Accomplishments

Since RBFF was founded in 1998, the organization has been hard at work increasing participation in fishing and boating across the country. The latest Special Report on Fishing revealed:

• In 2022, 54.5 million Americans ages six and over went fishing, an increase of 4 percent over 2021 and just under 2020’s high of 54.7 million. 

• 19.8 million women went fishing in 2022, a 40 percent increase over the past decade. 

• 4.1 million Americans tried fishing for the first time in 2022, up from 3.7 million new participants the prior year. 

• Participation among children ages 6-12 grew by 3 percent to 7.8 million, over one million higher than a decade ago. 

• Between 2019 and 2022, the average participation among children ages 13-17 grew by 6 percent annually. 

• 5.1 million Hispanics fished in 2022, an all-time high. 

RBFF’s flagship consumer brand, Take Me Fishing™, continues to inspire new interest in fishing and boating while equipping consumers with the practical information needed to get on the water. In FY22, brand awareness reached a three-year high and Take Me Fishing garnered:

• 4.2 billion earned media impressions
• 182 million social media impressions
• 39 million views on its YouTube channel
• 10 million visits to TakeMeFishing.org

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, RBFF partnered with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) for the Get On Board campaign. The two-year collaboration showed Americans that fishing and boating are fun, healthful outdoor activities that can make a vital contribution to any person’s and every family’s wellness.
 

While the main measure of RBFF’s success is seen in the steady growth of fishing and boating participation, RBFF has also been honored with the following awards:

• Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at the 2021 Bronze Anvil Awards and a Merit Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Gold Circle Awards for the Get On Board campaign.
• Marine Marketers of America’s 2021 Neptune Award in Social Media for the launch of the Take Me Fishing TikTok launch.
• Finalist for the Creative Media Awards’ Branded Entertainment: Brand/Product Placement category for the Fishing Hole on ABC’s Holey Moley.
• Honorable Mention from the PRNEWS Nonprofit Awards’ Event PR category for the Women Making Waves activation prior to ICAST.