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trip for his team, he was reminded how painful it is to find quality fishing guides—from phone tag with captains to outdated charter websites with no price transparency, he knew there had to be a better way…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

1,100+
Destinations
2,800+
Quality, Vetted Guides
290+
Unique Target Species
385,657
Hours Enjoyed
7,000+
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 Adventurer 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

  • ★★★★★
    Mike was a great Captain! Would def go again! We had 3 kids with us and he made sure everyone had a good time

    Steve M. | May 15, 2026

    Trip: Bowfishing The Tampa Bay

  • ★★★★★
    Great bunch of guys Great catch and hospitality! For sure going again !

    Art S. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: Half Day Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    Best captain crew ever!. Gage took her straight to the honey pot! Caught 60 gray snapper in less than 45 minutes! Need I say more?

    Ovid B. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: 4-6 Hour Trip – Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Nick was great. Knowledgeable, friendly and easy to talk to. He took care of everything. The gear and live bait etc.. Although the Tarpon weren't hitting all that hard we did manage to land a Red fish and a Spanish mackerel. I would highly recommend Nick.

    Terrence G. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: Reel Salty Sport Tarpon Trips

  • ★★★★★
    Had a fun day out with Capt Chris. Although the wind and grass made the fly fishing challenging, he made every effort to navigate nature with alternative locations. The switchover to bait-cast resulted in several mangrove snappers, as well as trying for tarpon & snook. Would re-book in a blink with Capt. Chris at the helm!

    Tom S. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: Islamorada Live Action Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Randall was very engaging and even though conditions weren’t ideal to say the least, he still got us on some snapper and Spanish mackerel. We were there to fish and have a great experience and Randall made our wish possible. We would’ve liked to have caught more and bigger fish but with high winds and 6 foot waves we considered everything a success and we got home safe. I would highly recommend Randall.

    William E. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: Alabama Inshore Classic

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Steven was the best. He provided such an enjoyable, personalized experience. He knew all the rights spots for the best catch. We had an amazing day.

    David M. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: Shark Fishing Charter

  • ★★★★★
    We had the best time with Jason! We would 100% recommend him and definitely come back to see him! We got lots of snapper and grouper as well as saw a couple other cool fish like a Monterey eel and hogfish!

    Hunter W. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: 4 Hours Of Fishing Fun

  • ★★★★★
    We just had a great experience with Jerry and the team. We highly recommend this great outing. We caught so many fish we were sore from reeling them in. Great time. We will be back for sure! Thanks guys

    Kirk J. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: Red Snapper Meat Haul

  • ★★★★★
    I had a great time fishing with Glenn. My first time fly-fishing salt water, and he was a great coach. The weather was great, his boat and equipment were excellent, and I highly recommend him for Laguna Madre. I will be back!

    George R. | May 14, 2026

    Trip: South Padre On The Fly

  • ★★★★★
    Capt. Neal was FANTASTIC. Our crew consisted of an old lady and two children (age 14 and 12) and our Captain knew all the best spots to catch fish…and where we could make a bathroom pit stop. He was informative and helpful as well as patient and accommodating. Adding to the adventure was the spotted trout we took home to make delicioso FISH TACOS!

    Angela J. | May 13, 2026

    Trip: Indian River Inshore Frenzy

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Leb worked hard to get us on the fish during our recent trip on Moses Lake and Galveston Bay. We all had a great time!

    Robert W. | May 13, 2026

    Trip: Trinity Bay Inshore Assault

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome capt Taylor ! He did everything perfect and put us on fish and so enjoyable to be on his boat with such a great guide!

    Mark H. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Inshore Fishing Charter Bradenton

  • ★★★★★
    Good job. Put me on some fish.

    Michael A. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Fly Fish For Redfish

  • ★★★★★
    Great guy to fish with- fun and knowledgeable

    Kurt K. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: 6 Hours Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    My husband had a great time!

    Ashley W. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Greers Ferry Lake

  • ★★★★★
    It was Avery enjoyable and nice trip had a good time the bite was just a little off but would go again

    Jerry D. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Lake Wylie Fishing Trips

  • ★★★★★
    5 stars out of 5 stars. Amazing trip! Thank you. We will be back next year on this same boat.

    Chris P. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Harbor Hookup: Destin Fishing Fun

  • ★★★★★
    We had an absolute blast. Great guide, highly recommend!

