Fishing app developed with mental health feature

An engineer and his twin brother have developed a free app designed to help anglers record their catches, share information - and access mental health support.

Thomas Johnson, 42, from Long Buckby in Northamptonshire, has been developing Synced Lines since August and hopes it will go live on 1 January.

Alongside keeping a record of trips, the app includes a mental health feature so users can document how they feel before and after a fishing session.

"Fishing is becoming well known within the medical world to support people with mental health," said Johnson.

"NHS doctors are socially prescribing fishing as an idea for people to get out and immerse themselves back into nature."

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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