The Fish Radio
The Fish Hawk is a private, Atlanta-based specialty fly fishing retailer founded in 1974, selling premium rods, reels, wading gear, and apparel from 40+ brands via a brick-and-mortar shop and e-commerce site, supplemented by casting instruction and hosted trips.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Fish Radio does
The Fish Hawk is a privately held specialty fly fishing retailer founded in 1974 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operating a single physical showroom alongside a US-shipping e-commerce storefront built on the Lightspeed (EZShop) platform. The company curates a catalog of 621 products across fly rods, reels, lines, wading gear, packs and bags, leaders and tippet, clothing and footwear, and accessories, sourced from more than 40 premium manufacturers including Sage, Scott, Winston, Hardy, G. Loomis, Thomas and Thomas, Abel, Tibor, Lamson, Hatch, Simms, Patagonia, and Filson. Beyond distribution, The Fish Hawk operates a sub-brand for proprietary merchandise (Fish Hawk Gear) and a specialty fly pattern line (The Chocklett Factory), and has added a small apparel crossover with Sitka Gear.
The business makes money primarily through one-time retail product sales, supplemented by professional service revenue from casting instruction (delivered by Rob Smith, branded 'Atlanta Mustache'), travel planning, and hosted fishing trips and events. Pricing is conventional specialty retail, with product prices ranging from under $30 for accessories to over $1,900 for premium saltwater reels, and a shipping incentive of free shipping above $200 to push average order value. The customer base is fragmented across use cases (trout, saltwater flats, warmwater/redfish) and personas (experienced anglers and beginners served via starter kits), with no enterprise or institutional accounts. GTM is direct-to-consumer through both the Atlanta storefront and the e-commerce site, supported by email newsletter, Instagram, and on-site content. The technology stack is standard e-commerce with no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no API, and no AI/ML capabilities; the company's differentiation rests on brand heritage, expert staff, curated assortment, and service layering rather than on technology.
The Fish Radio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Fish Radio
- Legal name
- The Fish Hawk
- Website
- https://thefishhawk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Fish Hawk is a private, Atlanta-based specialty fly fishing retailer founded in 1974, selling premium rods, reels, wading gear, and apparel from 40+ brands via a brick-and-mortar shop and e-commerce site, supplemented by casting instruction and hosted trips.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Fish Radio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fly Fishing Equipment Retail
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fly Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Freshwater Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAB), Lures, Flies & Terminal Tackle Specialty Retail (CRAMALAJ), Fishing Charters & Angling Experiences (Deep Sea, Sportfishing, Fly Fishing) (THAJAJAC)
Keywords
Where The Fish Radio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Fish Radio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Retail sale of fly fishing equipment including fly rods, reels, lines, waders, clothing, and accessories from premium brands like Sage, Scott, Winston, and others.
- Gift Cards: Sale of personalized Fish Hawk gift cards for gifting to fishermen.
- Casting Instruction: Casting instruction services offered by Atlanta Mustache (Rob Smith) for beginners to experienced anglers.
- Hosted Trips and Events: Organized fishing trips and events hosted by The Fish Hawk crew.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing with shipping tiers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Fish Radio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Fish Hawk is a brick-and-mortar and online specialty retailer of premium fly fishing equipment, selling fly rods, reels, lines, waders, packs, clothing, leaders/tippet, and accessories from more than 40 top fly fishing brands. In addition to retail, the shop offers paid casting instruction, travel planning, and hosted fishing trips led by expert staff.
Product overview
The Fish Hawk is a fly fishing retail platform and physical store (Atlanta-based, operating since 1974) offering a comprehensive selection of premium fly fishing equipment. The core product is its e-commerce platform for purchasing gear from multiple branded manufacturers. The portfolio includes Fly Rods from brands like Sage, Scott, Winston, Hardy, G. Loomis, Thomas and Thomas, Douglas, TFO, and Redington; Fly Reels from Abel, Bauer, Lamson, Tibor, Shilton, Ross Reels, Hardy, Hatch, Nautilus, Galvan, and others; Fly Lines from Scientific Anglers and Rio in floating, sink tip, and full sinking varieties; Wading Gear from Simms, Grundens, and Korkers; Packs and Bags from Fishpond, Simms, Patagonia, Umpqua, and Filson; Leaders and Tippet; Clothing and Footwear from multiple brands; Fly Boxes, Tools and Accessories; The Chocklett Factory fly patterns sub-brand; Fish Hawk Gear branded merchandise; and Sitka Gear partnership products. The company also offers services including casting instruction, travel planning, and hosted fishing trips.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fish Hawk Gear: Custom branded hats, shirts, fly boxes, tumblers and more with The Fish Hawk logo and branding.
Products and services
- Fly Rods Premium fly rods from industry-leading manufacturers, organized by brand and technique, with saltwater-recommended and starter kit subsets, sold to individual freshwater and saltwater fly anglers.
- Fly Reels Fly fishing reels from top brands spanning freshwater and saltwater applications, including corrosion-resistant and heavy-duty options for warm-water species.
- Fly Lines Premium fly lines sold to individual anglers, with floating, intermediate/sink tip, and full sinking options plus accessories, covering both freshwater and saltwater techniques.
- Wading Gear Waders, wading boots, rain/wading jackets, storage, and accessories from Simms, Grundens, and Korkers, sold to fly anglers who wade in freshwater and saltwater.