    Ashley V. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Matt was wonderful. We went during a bachelor party and he was accommodating with helping to get us out there at an ideal time, helped to get us a lot of fish, and cleaned all of the fish for us so that all we had to do was season them and cook. Highly recommend Matt.

    Connor H. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Winter Flounder

  • ★★★★★
    Great experience from start to finish! He was fantastic to work with and helped us tremendously. He was patient, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip enjoyable. Already booked my second trip with him.

    Erik H. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Half-Day Trip (Matagorda TX)

  • ★★★★★
    Jose was an excellent guide and put us on a ton of fish and was very accommodating when we were running alittle behind. I would recommend him to anyone wanting to get out on the water and having a goodtime.

    Chris S. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Lake Ida Slam

  • ★★★★★
    great time Don as great. bucket list dream come true

    Paul R. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Combo Steelhead And Walleye

  • ★★★★★
    David was amazing all around, his dedication to keep on going until his customers are satisfied will drive me right back to his fishing charter every year!

    Alex T. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Port Aransas Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    John did a great job. Circumstances lead to me being the only one to go out on the trip. He adjusted and got me on the fish. Caught multiple tuna ( on my bucket list). Caught multiple mahi (also on my list). Caught a bull that was bigger than I ever expected.

    Nick M. | May 12, 2026

    Trip: Offshore Fishing Oregon Inlet

  • ★★★★★
    Richard did a great job. Very personable. It was a rough day on the water, but I think we caught 13 fish. my son had a blast. would recommend Richard as a guide. Thanks again.

    Jason F. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: Fort Myers Fishing Charters

  • ★★★★★
    Fishing trip was amazing. Jim was exceptional guide. We caught a lot of fish, and we learned a lot about the area. Looking forward to coming back next year. Very professional. Customer focused.

    Brian L. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: FL Keys Inshore/Backcountry Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Dominic was our captain. We had a wonderful time and caught a number and a variety of fish. I have a difficult time walking and getting out of the boat. Dom soent at least an additional 2 hours for my brother to locate a wheelchair and get me back on the dock. A true professional is Dominic!!

    Tom P. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: 4-8 Hour Trip – Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    Had a very hard working guide, caught 15 fish between 3people. But Arron wasn’t truthful about the time to fish. Our guide told us the month of may was the worse month to fish. Arron should have told me that and I could have made my trip at a better time. Terrible time when all you do is sit and wait while one person fished. Only boat on lake almost, that should tell you it was a bad time to fish. It was a bad trip and my friends were even more disappointed than I was. Wouldn’t do it again, way to much money to sit all day.

    Trent W. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: Trophy Crappie Fishing In North MS

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Hayden did a great job for us. He put us on fish, was very professional and we will definitely book with him again. Highly recommend

    Josh P. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: 6 HR Reef/Nearshore/Jetties/Harbor

  • ★★★★★
    Benny, We had an incredible time! The boys are still talking about. We greatly appreciated your professionalism and expertise. We’ve already recommended you to a bunch of our friends and look forward to seeing you again. Thank you very much!

    Derek B. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: Matagorda Bay & Beyond

  • ★★★★★
    Carlo was great. We had an amazing time and caught a bunch of different species. Lot of fun and great trip!!

    Michael B. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: Charleston Inshore Excursion

  • ★★★★★
    I am caught some great fish. Mahi Mahi and a Wahoo! Great trip. Joel wasn’t able to join us but he had a buddy named Johnny assist us for the day. A bunch of dumb guys trying to catch fish. Johnny was very good at what he does. Just not good at directions! 10/10

    Zachary W. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: Private Offshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    My son and I had a great time. We caught a crazy amount of bass. I can’t speak highly enough of Richard our guide and how Derek was great with communication. Will definitely book them again.

    Abel G. | May 11, 2026

    Trip: Bass Fishing Lake Austin

  • ★★★★★
    This was the best fishing trip we ever made. Many bites, a nice guide and at the end we landed a mansized monster. Hopefully we can go again soon. Thank you for that experience Richard

    Stephan H. | May 10, 2026

    Trip: Alligator Gar Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Best fishing trip everrrrrrr! we got 9 snappers that we could bring home and eat! Besides those we could keep, we got countless amounts of small snappers we won a Guinness world record for the smallest snapper in our family history. Plus, we caught and released 3 catfish and a jellyfish! Thank you Captain Tim! (From the birthday boy :))

    Kenta Y. | May 10, 2026

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

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great experience with Captain Nate! He was awesome with our 3 kids and made the experience very enjoyable!

