a man fly fishing
Fishing may be a casual pastime to some, but for others it’s a lifestyle that influences where they vacation and retire, and how they spend their free time and money.

An online survey fielded by Southwich Associates and commissioned by Honeywell, a manufacturer of a wide range of products including fishing products—most notably the Spectra Fishing Line—revealed the following:

Canadian Fishing Stats
• Resident anglers fished a total of 37.7 million days in Canada, or about about 15 days a year per angler.
• 60% of fish caught by Canadian anglers are live released.
• The breakdown of fish caught in Canada is 25% trout, 17% walleye, 17% perch, 13% bass, 8% pike, 3% salmon, and 17% other.
• In 2005, of the 156 million fish caught in Canada, 65 million were caught in Ontario.
• 3.3 million anglers in Canada spent $2.5 Billion on fishing in 2010.
• The average Canadian angler spends around $757.57 a year on fishing and related products.

Data from Statistics Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
  • 55% of anglers would rather buy new fishing gear than home improvement materials, home electronics, clothing or other items, jumping to 69% for anglers who consider themselves “advanced.”
  • 70% of anglers surveyed indicate that if they had a choice regarding how to spend a day, they would spend it fishing.
  • 67% of survey respondents admit to having missed work in order to go fishing.
  • 71% said that they have taken a vacation where the primary purpose was to go on a fishing trip that lasted a day or more (87% for advanced anglers).
  • 83% of anglers indicate that they plan to shape their retirement plans around the ability to fish.

“We have conducted extensive research on the fishing industry, and this survey by Honeywell confirms that serious anglers are willing to devote significant time and attention to their sport,” said Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates.

The survey comprised 506 responses. Data taken from those who had fished in the past year for a minimum of ten days, considered themselves at least of regular skill level, and fished either fresh or saltwater. The survey’s margin of error is +/- 4.4%. The survey was conducted in the U.S.