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trip for his team, he was reminded how painful it is to find quality fishing guides—from phone tag with captains to outdated charter websites with no price transparency, he knew there had to be a better way…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
2,600+
Quality, Vetted Guides
280+
Unique Target Species
353,447
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

  • ★★★★★
    Incredible morning fishing with Miguel who picked us up and dropped us off at The One & Only Mandarina from the beach. We saw whales, dolphins, and caught rooster fish, jurel, and a bonito. Captain and first mate were amazing, 10/10 experience. Would HIGHLY recommend!

    Jack V. | January 20, 2026

    Trip: Sport Fishing 🎣

  • ★★★★★
    Excellent guide, good natured, never got discouraged. Very respectful. Best guide I’ve ever had!

    James W. | January 20, 2026

    Trip: Slabbin’ Out - Big Millwood Crappie

  • ★★★★★
    We booked Captain George for my buddies bachelor trip. Everything was fantastic from the non stop fishing action, good company, and an extremely knowledgeable guide. He cater to everything we wanted/needed while also ensuring us a trip we’ll never forget!

    Aaron A. | January 20, 2026

    Trip: Tampa Bay Inshore Fishing Fun!!!

  • ★★★★★
    Went with Jay Nichols on Jan 19, 2026. He was very amicable and told us just what to expect. We ended up with a limit of black drum. The reddish decided to be a little more skittish. Overall, a really nice day and pleasant experience. I would definitely recommend a trip with Jay!

    Danny P. | January 20, 2026

    Trip: Rockport Family Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Wade was great! Communication was excellent and he worked with us to reschedule our trip due to cold in January. He put us on fish immediately, which was super important with young kids. He was fast and efficient in hooking, baiting and releasing fish, keeping us fishing the whole time. Would definitely book with Wade again.

    Matthew D. | January 20, 2026

    Trip: St. Petersburg Inshore Adventures

  • ★★★★★
    Had an amazing trip with Leaf and his son. They are very knowledgeable of the Rockport area, and were great guides for a duck hunt with 5 guys. Prompt communication and very friendly. We'll be back for sure.

    Galen H. | January 19, 2026

    Trip: Rockport Duck Slam

  • ★★★★★
    Cory is a great guide and a great guy, I would recommend him to anyone!

    Michael P. | January 19, 2026

    Trip: Freeport Fowl Hunts

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great experience shooting coastal ducks for the first time! I booked the hunt for my sons birthday and he said it was best birthday ever ! Weather was nasty to start even snowed some but our guide Alex didn’t let spoil the trip. He worked his butt off to make sure we got some birds and we’ll definitely be going back.

    Ryan R. | January 19, 2026

    Trip: Guided Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    We went out with Alex , he worked very hard to get our limit of buffleheads. Very knowledgeable very personable, we throughly enjoyed our hunts and will be doing it again.

    Ross B. | January 19, 2026

    Trip: Guided Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Great job!!

    Cheryl W. | January 18, 2026

    Trip: 3/4 Day Custom Adventure! Weekdays

  • ★★★★★
    We loved out fishing experience with Colin! He was a great captain and showed us lots of cool wildlife and nature in the area. We caught a variety of different fish, and he taught us how to fish really well!

    Eliana S. | January 18, 2026

    Trip: 2-8 Hours Inshore Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Had a blast that will never forget!

    James | January 18, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Fishing Daytona Beach

  • ★★★★★
    Amazing time! Dominic was awesome! At one point, an iguana that was shot jumped in the lake, in a split second he dove in after and grabbed it! 10 out of 5 stars! We even stopped by for some drinks on the way. Highly recommend!

    Billy D. | January 18, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Boynton Beach

  • ★★★★★
    It was a beautiful day on the water with fishing guide Vasiliy. I was surprised on how many fish we caught. It was great variety of fish as well. Vasiliy was very informative about fishing requirements and regulations. Thanks a lot for a wonderful day. Cooked the fish up tonight and it was delicious.

    Nevin T. | January 18, 2026

    Trip: 6 Hour Sarasota Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Jamie and mate Ryan were utterly fantastic. Great experience in every way.

