Most kids spend their weekends glued to their screens, but 12-year-old Marley Houghton has different plans. The Ellesmere Port schoolboy spends most of his time at Groves Fishery in Chester. Marley had started fishing four or five months ago, when he fell in love with it, and it became his new hobby. The young fisherman says he enjoys fishing as it 'improves mental health', which is an important topic to him.
On Sunday, I went along with Marley to the fishery so that we could talk more about his interest. The passionate fisher told us he found fishing after seeing it on television and then asking his mum to buy him a rod. Since his first day fishing, he has spent near enough every weekend doing what he loves most. Staff and other fishers have been quick to praise Marley for his skill and positive attitude.
His mother, Kim, says that she's proud of Marley because of the way he has 'grown as a person'. Kim says, "He likes to do his own thing; he doesn't like to follow the crowds. Marley is unique, in a good way."
Marley says, 'Not a lot of young people go fishing,' and he wants to encourage youngsters to get into fishing, as it is a good way to 'clear your mind'. In the future, the young fisherman says he would love to participate in junior competitions to prove to people young children can do fishing, and sometimes they're better than the adults. But, unfortunately, Marley says he doesn't have all the gear for the competitions and says until he gets the correct equipment, he cannot do competitions.
Ellesmere Port Church of England College student Marley says he can balance his schoolwork and fishing quite well, making sure his education always comes first so that he can get a job at a fishing tackle shop. Marley says his favourite lesson is physical education, as he describes himself as more hands-on, and he feels it's better to be physical than to sit at a desk all day, part of the reason he took up fishing.
12-year-old Marley Houghton.