'FishTok' trend creates fishing boom among young Victorians

Key points

• Teenagers on Geelong's Cunningham Pier say fishing has become a popular way for young Victorians to spend time with friends. Peak body VRFish says the rise in younger anglers is clear, though there are few statistics to measure it.
• Social media, including the FishTok trend, and a post-COVID wish to get outdoors are cited as drivers. A state program giving free fishing rods to about 180,000 students has been scrapped by the government, which says it needs budget savings.
• VRFish says the decision cuts young people's access to fishing.