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trip for his team, he was reminded how painful it is to find quality fishing guides—from phone tag with captains to outdated charter websites with no price transparency, he knew there had to be a better way…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

970
Destinations
2500
Quality, Vetted Guides
245
Unique Target Species
342,454
Hours Enjoyed
4.9/5
Average Review Score

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

  • ★★★★★
    Tom was a delight to be with for the day. He made it an pleasure with five (5) beginners. We tickled and netted more then we could eat for dinner for two nights. My family would recommend Tom to anyone.

    David N. | November 26, 2025

    Trip: Lobstering

  • ★★★★★
    Wonderful day on the water!! Very family friendly!!

    Donna M. | November 26, 2025

    Trip: Redington Shores Nearshore/Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    He was extremely polite we could have had better condition but with what we have he worked extra extra hard for us and was very pleasant and fun to go out with thank you so much photos

    Paul B. | November 25, 2025

    Trip: Laguna Half Day Run

  • ★★★★★
    Fantastic day on the water with Captain Alex. I showed up to the dock a little early and everything was already dialed in—the boat was spotless, fully prepared, and stocked with fresh bait he’d caught that morning. Even on a quick half-day trip, we covered multiple areas and switched up tactics, starting with snook along mangroves and docks before moving on to speckled trout and mackerel. Captain Alex struck the perfect balance between being helpful and letting me fish how I wanted. He was always ready to assist, but also encouraged me to bait hooks, handle fish, and stay fully involved. The action stayed steady, and he offered great coaching and insight whenever I had questions. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I’d absolutely book with him again and look forward to getting back out there soon!

    Scott S. | November 25, 2025

    Trip: Bradenton Classic Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    Outstanding experience with Alex and his skills and knowledge. Great day of fishing with everyone in the group catching a ton and we have a great time. Highly recommend!

    Mike H. | November 25, 2025

    Trip: Bradenton Classic Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    Anthony was fantastic with our 13 year old son! We will definitely book with him again. We caught fish for two dinners:)

    William O. | November 25, 2025

    Trip: Beautiful Backcountry Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Booked a trip with Captain Cole and from the start there was good and timely communication. Brought my two younger boys who had a blast! Cole was patient, answered their 100 questions, and took us to nice spots where we pulled out some nice fish and the boys were thrilled! We had a blast!

    Morgan H. | November 25, 2025

    Trip: Sarasota Inshore/Nearshore

  • ★★★★★
    We had the most wonderful experience with Captain Marc (and Brenda). My son and I went on a half-day excursion in Novemeber during our Thanksgiving trip and it was such a great bonding time for the two of us. Captain Marc is super generous, knowledgable and patient. We highly recommend him and his fishing guidance:). My son was particularly excited about having his trout cleaned and getting to serve it to us that evening. All around A+.

    Paula K. | November 25, 2025

    Trip: 3 Hour Quick Trip SPI

  • ★★★★★
    We went into this excursion with a "whatever" mentality, believing that even a bad day fishing is better than doing anything else. This crew worked hard! Put us on the fish and made it all so easy. Great communication before and during the trip too. Fun day with Grandpa, two dads and three little girls learning the joy of fishing. Crew very attuned that we had kids and really worked hard to pay them special attention and make sure they enjoyed the day. We would charter these guys again.

    Dave D. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Marathon Premier Bottom Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great trip Taylor!! He was a great captain! We caught LOTS of fish. Super knowledgeable and such a pleasure to be around. We will definitely be calling him when we come back to Florida again. Top notch experience! Caught mackerel, trout, groupers, Jack fish, lady fish, lizard fish, catfish and we saw a dolphin. Thank you for a great experience!

    Laura Q. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Inshore Fishing Charter Bradenton

  • ★★★★★
    Fantastic experience with Ricky, and it didn’t hurt that we caught 30 plus fish (five different species) in four hours!

    Doug M. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Epic Peacocks And Exotics (AM)

  • ★★★★★
    well worth the time, effort, money to do this trip exclusively with your family. 10/10 trip. I caught 20 fish and there were 7 other people. We kept some snapper, everything else were all thrown back in the ocean.

    Joseph V. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Summertime Deepsea - 53’ G&S

  • ★★★★★
    Mike was awesome, had a great time and was very accommodating as well , would recommend him to anyone and will probably book with him again for another time

    Jeffrey B. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Lake Okeechobee Duck Hunts

  • ★★★★★
    not a great trip. no big game fish. bathroom not available unless they moved lots of equipment. did not have enough light tackle rods for all of the anglers. would not filet the fish we did catch.

    Timothy A. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Paradise Island Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Joe took us on a wonderful and very active fishing trip. Joe has hosted me and my family prior so we knew we would enjoy another trip with him. He made us feel like family. Joe is very familiar with great fishing spots. He accommodates with great tips, instructions, and caters to everyone in the boat to ensure we had a wonderful experience. Thanks Joe look forward to seeing you on our next trip! Blessings and happy holidays!

