The Captain Experiences Story

Our History

Made by outdoorsmen for outdoorsmen

Captain Experiences was born out of need; it's the product of dozens of years spent in the great outdoors and countless hours spent trying to book fishing and hunting trips.

Back in 2019, our Co-Founder, Jonathan Newar, was working in oil and gas finance in his hometown of Houston. Looking to book a fishing trip for his team, he was reminded how painful it is to find quality fishing guides—from phone tag with captains to outdated charter websites with no price transparency, he knew there had to be a better way…

Fast forward to 2020, when Jonathan teamed up with Co-Founder Attison Barnes to launch Captain Experiences—an online platform that helps people find and book fishing, hunting, and other outdoors trips quickly, easily, and with a process they can trust.

captain experiences founders attison and jonathan holding queen snapper

Our Process

Search It, Book It, Live It

The idea is simple: an online platform making booking outdoor sports guides seamless. Our Damn Good Guides are quality, vetted guides, and we know them all on a first-name basis. You can preview the specific details of a trip from target species or skill level down to whether the boat has a restroom or air conditioning. We even back your trip with a 100% Weather Guarantee for your peace of mind.

Our growing network of Damn Good Guides spans across the globe and each one is handpicked by the Captain team. Booking with Captain is so quick and easy, you won't even have time to think about us...until you want to book your next trip.

dog with duck in south texas

“Fresh air is good for the soul, and stepping away from the office for just one morning or afternoon can be the best few hours of your month. It's our goal to Unlock the Outdoors for everyone by making it easy for you to get out there with our Damn Good Guides.”

Jonathan Newar, Co-founder

Our Passion

Minimizing screens and maximizing life

We're avid outdoorsmen, and we're proud to help support and protect the lands we love. We're not just selling trips—we're empowering people to connect with the outdoors and with each other.

We're a new twist on an age-old pastime, blending the excitement and nostalgia of time spent outdoors with cutting-edge tech to make booking a breeze. We're passionate about the outdoors, and about empowering people to find the perfect-match guide for the trip of a lifetime, every time.

boating a large marlin in hawaii

We Cast a Wide Net

1,000+
Destinations
2,700+
Quality, Vetted Guides
280+
Unique Target Species
360,874
Hours Enjoyed
6,000+
5 Star Reviews

Captain in the News

Captain Experiences in Forbes
Captain Experiences in USA Today
Captain Experiences in Outdoor Life
Captain in Field and Stream
Captain in Texas Monthly

Our Team

jonathan newar photo
Jonathan Newar
Co-Founder & CEO
Bucket list trip: Flats And Backwaters On Artificials
attison barnes photo
Attison Barnes
Co-Founder & CTO
Bucket list trip: Tavernier Backcountry Fishing
trey niedzielski photo
Trey Niedzielski
Senior Customer Success Manager
Bucket list trip: North Texas Noodling Trips
scott stockdale photo
Scott Stockdale
Senior Guide Onboarding Manager
Bucket list trip: Marquesas Atoll Light Tackle

We're not blowing smoke

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great Trip with a knowledgeable captain who puts you on the fish . Friendly and prepared

    Tom P. | March 6, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Fishing Trip 4-6-8 Hour

  • ★★★★★
    My son and i had a wonderful day on the water with guide Matt. Matt is very personable, fishes hard and knows how to fish the Oregon coastal rivers. I highly recommend him.

    Jeff K. | March 6, 2026

    Trip: Salmon/Steelhead Float

  • ★★★★★
    The weather didn’t cooperate but Tim worked hard and still found a way for us to put some fish in the boat. I would book with him again.

    Wayne W. | March 5, 2026

    Trip: "Gettin’ Jiggy" Inshore Combo

  • ★★★★★
    We enjoyed our half day trip with Randy. He did a great job of setting expectations for us based on weather, time of year, etc. and then worked hard to deliver. He and his son (acting as mate) carried on great conversations, showed us techniques and ensured everyone was safe and having a good trip. For the time of year and weather pattern, we had a very successful morning on the water! Would absolutely recommend a trip out with him!