    Dale R. | January 17, 2026

    Trip: Miami Fishing Mayhem!

  • ★★★★★
    Steven is great. Knows his shit and is a nice dude

    Mark J. | January 17, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome guide

    Regina W. | January 16, 2026

    Trip: Nearshore Or Inshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Great time! We hammered the sheephead! Thank you guys!!

    River C. | January 16, 2026

    Trip: Sarasota Inshore/Nearshore

  • ★★★★★
    Great time out with Capt. Phil. First time ever waterfowl hunting and shooting a shot gun at anything other then a clay and he made the whole process seamless for me. Answered all my questions, showed me the ropes and was very patient with some circumstances that were handed our way. We still ended up getting limit on some divers. Can’t wait for next trip

    Nicholas R. | January 15, 2026

    Trip: Duck Hunting Tampa Bay

  • ★★★★★
    The iguana hunting trip was awesome non stop shooting action. Will do again for sure.

    Jacob B. | January 15, 2026

    Trip: Night Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Great time fishing and creating memories!

    Kyle W. | January 14, 2026

    Trip: Surf Shark Fishing New Smyrna!!

  • ★★★★★
    Had the best time with Mike. Caught some nice fish and would definitely recommend!

    Daniel O. | January 14, 2026

    Trip: 3/4 Day Custom Adventure! Weekdays

  • ★★★★★
    Epic and excellent trip. Caught a lot of fish. Louise and Rudy obviously knew what they were doing. Highly recommend it!

    Steven A. | January 14, 2026

    Trip: Cancun Big Game - 25' Panga

  • ★★★★★
    Aswsome fishing trip with Captain David, the courtesy was outstanding.

    Paul L. | January 14, 2026

    Trip: 4-8 Hour Nearshore Trips

  • ★★★★★
    Sunny was awesome, personable and brought us to where we caught fish... Lots of fish. It was a cool day, not optimal, but he found fish.And we had a wonderful time. I would recommend him to anyone.And everyone. Thanks for a great day!!

    Madonna H. | January 14, 2026

    Trip: Gulfport Inshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    We had the most amazing day with Captain Brad. We caught fish , seen dolphins, fed wild manatees fresh water, we are blown away with Captain Brads knowledge of both salt and fresh fishing, very informative and was as keen as us to catch, I took my 2 sons and my wife and it’s something we will never forget. If your looking for a captain….THIS IS THE ONE ☝️

    James W. | January 13, 2026

    Trip: Central FL Freshwater Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great three-day upland hunt with Thomas and his team, and it was everything I had hoped for in a true wild bird Kansas experience. We hunted with a large group, and each morning started off right with breakfast waiting for us before heading out to the fields. Thomas ran two well-trained Vizslas that were an absolute pleasure to watch work. They were disciplined, covered ground efficiently, and consistently put us on birds. He was also kind enough to let me bring my Brittany along, and all three dogs worked together seamlessly in the field. Over the course of the trip, we got into a great number of pheasants across multiple fields and also located several coveys of quail. I hope to share a field with them again in the near future.

    Scott S. | January 13, 2026

    Trip: Kansas Upland Bird Hunting

  • ★★★★★
    Our captain was Steve. Knew the area, put us on fish and helped everyone to have a good time. Helped us clean the catch. An occasional smile wouldn't hurt, but that's beside the point.

    Artsiom S. | January 13, 2026

    Trip: 5,7,9 Hour Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Booked a half a day trip with Dylan Eric's son you can tell that they've lived on the flats their whole lives and they know exactly where to go seen lots of fish and caught fish highly recommend them also to they have beautiful boats perfect for fly fishing you really couldn't ask for any more thanks again Dylan can't wait to see you on the next trip

    Perry H. | January 12, 2026

    Trip: Flats Fury With Captain Eric

  • ★★★★★
    We enjoyed this hunt. The guide was excellent and knew what he was doing.

    Ricky K. | January 11, 2026

    Trip: Premier Sandhill Crane Hunting

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time with Dom! He put us on a lot of iguanas and we would’ve pulled even more into the boat if we were better shots! Highly recommend for a fun easy going time.

