What The Flyfish Journal does

The Flyfish Journal is a privately held, reader-supported quarterly publication dedicated to flyfishing culture, operated under the legal entity Funny Feelings, LLC, and headquartered in Bellingham, Washington. The company publishes a premium print and digital magazine featuring photography, essays, travel features, conservation stories, and documentary-style journalism about flyfishing; it is currently on Issue 17.4 with 65+ archived issues spanning its run. The publication is complemented by a digital membership platform providing online archive access, downloadable PDFs, member-only video exclusives, and the Sidechannels podcast featuring interviews with writers, filmmakers, conservationists, and outdoor industry figures.

The business is built on a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront with subscription tiers priced from $39.99 (online-only, 1-year) to $289.99 (international physical, 2-year), plus an auto-renewal model and gift membership options. Beyond subscriptions, merchandise is a meaningful revenue stream, encompassing branded apparel, headwear, accessories, and greeting cards, much of it produced through collaborations with outdoor lifestyle brands including Flylow Gear, Howler Bros, Coal Headwear, FRQNCY, Buff, and Earthly Feelings. Sister publications The Ski Journal and The Snowboarder's Journal operate under the same parent entity, suggesting a multi-vertical outdoor media portfolio.

The company targets flyfishing enthusiasts, guides, and outdoor-lifestyle gift buyers, with a secondary commercial segment of outdoor industry advertisers seeking an engaged, premium readership. The small team (1-10 employees) and self-described independent editorial stance, including an explicit rejection of AI-generated content, position the brand as a niche, craft-oriented media business serving a hobbyist community rather than a high-growth venture.

Name

The Flyfish Journal

Legal name

Funny Feelings, LLC

Website

https://theflyfishjournal.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Flyfish Journal is a privately held, reader-supported quarterly magazine and digital media platform covering flyfishing culture, operating under Funny Feelings, LLC from Bellingham, WA, and serving enthusiast subscribers worldwide through subscriptions, branded merchandise, video exclusives, and the Sidechannels podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flyfishing Lifestyle Magazine

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Flyfishing magazine
• Outdoor culture publication
• Quarterly print journal
• Branded apparel merchandise
• Outdoor lifestyle media

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Quarterly physical or digital magazine subscriptions with auto-renewal. Tiers include Online (digital only), US, Canada, and Foreign. Both 1-year and 2-year subscription options available. Subscribers receive 20% off newsstand price plus merchandise discounts.
2. Single Issue Sales: Individual magazine issues available for purchase at newsstand prices. Includes current and back issues across 65+ archived issues.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, tanks), headwear (hats, beanies), accessories (tote bags, neck gators, stickers), and greeting cards. Includes collaborations with partner brands.
4. Gift Memberships: Subscription gift cards allowing recipients to claim membership and control their own shipping information.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Flyfish Journal is a quarterly print and digital publication covering flyfishing culture, photography, conservation, and adventure stories. It sells recurring magazine subscriptions (Online, US, CDN, Foreign tiers) plus single newsstand issues, and operates a Shopify e-commerce storefront selling branded apparel, headwear, and accessories (including collaborations with Flylow Gear, Howler Bros, Coal Headwear, FRQNCY, and Buff). Subscribers also receive access to a 65+ issue online archive with downloadable PDFs, exclusive video content, and the Sidechannels podcast.

Product overview

The Flyfish Journal is a quarterly print and digital publication dedicated to flyfishing culture, offering a core magazine subscription product available in print/digital combinations for Online, US, CDN, and Foreign delivery. The publication is complemented by an e-commerce merchandise store featuring branded apparel, accessories, and collaboration items with partners like Flylow Gear, Howler Bros, Coal Headwear, FRQNCY, and Buff. Content offerings include exclusive video content, the Sidechannels podcast, reviews, and curated content, with membership benefits including 20% merchandise discounts and full online archive access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Ski Journal: Sister publication covering ski culture
• The Snowboarder's Journal
• Sidechannels
• TFFJ Merchandise