    Russell B. | March 5, 2026

    Trip: Marco Island Charter Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Tim from Red Hot! Let’s go Fishing charter is the guy you want to pick for a great day of fishing. He knows where the fish are and how to catch them. We fished different ways and caught 5 different species of fish. The sheephead we caught were a nice size and ate them for dinner that night. Delicious!! My son and I had a great day of fishing with Captain Tim and will be booking him again!!

    Gabe D. | March 5, 2026

    Trip: Red Hot! 🔥 Let's Go Fishing!

  • ★★★★★
    It was the perfect day to start but we can not control the weather and we made the best of what we could. I personally cannot wait till I book the next trip

    Kevin C. | March 4, 2026

    Trip: Key Largo Offshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Joey and Linda were fantastic. We took our family of 5 (11, 9 & 5 year olds) out with Joey and Alina and they couldn’t have been more accommodating. Totally worth the money. I’ve been out on party boats and charter boats but this was a first for my young family. It couldn’t have gone better. Highly recommend this couple!

    John K. | March 4, 2026

    Trip: Inshore/Nearshore Fishing 4-8 Hours

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Scott is awesome. Knows the areas waters intimately and had us in the fish all day. Definitely our go-to guide when we are in the Palm Beaches from now on.

    Richard F. | March 4, 2026

    Trip: Jupiter Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    We had such an awesome trip with Mike! My boyfriend (who is a lot more advanced) had the best birthday and Mike was kind enough to help me with live bait to make sure I caught a few!

    Bianca D. | March 4, 2026

    Trip: Private Snook Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had an excellent time with Alex! He knew exactly where to find the fish, coached us on the finer points of reeling them in, and even had a couple of fantastic restaurant recommendations for the rest of our stay in Key West! We will 100% be booking a charter (or two!) with Alex the next time we are in town!

    Mike R. | March 4, 2026

    Trip: Backcountry - 24’ Shearwater

  • ★★★★★
    Took the boys on a short trip with Blake before my daughter's wedding. Had a great time and caught some sheep head. Very nice boat and the captain was awesome!! Highly recommend.

    James R. | March 3, 2026

    Trip: Bay/Jetty Fun! - 33'

  • ★★★★★
    Logan was awesome. Kona ( dog) was awesome too Great time and alot of fun definitely doing this trip again Thanks Logan!

    James W. | March 3, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunt With Iguana DOG!!!

  • ★★★★★
    Super fun trip. We booked knowing fully well that it was cold, not fishing season, etc. and still managed to catch a good amount of large catfish. Captain DJ was a great time, professional, and even let us stay out on the water a little longer than we had booked in case we were able to catch some extra fish… Thank you DJ for showing my friends and I a great time!!!

    Chrissy R. | March 3, 2026

    Trip: Lake Livingston Bass Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Parker was awesome. Personable and attentative. Highly recommend. Guy is a fisherman too!

    Drew B. | March 3, 2026

    Trip: Socal Bass Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great morning out on the water with Captain Richard and crew. Weather was great, water was a tad choppy but we still caught 2 Bonita, a couple tuna and a barracuda! Mate Dave said it was perfect eating at that size. Took him at his word and made a ceviche. Excellent! Who knew? And our small catch tuna made great poke bowls! We let the 5 ft shark go on his way! Cap Richard piloted us through the chop, excellent views, a decent catch. Plans to go again soon! Want to be on the ocean catching some dinner, book it with Capt Richard!

    Lisa C. | March 3, 2026

    Trip: 1/2 Day Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Cot Lou was professional, prompt with communication. We had a great day catching fish, he was great with 16 year old grandson and cared about our comfort throughout the 4 hour trip. I would highly recommend him, have already referred him to friends.

    Nancy S. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Slammin' Snook, Reds, And More

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome day on the water, great guide!!!!!

    Tim J. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: SPI Fly Fishing Special Feb, March

  • ★★★★★
    We were in Marco Island for a convention and we booked a fishing trip with Captain Randy, between his son and him we had a great day. We caught a bunch of fish all day and ended up with about 20-22 keepers. We had a Great time and it was a beautiful day..

    Bill B. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Marco Island Charter Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Jeremy was our captain for the nearshore fishing trip in Long Beach California. The trip was wonderful and he got us onto fish and even fillet’ed them for us. Everything was provided and their communication was great. I highly recommend a fishing trip with them!

