Kye Jerrom, fisheries expert at the Environment Agency, explains the fascination of the noble art and how to start, plus its benefits, both for fish and people.

Fishing is a fantastic hobby. It brings you closer to nature and I am sure it’s the ‘hunter gatherer’ instinct within us that drives a million anglers to fish every year. It’s also a great wellbeing tool, helping us to exchange the stresses and pressures of life for a few hours in a beautiful waterside location.

My love of fish and angling led me to a dream job – a fisheries specialist with the EA. Over the last 20 years I’ve been involved with fish ecology, habitat restoration, incident response, saving fisheries from water-quality issues and disease, fish-pass design and construction, and now fisheries enforcement.

Did you know that fishing licence income - nearly £22 million pounds each year - is invested back into improving angling, fisheries, and the environment? 

The river and its tributaries provide some fantastic venues. Hemingford Meadow at St Ives, for example, is home to the oldest angling club in England (St Ives Fish Preservation and Angling Society, 1881). And Hinchingbrooke Country Park in Brampton, or one of the leading modern commercial fisheries such as Rookery Waters in Pidley, are recommended.

Many local clubs offer events via the Angling Trust ‘Get Fishing’ campaign, or the Canal and River Trust ‘Let’s Fish’ scheme (both part-funded by the Environment Agency).

It’s not an expensive hobby: a simple rod and rig and a half a pint of maggots costs less than £20, and will keep you fishing for many sessions.

Just don’t forget your rod licence (£33 a year but free for children up to 13 years).

The only other thing you need is permission from the landowner, or a day permit from the local club. Try it - you might just rediscover what has been under your nose all this time!