Forget couch surfing and get on a new hot trend! So-called fish surfing is on the rise as the travelling culture around the world changes rapidly. With over 9 million people fishing for pleasure in Europe – an equivalent to the population of Austria! – it is safe to say recreational fishing is more than just a niche hobby. It's becoming a popular way of life.
“Spending most of my days in the office, fishing is my outlet,” says Nicol, online marketer from Slovakia. Her boyfriend, an angler with 20 years of experience, got her into fishing right away. “How could he not? When we first went fishing, it was on a fresh April night. We were at a private pond and it took us until midnight to catch our first fish, but the joy, the adrenaline! Sitting there, looking at the full moon's reflection on the surface,... I felt peace for the first time in my adult life,” adds Nicol, one of 200K+ users of Fishsurfing, an app and a community for anglers.
Her experience resonates with many. In Europe, the likelihood of adapting to multiple lockdowns has just become a reality. With that, nature is sought after more than ever. Both anglers and non-anglers are booking different kinds of lodging. Lake houses, private ponds or cottages by rivers are increasing in demand, creating a social distancing alternative to booking flats.
Up until now, fishing enthusiasts had two options when going on a fishing holiday: to opt for travel agencies, or travel alone. “There are a couple of agencies offering fishing trips, but their services are expensive and pretty generic. If you wanted an authentic experience, you had to plan everything by yourself, often with limited knowledge of the area, language skills or lack of equipment,” explains Filip Domorád, founder of Fishsurfing.
“Not knowing the area well or lacking inspiration where to even go stops a lot of people from going solo,” he learnt. Freshwater, saltwater or fly, most recreational anglers travel for a specific type of fish. But even with the knowledge of where your specific type thrives, a lot of insider information is key, weather and season for instance, Domorád adds: “If you go at a wrong time of the year, chances are you don't catch a thing. Some fish, like Siluro, move to one part of the river when it's warm and another when it's cold, so you'll need different methods.”
A growing community believes the future of fish travel looks like the best out of Google Maps, Airbnb and Instagram, all in one social network:
- a photo and video gallery of fishing catches,
- a place to chat with anglers to find inspiration, get tips or find local guides,
- authentic, user-generated content not to be found anywhere else,
- the largest database of private fishing grounds with up to 4,000 places across Europe, Russian-speaking countries and tropical countries such as Thailand,
- a detailed map with accomodation, fish stores, in any given area,
- all that with a translate button on all articles and chat windows.
Thanks for being part of this. We'd love to hear if you've used Fishsurfing to plan your fishing trips.
