Take a Friend Fishing Scheme Extended

THE HUGELY popular Take a Friend Fishing (TAFF) initiative is being extended right through the summer months, Angling Times can exclusively reveal.

The scheme, run by the Angling Trust and Environment Agency, allows rod licence holders to take one person fishing free of charge, and ran for just over a fortnight last month.

Now, in an unprecedented move, it is being extended to run from August 14 to October 4 to accommodate the surge in angling participation following lockdown, and also to help nurture future generations of anglers.

Jamie Cook, chief executive of the Trust, is delighted by the news. He said:

“It’s a proactive step to grow participation, and we need to seize this opportunity which allows both experienced and new anglers, as well as those returning to the sport, the chance to share the experience and help their friends and families take that first step towards establishing a fishing habit.”

A raft of tackle companies have been quick to throw their weight behind the scheme.

Mat Woods, brand manager at Korum, is well aware of the long-term benefits the extension could bring:

“These remarkable times are providing an insight into how many anglers there could be. We’ve all dreamed of these numbers, and so our focus must now shift towards retaining them. Let’s forge ahead while we’ve got the wind in our sails, and let’s do it together!” he said.

These sentiments were echoed by Korda’s Ali Hamidi, who added:

“The sport deserves to thrive – the mental and physical benefits it brings are phenomenal – and we should all help others to get involved.”