The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation released a study that provides insight into the relationship between boating and fishing.
The marketing research, conducted by Market Strategies, evaluated three market segments; boater only, angler only and boater angler. The study found that promoting boating and fishing is good for the market and fishing is a strong pathway to boating.
The national telephone survey of about 1,000 people also collected data about early experiences with fishing and boating, current activities, fishing license sales and more.
According to the study, boating anglers fish significantly more frequently than those who only fish, and they boat more frequently than those who only boat. Boating anglers also enjoy boating for recreation and fishing, with a majority having gone boating for the purpose of fishing at least once in the past 12 months.
Boating anglers spend more money on fishing equipment and boating accessories - $500 or more a year - compared to those who only fish or only boat. They are also significantly more likely to own a boat (54.3 percent), compared to those who only fish (27 percent) or only boat (25.8 percent).
A second key finding reveals the directional relationship is stronger for fishing as a pathway to boating than for boating as a pathway to fishing.
Nearly half the boating anglers (44.9 percent) said that fishing influenced their decision to get involved in boating and the reason they purchased a boat was to fish. By contrast, less than one-third of boating anglers said that boating influenced their decision to get involved in fishing.
For boating anglers, fishing is the most popular activity to do while boating, followed by cruising or sightseeing, participating in water sports and participating in paddle sports.