- Packs and Bags Fishing packs, backpacks, boat bags, rod and reel cases, and travel luggage from Fishpond, Simms, Patagonia, Umpqua, and Filson for individual fly anglers.
- Leaders and Tippet Freshwater and saltwater leaders and tippet materials in fluorocarbon and monofilament for individual fly anglers.
- Clothing and Footwear Fishing apparel and footwear including shirts, pants, outerwear, rain jackets, headwear, and footwear from Simms, Patagonia, Free Fly, Grundens, and Sitka for individual anglers.
- Fly Boxes, Tools, and Accessories Fly boxes, pliers, nippers, retractors, indicators, split shot, floatant, and other fly fishing accessories for individual anglers.
- The Chocklett Factory Specialty fly patterns and tying materials including the Game Changer series, Feather Changer, Craw Changer, Shad Changers, and leech changers for individual streamer fly anglers.
- Fish Hawk Gear (branded merchandise) The Fish Hawk's proprietary branded merchandise line of custom hats, shirts, fly boxes, tumblers, and flasks for individual customers and gift buyers.
- Gift Cards Personalized Fish Hawk gift cards sold to consumers purchasing gifts for fly fishermen.
- Casting Instruction Paid casting instruction led by Rob Smith (Atlanta Mustache), covering saltwater casting and dry fly presentations for beginner to advanced individual anglers.
- Travel Services Travel planning services for individual fly fishing trip arrangements, organized through The Fish Hawk.
- Hosted Trips and Events Guided fishing trips and in-shop events hosted by The Fish Hawk crew for individual customers and the fly fishing community.
Companies that use The Fish Radio
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Fish Radio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Fish Radio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
The Fish Radio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Orvis: Orvis is the largest and most recognized U.S. fly fishing specialty retailer, operating both physical stores and a national e-commerce platform selling rods, reels, apparel, and hosting hosted trips and schools. Most directly comparable peer to The Fish Hawk in product mix, target customer, and omnichannel fly shop model.
- MidCurrent: MidCurrent is a fly fishing media and online retailer combining editorial content with e-commerce for premium fly fishing gear. Comparable to The Fish Hawk in fly fishing audience and product curation, with a stronger content/media orientation versus retail showroom.
- Trident Fly Fishing: Trident Fly Fishing is an online-only fly fishing specialty retailer offering rods, reels, lines, and accessories from premium brands. Most directly comparable e-commerce competitor to The Fish Hawk in target customer and product depth, though without a physical showroom.
- Yellowstone Angler: Yellowstone Angler is an independent fly shop with both a physical Montana location and online store, carrying premium rods, reels, waders, and offering guided trips. Comparable specialty fly shop model, though with a different geographic anchor and stronger guiding/travel orientation.
Broad incumbents
- Cabela's: Cabela's, now under Bass Pro, is a broad outdoor sporting goods retailer offering fly fishing gear, apparel, and accessories alongside hunting and camping. Comparable as a multi-category fly tackle competitor but lacks The Fish Hawk's specialty fly shop positioning and premium brand curation.
- Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops is a mass-market outdoor retailer with a substantial fly fishing assortment (rods, reels, waders) carried alongside broader hunting, boating, and camping categories. Overlaps with The Fish Hawk on fly gear customers but operates at vastly greater scale across big-box and destination retail formats.
- REI: REI is a large outdoor co-op retailer with a fly fishing section in stores and online, carrying rods, reels, waders, and apparel. Overlaps on customer base and some product categories but with much wider outdoor focus and a different brand mix than The Fish Hawk's premium boutique assortment.
Others
- Sage Manufacturing: Sage is a premium fly rod manufacturer whose rods are a core part of The Fish Hawk's assortment. Functions as a key supplier/partner whose own D2C website is an alternative purchase channel for the same customers The Fish Hawk serves.
- Simms Fishing: Simms is a leading manufacturer of waders, wading boots, and fly fishing apparel, sold through The Fish Hawk and competing fly shops. Not a retail peer, but a key supplier whose direct-to-consumer channel competes with The Fish Hawk's own merchandising of Simms products.
Emerging players
- Angler's Bookshop: Angler's Bookshop is an online fly fishing retailer with a curated selection of premium rods, reels, lines, and accessories. Comparable product assortment and target customer but smaller scale and without the services and hosted-trip ecosystem The Fish Hawk offers.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Fish Radio social profiles
Digital presenceThe Fish Radio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Fish Radio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Fish Radio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Fish Radio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Fish Radio
What does The Fish Radio do?
The Fish Hawk is a brick-and-mortar and online specialty retailer of premium fly fishing equipment, selling fly rods, reels, lines, waders, packs, clothing, leaders/tippet, and accessories from more than 40 top fly fishing brands. In addition to retail, the shop offers paid casting instruction, travel planning, and hosted fishing trips led by expert staff.
Is The Fish Radio a public or private company?
The Fish Radio is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Fish Radio founded?
The Fish Radio was founded in 1974. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Fish Radio based?
The Fish Radio is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Fish Radio make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are gift Cards, casting Instruction and hosted Trips and Events.
Who are The Fish Radio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Orvis, MidCurrent, Trident Fly Fishing and Yellowstone Angler. Broad incumbents are Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops and REI. Others are Sage Manufacturing and Simms Fishing. Angler's Bookshop is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Fish Radio have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Fish Radio.
What industry is The Fish Radio in?
The Fish Radio's product category is Fly Fishing Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMALAD, Fly Fishing Specialty Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMALAB, Freshwater Fishing Specialty Retail.