Fish Pass App Expands with New Team and New Beats

Brown trout, credit: Dan Osmond 

Our Fish Pass app thrives in 2025 fishing season under new enthusiastic team, modernizing pay-as-you-fish angling through digital tokens, catch logging, and spot discovery. Three new beats launched, 800+ tickets recorded across 78 beats.  

The Fish Pass app has continued a resounding success into the 2025 season, now under the direction of a new and enthusiastic team following James’ departure. As a modern evolution of the Westcountry Angling Passport, Fish Pass continues to transform the pay-as-you-fish experience, offering anglers a seamless digital platform to buy and scan tokens, log catches, report issues, and discover nearby fishing spots and amenities, all directly from their smartphones. 

In just the first couple of months, the team has made significant strides, working closely with landowners and launching three new beats across the Westcountry. One of these beats even received hands-on support from our Operations team to ensure it was fully prepared for angling. Since the beginning of the year, over 800 tickets have been recorded across 78 beats, along with more than 130 submitted photos showcasing brown trout catches up to 2.7lbs, striking wildlife like damselflies and kingfishers, and the picturesque landscapes of Dartmoor. 

July brought a challenging period of low waters as a heatwave swept across the UK, pushing temperatures above 25°C and sending river temperatures soaring past 18°C, the threshold where trout and salmon begin to experience metabolic stress. To protect the health of these sensitive species, the Fish Pass team took decisive action, temporarily closing affected beats until cooler, safer water temperatures returned. Just a few days later, beats reopened with reminders to anglers to prioritise fish welfare and adopt best handling practices. As these heat events become more common, the team remains vigilant, actively monitoring conditions, reviewing reported issues recorded by anglers and updating the app to reflect any necessary changes. 

Looking ahead, the outlook for Fish Pass is bright. New beats are in the workings, along with exciting collaborations with angling clubs and environmental groups. Fish Pass continues to connect anglers to the rivers while supporting conservation efforts and promoting the hobby. 

Brown trout fishing, credit: Dan Osmond