Research carried out by Anglia Ruskin University in 2022 found that taking part in fishing regularly “resulted in higher mental wellbeing and fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to taking part less regularly”.
Meanwhile, The Angling Trust runs its Get Fishing for Wellbeing project, with local providers putting on sessions.
Synced Lines’ mental health feature also contains links to support organisations, including the Samaritans.
Johnson said the information users entered about their feelings would stay private.
“[Fishing] has helped me a huge amount with my mental health,” he said.
“That’s really why I’m [making the app]… I’m ultimately trying to help people.”
The app also allows anglers to log catches, record the bait and weather conditions and see what has been caught at other venues.
Johnson added that he hoped future features of the app would include artificial intelligence tools to identify fish from photographs, estimate their weight and provide guidance on fishing techniques.
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