The Fun History of Fishing: From Survival to Sport

Ever wondered how recreational fishing came to be? Well, you came to the right place. Let’s dive into how fishing came to be a form of entertainment, its early depictions in literature, and how it has developed over the centuries with the development of new techniques and materials. 

Early Fishing 

Today, fishing is a popular pastime around the world. The activity is so popular that it has fed into other forms of media, such as TV shows and documentaries for fishing enthusiasts. In online casinos, fishing remains one of the most popular thematics. Slot gamers can try their hand at Big Bass Splash real money play and the wider Big Bass franchise, which uses icons such as fishing trucks, rods, bait boxes, fish, and fishermen to provide an authentic and immersive fishing-themed casino experience. Whilst modern fishing and its themed media are enjoyed as recreational activities, the origins of fishing are in survival. 

The earliest evidence of fishing dates back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and China. It is not clear at what point fishing became a means of enjoyment rather than merely a method of catching food, but that hasn’t stopped historians from making an educated guess. Early evidence of fly fishing has also been found in Japan, dated to around the ninth century BC. By the turn of the third century AD, fly fishing was recorded in Europe – specifically in Roman author Claudius Aelianus’ collection ‘On the Nature of Animals’. Other theorists suggest that recreational fly fishing could have arrived in England with the Norman conquest in 1066. 

First Reference to Recreational Fishing

Whilst we are unsure of at what point fishing became thought of as a fun thing to do, the first explicit mention of recreational fishing in recorded English literature was published in 1496. This was an essay entitled ‘Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle‘, which was included in the second publication of the ‘Boke of Saint Albans’ by Wynkyn de Worde, a book that contained information on hawking, hunting, and heraldry. The essay is said to have been written by a Benedictine Prioress called Dame Juliana Berners, who was stationed at Sopwell Nunnery in Hertfordshire, and contained lots of information about rods, lines, flies, bait, and technique. 

The first fishing-themed poetical work in English came in 1613 with John Dennys’ ‘The Secrets of Angling’. It is in the publisher’s footnotes of this piece that the phrase ‘cast a fly’ is thought to have been coined. However, it was not until 1653 that the first fishing-only publication came to be. ‘Complete Angler’ by Izaak Walton, which quoted some of Dennys’ earlier works. The book was continuously improved and updated for the next 25 years, celebrating the form and enjoyment of fishing as a recreational activity. 

Technological Evolution

The modern fishing hook was designed by Charles Kirkby in 1655. This design has not changed significantly since! Kirby also invented the Kirby bend hook which is also still used in recreational fishing today. After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Of course, over the last four centuries, however, many other improvements have been made to fishing equipment. During the 18th century, much of the lessons learned during earlier centuries were collected and developed. This is when different rods started to pop up for different fishing techniques, and particularly notable developments include jointed rods and the use of bamboo. Running rings were also added to fishing rods to give fishing enthusiasts more control when casting the line. 

It was around the same time that the modern reels began to be employed in England. Perhaps the most common reel at this time had a wide drum and free spooling to work with the current of the waters. This was known as the Nottingham reel. By 1810, the first American reel design had been produced. This reel was inspired by multiplying reels that had gears, which didn’t suit the British fishing technique. However, George Synder adapted the designs for the American audience, which was a huge success. American anglers are then said to have been the first to use artificial bait for bass fishing. 

Since then, technological and manufacturing developments have only continued. Modern fishing rods are typically made from fiberglass, fly lines from a synthetic thread, and leaders made from monofilament. This has led to the equipment becoming more accessible and inexpensive, and more robust. As for what the future holds – well, we’ll just have to wait and see. With more automated machinery and new materials always being tested, the sky’s the limit for what future fishing might look like.