    Desiree M. | May 10, 2026

    Trip: 4-8 Hour Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Manuel and Manuel Jr were great! Very friendly, informed and professional. Kept a neat comfortable boat and put us on the fish early. Came home with 3 nice Mahi/dorado and a yellowfin tuna. Definitely would recommend and will return to fish with them if I get back to Cabo.

    Michael P. | May 10, 2026

    Trip: Cabo Offshore Drag-Ripper

  • ★★★★★
    Jamison was an awesome guide! He was very knowledgeable and patient. We could not have asked for a better first experience on Grenada Lake. Thank you Jamison Carr!

    Kristen B. | May 10, 2026

    Trip: Grenada Lake Crappie Slam

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome dude. He put me on the peacocks and the lizards.

    Chris F. | May 10, 2026

    Trip: Peacock Bass + Iguana Cast & Blast

  • ★★★★★
    My son and I did a 6 hour off shore fishing charter with Capt. Mike and had a fantastic time. Mike got in touch with us immediately after we booked. His communication was clear, concise and accurate. He was in touch again the day before our trip to see if we had any questions and asked if we had any particular type of fish that we wanted to fish for. On the day of the trip, we arrived 15 minutes before our scheduled departure. Mike already had the boat in the water and the fishing poles rigged and ready. After a brief safety discussion and orientation to the boat, we took off. Mike took us 40 miles off shore before we started fishing. Using his electronics on the boat and past experience, he expertly moved us around and it didn’t take long before my son and I caught some nice size Grouper. Mike kept the fish we caught on ice until we got back to the dock. There, he quickly filleted our fish and had zip lock bags for us to put them in. One thing I couldn’t help but notice was Mike seemed to be having as much fun as we were. I would highly recommend Mike for your next fishing charter.

    Doug P. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: Sarasota Offshore W/ Capt Mike

  • ★★★★★
    Charlie was fantastic. Had a great time.

    Daniel L. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Insanity FL

  • ★★★★★
    Absolutely amazing! We catch some really good fish. Captain Anthony is awsome! All gear up and ready. He definitely know the waters.

    Victor M. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: 6-10 Hours Fishing Trip – Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Great experience ! We took my son and his friend on a bday fishing trip . The crew was great with the kids ! Thank you 😊

    Hodaya D. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: Marina Del Rey Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Capt. Elliot did beyond a great job. He is attentive and does not make you feel uncomfortable if you make a mistake. I went on a trip with him today with my 14yr old son and another customer. He made all of us feel at ease and just let us have a great time (except for when I accidentally nicked my son with the hook in his ear while casting.. sorry son). My son and I are already planning another trip with him. Had a blast Capt. See y’all soon. Highly recommended

    Sam H. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: Striped Bass Smash In Abilene TX!!

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great day! We counted 10 Jacks and a couple Mackerels. We could barely lift our arms after. Those Jacks fight! Our captain and first mate were great and knew their stuff. This was our highlight of PV. Thanks guys!

    Tom K. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: 4 -6 Hrs Fishing Nuevo Vallarta

  • ★★★★★
    Tony was great!! Extremely knowledgeable, we weren’t able to go on the out shore trip due to weather, but he ensured we still caught some flounder and jacks inshore. Overall great experience, would definitely recommend Tony! Definitely planning on going with him again!

    Patrick M. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: 4 Hour Nearshore

  • ★★★★★
    We enjoyed our fishing time with Captain Ron.He has a great amount of knowledge of the bay, so much so we began catching trout with the first cast and caught our limit within a very short time. Although we are experiencing high gas prices right now, there was no hesitation on Captain Ron's part to get where we needed to go to catch fish. We found Captain Ron very pleasant to be with and always willing to share his knowledge of fishing. We look forward to another fishing trip with him as soon as we can.

    Robert W. | May 9, 2026

    Trip: Laguna Madre Drift

  • ★★★★★
    Fun captain. Knew what he was doing.

    Morgan S. | May 8, 2026

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Insanity

  • ★★★★★
    Went out on a solo flats trip with Captain Brad and had a great time. Slow morning picked up towards midday when we started pitching docks. Captain Brad was a great teacher, explained technique well and got us on fish. Friendly, knowledgeable, and a lot of fun had on the day

    Steven K. | May 8, 2026

    Trip: Clearwater Nearshore - 22’ Dusky

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