“It’s all Ian White’s fault…” – Gary Anderson reveals how fishing changed his life away from darts

Gary Anderson is one of the greatest players ever to throw a dart. Now 54, the Scotsman continues to hold his own at the top level — even if darts no longer dominates his every waking hour. These days, his life is split between the oche and the open air.

Anderson admits he rarely practises, only occasionally throwing a few legs with Ryan Searle, who lives nearby. Yet his sharpness hasn’t faded much. ‘The Flying Scotsman’, who now picks and chooses his events, remains 14th in the world rankings and heads into the 2025 World Grand Prix as one of the dark horses for the title. It’s one of the few major honours missing from his CV, his best run being a final appearance in 2016 when he lost 5–2 to Michael van Gerwen.

But when he’s not chasing doubles and trebles, Anderson’s attention is on a rather different kind of challenge — running his own fishery.

“It was funny because it was actually Whitey’s fault — he kind of started it off,” Anderson told the Weekly Dartscast. “I used to fish when I was a youngster — salmon, trout, fly fishing. I hadn’t fished for years, and we were at Blackpool staying out at Ribby Hall with Ian. He said, ‘Oh, there’s a couple of lakes here,’ so we ended up doing a bit of fishing. I really enjoyed it.”

“The next year we did the same again — stayed at the same place, had a couple of days’ fishing, really enjoyed it — and then I ended up buying a fishing rig," he continues. "That’s how it all started. I just like it. I like being out in the fresh air.”

That rekindled hobby has since become a full-blown lifestyle. Anderson has now owned his fishery for five years, and while it offers serenity and wildlife, it’s hardly a relaxing retirement plan

“It’s great — the peace and quiet. I love all the animals we get: the deer, the snakes, the hawks, the birds,” he said. “Keeping the wildlife and the trees cut down to size is hard work. I kind of bought it for my retirement, but it’s not really the sort of job you want when you’re retired — it’s hard graft. I’ve got a few mates who help me out when I’m away, and it’s tough going. But it’s good. It’s rewarding at the end of the day.”

It’s a glimpse into a softer side of a man known for his no-nonsense approach. Anderson has long been one of darts’ most natural talents — a two-time world champion whose throw remains as smooth as ever — but away from the stage lights, it’s clear he’s just as content with a rod in hand as he is with a set of darts.

And tonight, he’ll swap the stillness of the lake for the noise of the Dublin crowd. In the penultimate match of the opening session at the 2025 World Grand Prix, Anderson faces fellow veteran Raymond van Barneveld — two legends, one more hunt for glory.