    Toni W. | November 24, 2025

    Trip: Morning Relaxation - 25’ Sundance

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Dominic was great. He knows the area well and got us on the iguanas really good. We had a field day out there, will be back again...

    David S. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Iguana Hunting Boynton Beach

  • ★★★★★
    Ben gave us a great day out on the water and I learned a lot too! This was the perfect gift for my Dad!

    Adam J. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Tarpon Springs Gulf Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Had a wonderful experience, Ryan is a great guide and very knowledgeable Texas native, I wouldn't go with another guide. Looking for ward to going again.

    Miguel B. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Trophy Rainbows On The Fly

  • ★★★★★
    Dawson and his crew were great. They made sure that my son's first duck hunt was a awesome time and provided great customer service, not to mention a high-quality hunt.

    Chad L. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Premier TX Duck Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    José was a great captain! Very professional, friendly, and put us on the fish! A great guide. We had a great time and would love to go with him next time.

    Ryan R. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Lake Ida Slam

  • ★★★★★
    Bryan is a great Captain! We had an awesome time

    Frank S. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Special Midweek 5hr Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Andy was great. Very knowledgeable and personable. The effort he put in to make this early season hunt as successful as possible did not go unnoticed. We had fun and great conversations. I would definitely book again.

    Micah A. | November 22, 2025

    Trip: Texas Duck Special- Waco Area

  • ★★★★★
    Joey put us on the fish almost instantly once we stopped. First drop all 4 poles hit an it was hard to make time for lunch or drinks with our deck hand Linda keeping us lock an loaded with bait and tackle. Great people an a great time! Deff would recommend these guys for any of your fishing trips!

    Keith H. | November 22, 2025

    Trip: Offshore Fishing 4-8 Hours

  • ★★★★★
    We had the best time fishing on Captain Chris’s boat. He made our experience special and put us on top of the fish. The boat and equipment was first class and Captain Chris was such a pleasure to be with.

    Gene W. | November 21, 2025

    Trip: PCB Fishing Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    Great trip and excellant staff.

    John D. | November 19, 2025

    Trip: Quepos Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Great Experience! We had a great time. Captain Kyle did a great job finding spots to catch in and provided a smooth ride. Our deckhand Tristan was outstanding! Friendly, helpful, efficient and an overall nice guy. He kept our rods ready with bait, patient when taking our pictures, he made this day extremely enjoyable.

    Jamie J. | November 19, 2025

    Trip: 4 Hr PM Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Hunter and Valerie were awesome! Even in unideal conditions at the end of the season, we were still able to bring in a bunch of lobster. They made things quick and easy, and Hunter was communicating with me all throughout the planning process. Would absolutely book again.

    Dalton R. | November 18, 2025

    Trip: Lionfish Spearfishing Fury

  • ★★★★★
    What an awesome guy,the most knowledgeable professional,his perseverance paid off in the end thanks for a great trip

    Dino M. | November 18, 2025

    Trip: Islamorada Backcountry Or Nearshore

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Wesley communicated very well and his associate Captain Clay led myself and my friends on a fantastic iguana hunting excursion for my buddy’s bachelor’s trip.

    Cameron K. | November 18, 2025

    Trip: Night Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Had an awesome day on the water with Ray. Super experienced guide that took us to really cool spots where we caught Bass on several different techniques. Really nice boat and great fishing gear provided. Can only recommend!

    Kristoffer N. | November 18, 2025

    Trip: Hill Country Bass Trips

  • ★★★★★
    Patient great Guide, knows his stuff

    Kentrell O. | November 17, 2025

    Trip: Striped Bass Smash In Abilene TX!!

  • ★★★★★
    Great trip today with Jimmy. Perfect weather and company. Even caught a few fish. Will definitely go fishing with him again!

    Peter P. | November 17, 2025

    Trip: Early PCBeach Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Bill was good. We did order an inshore trip be he wanted to go offshore. Minimal bait. Had 2 small bags of squid then we used cut bait from what we caught. Most fish were not keepers but did reel in a bunch of fish. One amberjack. Kept a lot of fish for his dog.

    Walter B. | November 17, 2025

    Trip: Jacksonville Inshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Great job. Put us on fish. Made it east

    Donovan C. | November 17, 2025

    Trip: Naples Ultimate Fishing - 30'

  • ★★★★★
    Amazing trip! Captain was awesome! Put us right on the spot to catch lobster! Definitely a must do!

    Noel S. | November 16, 2025

    Trip: Catch Your Own Tasty Lobster!

  • ★★★★★
    This was our 2nd time using Wade. He is a wonderful guide and got us on the sturgeon. Our group had an amazing time and we can't wait to book our next trip with Captain Wade!

