I was glad to see the Game Fair back at Ragley Hall for 2025. The lake had provided the perfect setting for angling coaches in 2024 and that facility had been sorely missed at Blenheim last year, writes ATA chairman Andrew Race.

This year the lake fished well, with most catching during their short session and many people catching a dozen or more fish.

ATA’s partnership at the Game Fairs with Canal and River Trust (CRT) has been a very successful one and this year was no exception. A fantastic effort by Peter Henery and his team saw all three days booked up solid well before midday.

CRT’s Let’s Fish programme is in my view the best format for not only recruitment but retention. The latter is especially crucial to angling as the pastime has a high churn rate when it comes to people engaging and leaving the sport. With introduction to angling via a friend, colleague or family member still the most common form of introduction, retention coupled with reengagement of lapsed anglers is the key to long-term recruitment and growth.

Despite a red hot first day, attendance in the angling village was good, with most stalls reporting brisk business and/ or discussion depending on the business concerned. The presence of the Environment Agency team from Calverton fish farm was a welcome sight and, for me, a personal goal as I want to see more stands relating to careers in and around the industry. With the threats to water quality and habitat more serious than ever, new recruits into fisheries and sciences have never been more necessary.

Saturday was by far the busiest day, with tackle sales hitting a peak. With a relatively poor showing from the trade and a lack of diversity in terms of disciplines covered, second hand tackle sales were booming with numbers of rods sold well into the hundreds.

Whilst any tackle sales are good, the industry should be concerned. New tackle of the right type and quality, backed by a friendly interface, is all that stands between the trade and significant progress at these venues.

Whilst the weather was changeable on Sunday, booking for coaching were solid. A slower day with less footfall still saw sales of tackle and engagement with most stalls. The fly casting competitions ran well alongside both theatre and demonstrations on the lake with such luminaries as TV star and author Jeremy Wade attracting many.

I am led to believe that the 2026 Game Fair will also be at Ragley. If so, then plans should be made to greatly expand on this year’s event. The fishing village run by ATA media lead John Hunter under the ATA banner of Get into Fishing offers opportunity to both angling and businesses.

With exhibitor concessions for ATA membership and discounts for anglers via the rod licence, there is much potential here that is absent in traditional indoor shows.