    Charles S. | January 11, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Boynton Beach

  • ★★★★★
    David did a fantastic job he is an expert in what he does and very personable. We enjoyed our time with Captain David!

    Greg V. | January 11, 2026

    Trip: The Awesome Island Experience!

  • ★★★★★
    Great trip with Joey. Highly recommend. Will do again!

    Chase R. | January 10, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Fishing 4-8 Hours (22')

  • ★★★★★
    Travis's team was very professional from booking through the entire trip. Wife caught a trophy sailfish and they helped us with the process to get it mounted.

    Walter S. | January 10, 2026

    Trip: VIP Sportsfishing Experience

  • ★★★★★
    We had an incredible day with Sean! He has a fanatic personality, is knowledgeable about the area, and has the best equipment and boat to make for the best day in the water.

    Tamra L. | January 10, 2026

    Trip: Everglades Fishing Experience

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time on our Cabo Fishing Trip. Captain Edward and his mate got us on a big Marlin within minutes. We also hooked onto some Roosters, but weren’t able to land them.

    Robert M. | January 10, 2026

    Trip: Cabo Trophy Hunt - 28’ Cuddy Cabin

  • ★★★★★
    Trip was awesome!! Adam did a great job putting us on the iguanas, also a chameleon!. Very friendly and welcoming!

    Caroline B. | January 10, 2026

    Trip: Cape Coral Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    I had a great time with Chris today. He is friendly and knowledgeable with decades of experience, and good equipment. I will look forward to another charter with Chris.

    Jon B. | January 10, 2026

    Trip: Orange Beach Inshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time catching fish with the captain and mate. . This crew is experienced and will definitely put you on to some fish. Highly recommend giving them the opportunity for your fishing trip. We will definitely be using them in the future.

    Martin S. | January 9, 2026

    Trip: FL Keys Reefs And Wrecks Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Great trip Knowledge Captain and mate (Nels and CJ). Put us on the fish we targeted and mixed in a few othe rigs for variety. 5 stars, would do again.

    Tim R. | January 9, 2026

    Trip: Key West 47 Ft Hatteras

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great outing with Jeremy. Very friendly and informative. Jeremy put us on fish at our first spot and gave useful instruction on how to catch each species. Would definitely use him again if we return to the area.

    John L. | January 9, 2026

    Trip: Key Largo Flats Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Tyson did a great job staying on the fish. Excellent trip.

    Earl P. | January 8, 2026

    Trip: Clearwater Florida Flats Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Great fishing with a guide who knows exactly where the fish are. Highly recommend.

    Brett L. | January 8, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Bay / Flats

  • ★★★★★
    The 4 of us had an awesome time. Captain Chris was very attentive……..he made sure that we all had what we needed to catch fish. We hope to do it again soon !!!

    Sheryl M. | January 8, 2026

    Trip: Destin Offshore Hook-Up

  • ★★★★★
    Justin is very knowledgeable and patient with kids. We had lots of fun and will definitely call him next time!

    Angie G. | January 8, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Insanity Ft Myers Beach

  • ★★★★★
    We had an excellent trip! From the time we left the ramp to the time we returned, captain chris was excellent! He spotted monster-iguanas, when we missed them. Plenty of iguanas and perfect equipment. Thanks again to Chris and we will be back!

    Lukas B. | January 8, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunts

  • ★★★★★
    Adam was our Capt. very friendly and knowledgeable. Made a great night for us all including my grandsons.

    Scott B. | January 8, 2026

    Trip: Cape Coral Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Just amazing couldn’t have gone any better

    Carlos C. | January 7, 2026

    Trip: 5,7,9 Hour Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great morning with Tyler. He was more than willing to work with a physical disabilty and showed patience and understanding. Got an uderstanding of what was important about are day so he could work his knowledge and magic. Made sure we were comfortable and having fun. We caught a lot of fish and atleast nine different kinds, and used at least four different fishing methods Tyler is knowledgable about baits, fishing and the water. We will use him again. If you get a chance ask about his thoughts on pelicans.

    Regina R. | January 6, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Slam

  • ★★★★★
    We enjoyed our hunt with Captain Charlie. Memorable experience and would definitely go again.

    Larry H. | January 6, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Insanity FL

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