    Craig G. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Long Beach Nearshore Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    I highly recommend booking a charter with Captain Victor. He put together the perfect day for my family and myself. The boat is comfortable, a soft ride, and we caught fish all day long. JA

    John A. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: South West Florida Skinny Waters

  • ★★★★★
    Liam was a terrific guide. Got me shots at Snook and Redfish. Got some Sea Trout. Expert, fun and a fine teacher. Knowledgeable about local scene as well. I had a great time with Liam and will book him again. Ernie.

    Ernest A. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Fly Fish The Flats Of Southwest FL

  • ★★★★★
    Thanks for getting us on the fish quick and keeping us on the fish! We had a great time!

    Dan L. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Ocean Thrills With Captain Don

  • ★★★★★
    It was awesome!!! I wanted a tarpon and he got me one!!! I was sore for 2 days Anthony and Joe were very professional and worked there butts off!! Thank you Troy mish

    Troy M. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Key West Tarpon - 24’ Yellowfin

  • ★★★★★
    Bill did a great job on our iguana hunt. He knew the area well and put us on some iguanas. Everything was provided. I highly recommend booking Bill for your next adventure.

    Jace B. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunts Delray Beach

  • ★★★★★
    We had a blast Captain Bobby was fantastic in every way,extremely knowledgeable,friendly,informative and most importantly made sure we all caught fish.I will only use Captain Bobby when im out there in the gulf shore area. Sal Luca

    Sal L. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Inshore / Near Shore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    We went on an iguana hunting trip with Captain Dominic on February 22 and had a great experience. He was extremely knowledgeable and knew exactly where to take us to give us the best opportunity. It was not the ideal timing since it was only a few weeks after the historic low temperatures in South Florida, but he still worked hard and put us on a solid number of lizards. We were able to harvest about 12 that day. What meant the most to me was how attentive he was to my 9 year old son. He made sure my son felt comfortable using the air rifle and understood how to safely and properly dispatch the iguanas. That level of patience and professionalism stood out. I highly recommend Captain Dominic and we will definitely be back again this summer.

    Pete D. | March 2, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Boynton Beach

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Pete was great. Very professional and personable. Great outing

    Stan B. | March 1, 2026

    Trip: Big Catch Adventure!

  • ★★★★★
    We had a blast. It was a very windy day, but we still caught plenty of fish and had fun while doing it! Highly recommend booking with Christian.

    Dakota W. | March 1, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Fishing Daytona Beach

  • ★★★★★
    While it wasn't my best guided outing, it met all my expectations. Liam, my guide, was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, and very helpful with me and I definitely recommend him for any future outings. My inexperience with redfish showed as Liam got me into plenty of fish that I missed. I did catch a sea trout as a consolation prize tho! While I had some email issues with my reservation with Captain Experiences, a quick note to their website mail drop took care of it. Their response was quick and effective. Captain Experiences very much made it an easy task to setup this guided trip. Definitely Recommend Liam and Captain Experiences for your next guided trip.

    Stephen T. | March 1, 2026

    Trip: Fly Fish The Flats Of Southwest FL

  • ★★★★★
    Dominic was great with our 13 year old nephew Knowledge and polite and extremely respectful of the environment Highly recommend

    Louise S. | March 1, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Boynton Beach

  • ★★★★★
    Austin was a fine captain. Took good care of two small boys. Made sure they got on the fish. Would book him again. Very good 👍

    Michael B. | February 28, 2026

    Trip: Nearshore/offshore

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great day with Captain Larry, even after battling through the heavy fog in the morning, turned out to be a beautiful day. Thank you, Captain Larry.

    John H. | February 28, 2026

    Trip: Greers Ferry Lake

  • ★★★★★
    I would highly recommend Aaron We Got Put On Big Crappie As Soon As We Hit The Spot And The Captain Was So Nice And Knowledgeable You Could Run The Livescope Like A Pro Or You Can Sit Back And He Did All The Hard Work You Could Pick So Enjoyable Peak Life Experience With My Grandmother Who Is 89 and my Wife But That Day We Were Crappie Champs

    Rocky R. | February 28, 2026

    Trip: Trophy Crappie Fishing In North MS

  • ★★★★★
    We had an awesome time. Brian was an excellent captain. Will book with him every time we come back.

