassador for angling it would result in more kids fishing – fact!”
Arron, who shared regular video updates of the session with his army of fans, added: “Fishing is great for your mental health. You’re out there with your friends and nothing much else. You get to think about your life and what you’re doing, you get to plan it all out, all in the most beautiful, peaceful surroundings. There’s no better feeling than sleeping under the stars.
“My life’s so scheduled and erratic I felt a bit guilty to just be doing nothing. It was a strange feeling but one of the best feelings to not be busy, to switch off and fish.”
Arron’s dad, who was a keen sea angler, passed away a couple of years ago. “My dad would’ve loved it,” said Arron. “I kept talking to my mum, telling her it would have been perfect for dad – he loved fishing.”