    Richard L. | November 16, 2025

    Trip: Sturgeon Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    We did a cast and blast trip with Glenn, and from start to finish it was an incredible experience. It was my first time duck hunting, and Glenn made the entire day feel effortless. He’s one of the most genuine, down to earth people you’ll meet, and he really knows his stuff. On the fishing side, he put us on the fish immediately. We limited out on trout, picked up some reds, and even caught a flounder we had to release. He was patient, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip feel smooth and enjoyable. And the duck hunting… I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. It was relaxing, exciting, and just an unforgettable experience. The birds were on today, and we knocked down a limit within the first 10–15 minutes. I’d never seen so many ducks up close.. hearing them land and work the decoys was something I’ll never forget. The whole time, we felt guided, taken care of, and genuinely welcomed. We had great conversations, plenty of laughs, and just an all-around amazing time. Thanks again, Glenn. We’ll be seeing you again in a few weeks. 10/10 highly recommended.

    Juan O. | November 16, 2025

    Trip: Redheads & Redfish Blast & Cast

  • ★★★★★
    Andy was great! Got us on the fish and had a ton of laughs. Strongly recommended

    Kevin C. | November 15, 2025

    Trip: Islamorada Inshore And Flats Fshing

  • ★★★★★
    We had a fantastic day fishing with Captain Cord. He found where the fish were hitting, was very friendly and took care of everything.

    Jesse J. | November 15, 2025

    Trip: Wrightsville Beach Nearshore

  • ★★★★★
    Captain is a real professional!! We were on snook minutes from leaving the dock. We caught Red grouper, gag grouper, mangrove snapper and snook. My wife and I highly recommend Captain James.

    Jack L. | November 15, 2025

    Trip: Fort Myers/Sanibel Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Cade was amazing and would highly recommend him. Caught lots of fish. Completely satisfied with the charter. Thank You Cade for a great fishing experience.

    Darlene B. | November 15, 2025

    Trip: 3 Hour Inshore/Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    We had a wonderful fishing trip with Bryan. He was very knowledgeable and helped us immensely since we had little to no experience offshore fishing. We could feel that he cared about us catching a fish and that he was trying to fulfill. In the end, we caught 3 fish - 2 rainbow runners and 1 mutton snapper and lost 3 fish. We are super happy.

    David T. | November 14, 2025

    Trip: Special Midweek 5hr Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had an awesome time catching Peacock bass and dragon slaying. 100% recommend

    Joe P. | November 14, 2025

    Trip: Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    It was OUTSTANDING!! Need 2 do again soon

    Jeb G. | November 14, 2025

    Trip: Family Friendly Rockport

  • ★★★★★
    We were quite disappointed in our experience. Cade is a nice young man, but asked us nothing about our fishing experience or expectations for the day. Our first fishing spot was about 300 yards from the launch ramp where we caught about 5 or 6 fish, with the biggest being about 8 inches. We then traveled about 35 minutes to the second location which was under a highway bridge.. We caught about 4 or 5 fish, with the biggest being about 10 inches. I understand that the guide cannot be responsible for the fish caught but it seemed like we were in locations that were targeting smaller fish. For the cost of the trip, we were expecting more of a "Gulf charter fishing experience." I would recommend not using this venue.

    Randy M. | November 14, 2025

    Trip: 3 Hour Inshore/Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Good eve what an awesome experience CAPTAIN CLAY was a consumate professional and helped us in every way,thank you guys for a great adventure and SAFE TRAVELS TO ALL

    Dino M. | November 13, 2025

    Trip: Night Iguana Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Had lots of fun

    Elam P. | November 13, 2025

    Trip: 4 Hours Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We highly recommend using Capt. Will! Unfortunately the fish weren’t biting much, but Capt. Will and his First Mate made it a fun trip nonetheless. Great boat, plenty of room, bathroom, A/C, etc. We would definitely rebook with them!

    Robert G. | November 12, 2025

    Trip: Fort Lauderdale Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    What an amazing saltwater fishing experience Captain Austin provided my family and I. This trip included my Denise, my daughter, her husband, my grandson, and I. None of us are experienced saltwater fishermen but the Captain put us on fish right away and we all caught plenty all day. My grandson caught a nice red Grouper and a big hog fish and Denise caught 2 big hog fish. It was a great time for us all and thank you Captain Austin for a time together we will never forget.

    James L. | November 11, 2025

    Trip: Nearshore/offshore

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time with Captain Ron. I went out with my two sons. He put us on fish, and was extremely helpful. We will be coming back again.

    Daniel K. | November 10, 2025

    Trip: Daytona Beach: Inshore Fishing

Ditch the Desk. Seize the Day.

Book Your Next Trip

Featured Cities