Anything that’s popular can be turned into a movie. Whether that movie is a hit or not is a matter of quality, content, production, and timing. However, if there’s a ready-made fanbase for something, it’s at least got a shot of getting the green light from a movie studio. If we accept this premise, we have to ask the question millions of people have probably been asking for decades: why aren’t there more movies about fishing?
People Are Already Being Entertained by Fishing Content
Yes, that’s right, we said fishing. There are dozens of hit TV shows about the sport, such as Deadliest Catch, Wicked Tuna, and the Fish Guyz. Beyond the small screen, there are hundreds of fishing-themed games online. Take, for example, the Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways slot at Paddy’s online casino. This slot sits alongside hundreds of sport-themed casino games that have their own inherent features as well as sitewide bonuses such as Daily Jackpots.
Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways itself has a dynamic payline structure, which means the number of ways you can win changes every spin. Add to this a selection of fishing related images, from ships and rods to tackle boxes and bait, it’s a game you can really immerse yourself in if you love the sport. Use saying “if you love the sport” raises another question: how many people like fishing?
According to an article on Squanct, fishing is the fourth most popular sport in the world in terms of participation. This assertion is supported by an estimate from the US Fish and Wildlife Service that one in six Americans fish. More data from the National Sporting Goods Association shows that 44 million Americans fished in 2001. The simple answer is that a lot of people like fishing.
That’s why TV networks and streaming platforms such as Netflix have plenty of popular fishing shows. It’s also why online casinos have hundreds of fishing themed slots. Why though, aren’t there more fishing movies? There are some fishing movies, so we can’t pretend it’s a completely overlooked genre. Against the Tide was released in 2023 and follows the story of Bombay fishermen Rakesh and Ganesh who use the Koli knowledge system to fish according to the moon and tides.
Fishing’s Waters Run Deep
Fishing fans can also watch The Cove (2009), Almo Bay (1985), Leviathan (2012), Gone Fishin’ (1997), and more. We can, of course, also put the Jaws franchise into this genre, but it wasn’t solely focused on fishing. If we exclude Jaws, there hasn’t been a blockbuster movie about the sport, despite it having a clear fanbase. The main problem seems to be that a lot of the movies are documentaries rather than works of fiction.
One genre that could easily accommodate a fishing theme is horror. The story could include two friends out on a boat somewhere in the countryside where they run into strange creatures. A buddy movie could also use fishing as a vehicle to explore issues such as love, trust, coming of age, or anything else to do with friendship.
What we’re saying here is that there are options. Maybe they’re not blockbuster options, and maybe movie studios simply don’t know how popular fishing is. From our perspective, the waters run deep when it comes to fishing, so more writers and directors should be willing to cast their lines into this area and hook a hit.