    Donna H. | February 28, 2026

    Trip: Amelia Island Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    Great time and good vibes! Captain was an awesome guy and has lived in Big Pine his whole life so he knows all the spots well.

    Jonathan Y. | February 28, 2026

    Trip: 4-6 Hour Spearfishing/Lobster

  • ★★★★★
    Great trip and very friendly

    Tim V. | February 27, 2026

    Trip: Peacock Bass And Iguana Hunt Combo

  • ★★★★★
    I had the pleasure of having Parker as my guide to get after some big largemouth on my recent trip to SoCal. Parker was absolutely incredible. Put me on the fish all day. Extremely knowledgeable and very easy to get along with. He was well prepared by scouting the lake a few days prior and we crushed it. His rig was awesome; spacious, clean and fast. I can’t imagine there is a better guide in this region. 11 out of 10!!! Thank you again, Parker. You are the man!!!!!

    Luke S. | February 27, 2026

    Trip: Socal Bass Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Real happy with Captain Mark Informative happy and a great time. Thanks, Scott. Organized, prompt, good communications before the trip and during. Thanks, Doug And… we caught a bunch of fish😁

    Douglas P. | February 27, 2026

    Trip: Coastal Bend Live Action!

  • ★★★★★
    Great local guide. Hunting was slow with cooler weather, without an experienced guide like Charlie it would have been worse. Book with confidence!

    Matt A. | February 26, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Insanity FL

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome, Sean was very nice and helpful throughout the trip. Would recommend!

    Marc B. | February 26, 2026

    Trip: Keys Flats And Back Country Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had an amazing time!!

    Jennifer H. | February 26, 2026

    Trip: Peacock Bass And Iguana Hunt Combo

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time, especially for a winter run! Highly recommend

    Rik H. | February 26, 2026

    Trip: Key West Fishing Excursion

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Remus and First Mate Big Willie were outstanding guides and instructors. We were novice fishermen and they made this a fun and enjoyable experience. Highly recommend them to be your Captain and First Mate! We caught 38 fish in 4 hours! They know where the fish are!!

    Joe M. | February 26, 2026

    Trip: Indian River Lagoon Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    We had an amazing experience with the fishing charter with Captain Kevin and Joe! The communication was top-notch, making it easy to coordinate our trip. The service was friendly and attentive, ensuring we had everything we needed for a successful day on the water. We caught a variety of fish and made unforgettable memories—highly recommend this charter to anyone looking for a great time!

    John A. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: Inshore/Nearshore 3-4 Hours

  • ★★★★★
    So much fun!! Captain jack was super fun to fish with!! Definitely going to be booking again!

    Jared A. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Bay Trip - 23' Aqua Star

  • ★★★★★
    Great Captain. Awesome fishing trip.

    Rick C. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: Snorkel & Fish Combo

  • ★★★★★
    Captain George was all around great! On time, very knowledgeable and attentive with great instructions for each fish type we were chasing. Extremely professional and did an excellent job cleaning the catch so we could make for dinner too. All around great time.

    Marty A. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: Tampa Bay Inshore Fun

  • ★★★★★
    Aaron did a great job on a tough day on the water. Friendly and courteous, would recommend him

    Steve M. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: SPI Classic

  • ★★★★★
    Bill is an excellent captain and under his guidance my 8 year old son and I had a blast fishing. I was hoping for a relaxing first big water trip for my son and Bill delivered exactly that. All fishing and safety equipment was provided and we had great conversations. The only bad part of the trip was that it had to come to an end.

    Michael V. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: Private 4 Hour - Sarasota Bay

  • ★★★★★
    We had an amazing morning with Sean. He is very professional, very attentive to safety and very knowledgeable of the Everglades. He also has an awesome new and very well equipped boat. We highly recommend him.

    George C. | February 25, 2026

    Trip: Everglades Experience

Ditch the Desk. Seize the Day.

Book Your Next Trip

Featured Cities

Enter to Win a

$500 DAMN GOOD GIFT CARD

Gift Card

Sign up to win $500 towards ANY trip. Winners drawn monthly.

By subscribing, you agree to receive marketing communications from Captain Experiences. To opt-out, click the unsubscribe button at the bottom of our emails. Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions