Fishing brought families, friends and communities together in unprecedented numbers amid the extraordinary challenges of 2020.

In March, the America country stopped in its tracks when the seriousness of the pandemic became apparent. With so much closed, fishing became an ideal social distancing endeavor, a relaxing and rejuvenating activity to be enjoyed alone, with immediate family or within a social pod.

Nearly one in five Americans ages 6 and older fished in 2020. Of those, about four in five were White, a level that has proven remarkably inflexible. Over the last ten years, an average of 79.2% of participants were White. In 2020, that number was 79.1%. African American participants as a share of total participants increased a promising 4% each year over the past three years, but during the same time frame Hispanic growth stagnated and Asian participation declined slightly.

Over half of participants fished for the first time to spend time with family, underscoring the importance of family in growing the sport. Others cite friends, excitement, ease of access and the limiting nature of COVID lockdowns as motivators for trying fishing for the first time in 2020.

The future of fishing remains bright . Among adult participants: ? 96% plan to fish during the following year, ? 27% plan more than 20 outings, 29% plan 8-20 outings, according to report from Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation and Outdoor Foundation.