Analysis of Mental Health Benefits of Lure Fishing Participants in Wuhan from the Perspective of Leisure Sports and Health

This study takes participants of lure fishing in Wuhan as the research object. From the perspective of leisure sports and health, through multi-dimensional analysis of physiological, psychological and social mechanisms, combined with questionnaire survey data of 327 lure fishing enthusiasts, it systematically explores the positive benefits of lure fishing on participants’ mental health. The research findings are as follows: (1) Through the interaction between dynamic physical activities and the natural environment, lure fishing significantly improves emotional states. 73.3% of participants reduced a reduction in stress, and 85.14% experienced a strong sense of pleasure when successfully catching fish. Its intervention effect on negative emotions such as anxiety and depression is close to the level of mild exercise therapy; (2) During the activity, skill practice (such as bait selection strategies, rod control techniques) and challenge response (such as adaptation to weather changes, goal management) significantly enhance self-efficacy. 67.89% of participants recognized the improvement in their strategic abilities, and 68.3% paid more attention to process focus rather than result orientation; (3) Community interaction strengthens the social support network through experience sharing, emotional connection and collective identity mechanisms. 71.14% of participants received skill guidance or emotional support during activities, and 63.31% enhanced their sense of community value by sharing their catches. This study verifies the synergistic promoting effect of lure sports as an emerging leisure fishing activity on mental health. It is suggested to integrate resources to optimize the activity mode, promote its application in mental health intervention, and provide a theoretical basis for subsequent research.