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trip for his team, he was reminded how painful it is to find quality fishing guides—from phone tag with captains to outdated charter websites with no price transparency, he knew there had to be a better way…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

711
Destinations
1771
Quality, Vetted Guides
215
Unique Target Species
220,102
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
bryan smith photo
Bryan Smith
Web Developer
Bucket list trip: Tanzania Tiger Fish Safari
trey niedzielski photo
Trey Niedzielski
Customer Success Manager
Bucket list trip: Browns and Rainbows Walk-n-Wade
scott stockdale photo
Scott Stockdale
Guide Success Manager
Bucket list trip: Marquesas Atoll Light Tackle

We're not blowing smoke

  • ★★★★★
    We had an amazing time bowfishing with Captain Mike this past weekend. My 10 year old son and I had a blast learning how to fish with a bow, and translating shooting at paper targets into shooting at moving fish. The Bay was alive with marine life and it was really cool to be out there together. There was a small technical issue that came up early in the trip, but Captain Mike used his experience to quickly resolve it and get us back out to where the fish were jumping. We are definitely going to book with him again!

    Ryan M. | November 19, 2024

    Trip: Bowfishing the Tampa Bay

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time. Gibson was an excellent guide…very knowledgeable…we learned a lot. Plus, you could tell he wanted us to have a good time and we did.

    Jeff B. | November 19, 2024

    Trip: Redfish on the Fly

  • ★★★★★
    We had a good day on the water with Mike! A weather front was moving through the area on our day to fish, so consequently the bite was inconsistent. We were able catch several fish, bringing in 8 fish to clean. The fish we caught were spotted trout and white trout. I was hoping to catch a sheep head and some red fish, but they were not biting that day. The highlight of the day was catching a small stingray. I’ve never seen one in the wild before so that was pretty neat. Of course we had to release him. I have been with many guides and Mike was very professional.

    Leroy S. | November 18, 2024

    Trip: New Orleans Area Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Bill hooked us up with Captain Clay. Three guys looking for redfish with fly rod and lures. Got one huge school of redfish and all three hooked up and boated three nice fish. Bumch of other species and got some fish for dinner. Captain Clay was great guide and would book him again

    Thomas W. | November 18, 2024

    Trip: Inshore "Catch Fish Guarantee"

  • ★★★★★
    Brandon was great . Really looking forward to going again.

    Mark H. | November 18, 2024

    Trip: Central Texas Duck Hunts

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Tommy was a blast. A very upfront and honest fella. Very nice conversation and a funny guy. This was our first guided trip on the bay, and he put us on the fish quickly. I have a new saying now, Burn It ! You'll find out out once your there, captain will surely let you know, lol. We look forward to booking more trips. Thanks Capt.

    Jasper B. | November 18, 2024

    Trip: Rockport Bay Slam

  • ★★★★★
    Great experience with Justin. His goal was to put us on the iguanas, changed the start time to make it a better day. We shot 17 iguanas. Awesome captain and super awesome experience. Highly recommend.

    Randy E. | November 17, 2024

    Trip: Iguana Hunting

  • ★★★★★
    We had such an amazing time! We had a townhome on the beach, and Fernando came to us! They really worked super hard to make sure we caught a shark, & all felt included!

    Wendy S. | November 17, 2024

    Trip: Shark Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Austin was fantastic! We had a great trip and caught them up. He was so good with my son and taught him some great tricks to help catch the big ones.

    Ryan H. | November 17, 2024

    Trip: 3/4 day Adventure 6hrs

  • ★★★★★
    My son and I had a great time fishing with Captain Tim. He's a great guy to fish with and was a lot of fun to fish with. While we caught many fish, it would have been better if the bigger ones cooperated.

    Robert W. | November 17, 2024

    Trip: Inshore Trip - 23 parker custom

  • ★★★★★
    Doug was a fantastic guide; one of the best we've used. He went above and beyond to ensure we had an enjoyable experience. I highly recommend him.

    Jim C. | November 16, 2024

    Trip: Laguna Madre Half Day

  • ★★★★★
    Chris is an excellent guide (5 stars). He is very personable and we all became fishing buddies quickly. Enjoyed the action with the spotted seatrout on the flats in southern Tampa Bay.