Products and services

• The Flyfish Journal Subscription
• Gift Membership Card
• Individual Magazine Issues
• Sidechannels Podcast
• Exclusive Video Content
• Curated Content Library
• Reviews Section
• Full Zip Cozy Hoodie
• Flylow x TFFJ Fly Away Hat
• Coal x TFFJ Bucket Hat
• Coal x TFFJ Beanie
• Howler x TFFJ Gray Corduroy Hat
• FRQNCY Zip Hoodie
• Buff Neck Gator
• Earthly Feelings Eco Tote Bag
• Greeting Card Set
• All Day & All Night Tee

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% savings off newsstand price for subscribers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flylow GearcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on branded merchandise. Products include the Fly Away Canvas Hat featuring custom pattern and gold patch. Flylow is an outdoor apparel brand.
• Howler BroscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on branded headwear including gray corduroy hats and gold cord hats. Howler Bros is an outdoor lifestyle brand.
• Coal HeadwearcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on branded beanies and bucket hats. Coal Headwear specializes in headwear for outdoor activities.
• BuffminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on neck gator/accessory product. Buff is a multifunctional headwear brand.
• FRQNCYcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on limited edition apparel including zip hoodies, crew sweatshirts, and pocket tees. FRQNCY is a fashion brand with Made in USA production.
• Earthly FeelingsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on eco-friendly merchandise including organic cotton tote bags.
• The Ski JournalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister publication under the same parent company Funny Feelings, LLC. Related outdoor recreation magazine.
• The Snowboarder's JournalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister publication under the same parent company Funny Feelings, LLC. Related winter sports magazine.
• Patagonia Fly FishminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPatagonia Fly Fish Ambassador program featuring contributor Riverhorse Nakadate.
• Fly Water TravelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel partner for fly fishing destinations. Features Estancia Despedida Lodge in Tierra del Fuego.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• MidCurrent: Online flyfishing publication focused on conservation, fishing reports, and essays. Digital-native competitor with editorial overlap in conservation and cultural storytelling.
• Orvis News: Orvis-brand-owned flyfishing content platform with news, advice, and cultural stories. Comparable flyfishing audience but distributed as free digital content supported by the Orvis retail brand.

Broad incumbents

• Gray's Sporting Journal: Premium outdoor sporting magazine covering hunting and fishing. Comparable in premium positioning and coffee-table format, though broader in scope than The Flyfish Journal's flyfishing focus.
• Outdoor Life: Established outdoor recreation magazine covering hunting, fishing, and adventure. Broader audience and legacy brand with flyfishing as one of several covered verticals.
• Field & Stream: Iconic American outdoor magazine covering hunting, fishing, and conservation. Massive legacy incumbent with broader audience reach, overlapping flyfishing content as a subcategory.

Direct peers

• American Angler: Flyfishing-focused magazine with a long publication history covering techniques, destinations, and tackle. Comparable editorial scope within the flyfishing vertical.
• The Drake Magazine: Quarterly print and digital flyfishing culture magazine with a focus on photography, conservation, and adventure storytelling. The most direct format and audience competitor to The Flyfish Journal in the premium flyfishing periodical niche.
• Fly Fisherman Magazine: Long-established flyfishing publication covering techniques, gear reviews, and destinations. Direct competitor in the flyfishing magazine category, though more technique-oriented versus The Flyfish Journal's cultural editorial framing.
• Hatch Magazine: Digital-first flyfishing publication covering gear, destinations, and culture. Closest digital-native competitor; overlapping audience but differentiated delivery format (online vs. quarterly print).
• Trout Unlimited (Trout Magazine): Publication of Trout Unlimited, the largest cold-water conservation organization. Overlaps with The Flyfish Journal's conservation editorial content and engaged flyfishing audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FlyfishJournal
• Facebookfacebook.com/theflyfishjournal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-flyfish-journal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Flyfish Journal