Fish Nation

What Fish Nation does

Fish Nation is a privately held, family-owned fishing adventure booking agency that has operated continuously since 1997, acting as an intermediary between recreational anglers and a global network of more than 350 vetted outfitters, charter captains, and lodges. The company serves primarily individual recreational fishermen seeking guided fly-fishing, saltwater, and freshwater trips, with corporate group bookings as a secondary segment. Geographically, Fish Nation's catalog spans 25+ countries across North America, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, with destinations ranging from the Bahamas and Belize to Mongolia, Kamchatka, and the Seychelles. Its agents are distributed across Florida, Wyoming, Canada, Missouri, Oregon, and Louisiana, and the founder's son, Ed Manasse, took over operations in 2014 from his father Butch Manasse.

The platform is built on a standard web-based catalog with searchable filters by destination, species (e.g., Bonefish, Tarpon, Salmon, Peacock Bass, Walleye), and adventure type, supplemented by an e-newsletter subscription system for discounted and cancellation specials. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via phone (corporate and direct lines under a 307 area code), email, and the website—no resellers, third-party distributors, or mobile applications are in use. Social channels include a modest Instagram presence, a Facebook page, and a YouTube video gallery, while lead flow is supplemented by referrals from returning clients and organic search.

Fish Nation earns revenue exclusively through commissions paid by the outfitters it represents; services are free to clients, who pay the same price as booking direct. A 3% surcharge is added to all payment transactions, and adventure pricing varies materially by destination—Argentina Golden Dorado packages, for example, range from $2,100 per person for a 3-night/2-day trip to $4,800 per person for a 7-night/6-day trip (based on double occupancy). The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, with agents personally matching client preferences, physical needs, and budget to appropriate outfitters, building long-term client relationships for repeat bookings and referrals.

Name

Fish Nation

Legal name

Fish Nation

Website

https://fish-nation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Fish Nation is a family-owned fishing adventure booking agency, operating since 1997, that connects individual recreational anglers and corporate groups with 350+ vetted outfitters across 25+ countries, earning revenue through outfitter commissions on free-to-client bookings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fishing Adventure Booking Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Fishing Charters & Angling Experiences (Deep Sea, Sportfishing, Fly Fishing) (THAJAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fishing & Angling Charters / Guides (THAAALAD), Hunting & Fishing Lodges (Sporting Lodges) (THAGAIAJ), Fishing & Spearfishing Charters (recreational/eco-managed) (THAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Fishing adventure booking
• Guided fishing trips
• Fly fishing charters
• Outfitter referral services
• Recreational fishing vacations

Headquarters

HQ city

Myakka City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Outfitter Commissions: Fish Nation acts as a booking agent receiving commissions from outfitters, captains, and lodges they represent. Services to clients are free - clients pay the same price as booking direct. The company collects deposits and forwards funds to outfitters immediately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fish Nation is a free booking agency that connects recreational anglers with vetted fishing outfitters, charter captains, and lodges across more than 100 destinations worldwide. The company matches clients to appropriate operators based on species preference, physical needs, and budget, and books trips covering fly fishing, saltwater, and freshwater adventures. Services to clients are free; revenue is generated through commissions paid by outfitters and a 3% surcharge added to all client payment transactions.

Product overview

Fish Nation is a fishing adventure booking platform and marketplace that connects anglers with fishing outfitters, charter operators, and lodges worldwide. The company acts as a booking agent intermediary, offering access to over 350 outfitters across more than 100 destinations globally. Their service is free to clients, with revenue generated from commissions paid by the outfitters they represent. The platform provides booking services for various fishing types including fly fishing, saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing, and family fishing adventures, spanning destinations across multiple continents including North America, South America, Central America, Africa, and the Pacific.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fishing Adventure Booking Service Free booking intermediary service that matches individual anglers and corporate groups with vetted outfitters, charter captains, and lodges across 100+ global destinations, including trip logistics coordination and ongoing pre-trip and in-trip support.
• Fly Fishing Lodge and Adventure Bookings

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ bucket list trips successfully booked and completed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Redpoint Travel ProtectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended travel insurance partner for clients booking fishing adventures. Provides trip cancellation, medical evacuation, and travel protection services. Redpoint offers comprehensive coverage including pandemic cancellation, rescue services, and medical expense coverage up to $100,000.
• Fly Fishers InternationalminorOthersIndustry organization listed as a sponsor/partner, indicating affiliation with the fly fishing community and industry association.
• OrvisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured sponsor and partner. Orvis is a major outdoor equipment brand. Some featured lodges carry Orvis endorsement (e.g., Quebec #165 - Orvis Endorsed Lodge).
• Fenwick FishingminorOthersIndustry sponsor listed on the website. Fishing equipment brand partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Angling Destinations: Angling Destinations is a fishing travel agency that arranges guided trips and lodge stays worldwide. It operates on a similar consultant-led, commission-funded model and targets the same recreational angler seeking international destinations.
• Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures: Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures is a long-running fly fishing travel agency that books guided trips and lodges worldwide on a commission basis. It mirrors Fish Nation's consultant-led model and curated outfitter network, with a heavier emphasis on fly fishing.
• The Fly Shop: The Fly Shop in Redding, CA is an established fly fishing outfitter and travel agency that arranges guided trips and lodges globally. It combines retail, guiding operations, and travel booking — directly comparable to Fish Nation's curated fishing-travel marketplace.
• FishingBooker: FishingBooker is the largest online marketplace for fishing charter bookings worldwide, connecting anglers with captains across thousands of destinations. It is the most directly comparable competitor to Fish Nation, differing primarily in being a self-service OTA rather than a consultant-led agency.
• Frontiers International Travel (Pangas Sportfishing): Frontiers is a long-established sportfishing travel agency specializing in saltwater and big-game destinations (billfish, tarpon, bonefish). It competes head-to-head with Fish Nation in the international saltwater/lodge booking segment.
• Tailwaters Travel Co. Tailwaters is a fly fishing travel agency curating guided trips and lodges worldwide on a free-to-client, commission-based model. Its boutique, expert-led approach mirrors Fish Nation's positioning in the adventure-travel intermediary space.
• Reel Fly Fishing Travel: Reel Fly Fishing Travel is a fly fishing travel agency that books guided trips and lodges across international destinations on a commission basis. It overlaps directly with Fish Nation's freshwater/fly fishing booking focus.

Broad incumbents

• Orvis Travel: Orvis is a major outdoor sporting-goods retailer and travel operator offering endorsed fly-fishing lodges and trip packages globally. Fish Nation lists Orvis as a featured partner/sponsor and competes for the same affluent angler customer base, though Orvis offers a much wider product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjVoukl_KyrlwvJoW-iaNHw
• Facebookfacebook.com/fishnation.media
• Instagraminstagram.com/fish_nation_bmoa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fish Nation