Recreational fisheries that use rod and reel (i.e., angling) operate around the globe in diverse freshwater and marine habitats, targeting many different gamefish species and engaging hundreds of millions of participants. Whether anglers engage in catch-and-release or are harvest-oriented, there is potential for recreational fisheries to be conducted in a manner that is neither sustainable nor responsible. There are also many examples in which recreational fisheries are well-managed and anglers (and the angling industry) engage in responsible behaviours that contribute to long-term sustainability of fish populations and the sector. I will argue that partnerships (of various sorts) underpin sustainable and responsible fisheries.