    John C. | November 16, 2024

    Trip: Tampa Bay Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Best guided hunt I’ve been on. Brandon will get you on the birds. Dam good guide , looking forward to another trip with Brandon.

    Jonathan S. | November 16, 2024

    Trip: Matagorda Bay Duck Trip

  • ★★★★★
    He was very attentive and really knowledgeable. Definitely would book again

    Dylan P. | November 16, 2024

    Trip: Catch Your Own Tasty Lobster!

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Andrew. Aka drew. What can i say. From the very start he communicated with us he wanted to make sure we had time to cast net some great bait and he did. Hardest working guide ive ever seen. And im 60 so seen quite a few. Andrew put us on fish all day long. Incredibly knowledgea le about the entire area and fishing area. My wrist and right arm are a bit sore from catching so many fish. The big target today for me was Snook. He put us on them. I lost 2 in slot snook in the mangrove roots probably 28 to 30. But caught at leat 5 in the 24to 27 inch range and another 8 in the 14 to 22 or so. Always busy always catchin and fi ding them. We also caught some big jack cravele big ones. Make your arm hurt. Lol. Plenty of mangrove snapper a couple barracuda and a bull shark. All day. Fun day. Now im tired. Took my wife to just hang out. She loved it. Great fishing trip with this man. Mike and Tami. Jacksonville florida.

    Michaeel F. | November 15, 2024

    Trip: Key Largo Backcountry

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Mark suited our group greatly. He and Tyler worked extremely hard to try and catch some fish and succeeded. We caught some fish and had a great time. Would use them again.

    Mike L. | November 15, 2024

    Trip: Nearshore/Offshore Sportfishing

  • ★★★★★
    Randy was great. He put us onto fish on a day when no one was catching. He was very knowledable and we had a great time.

    Matthew S. | November 14, 2024

    Trip: Aransas Pass Wade or Drift

  • ★★★★★
    Me and my family went out with captain Zach and had an awesome day. Weather wasn’t in our favour but made the best of it and landed some fish! Captain Zach was very helpful, runs good fishing gear and has a beautiful boat. Will be booking our next trip with him when we’re back in south Padre for a family vacation!

    Dallas C. | November 13, 2024

    Trip: South Padre Island fishing 4 hrs

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great day with Capt Wade, he was very professional and knowledgeable and shared his experiences with us. We caught Snook, Redfish, and Speckled Trout in numbers and size to satisfy our needs until next time. His lunch recommendation to cook our catch was awesome too.

    Rick R. | November 12, 2024

    Trip: Tampa Bay Inshore Adventures

  • ★★★★★
    Our guide, Javier, did a great job. The bite was slow but we got on some fish

    Cury J. | November 12, 2024

    Trip: Backwater Tarpon, Snook, & Jacks

  • ★★★★★
    Great day on water. Very knowledgeable of the waters, fish, and gear.

    Ben A. | November 12, 2024

    Trip: Bradenton Classic Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    Amazing day. Friendly, helpful captain who also found some great fishing. I learned about the yellow brick road today. If not sure what that is, ask Captain Frank to show you. Have fun,

    Overman J. | November 12, 2024

    Trip: Reefs and Wreck Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Absolutely awesome experience. Had a fantastic time and look forward to heading out with Jake again sometime soon!

    Thomas H. | November 12, 2024

    Trip: Town Lake Bass Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great experience, we caught a lot of fish. Daniel was aware of all the hot spots for the best bite. We’ll definitely lock in another trip in the near future.

    Chad L. | November 12, 2024

    Trip: Seasonal Inshore Action

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Bryan took my sons and I out on a beautiful day through the Haulover Inlet, which was so much fun. we trolled we bought fished we kite fished… We caught sharks, mahi, mahi, and blackfin tuna! Captain Bryan brought his cool little dog along, and we all had a great day!

    John H. | November 11, 2024

    Trip: 4 hr Offshore Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Walt and Keith were fantastic! Extremely welcoming, knowledgeable, and helpful, plus great to crack a joke and share a laugh with. The waves were choppy when we went out and Walt & Keith guided us through it and took us around the area when we eventually got too sick haha. Highly recommend! I’ll be coming to them again in the future.

    Roberto O. | November 10, 2024

    Trip: Red Snapper Round Up

  • ★★★★★
    Tommy was excellent. He put us on the fish and we limited out on Redfish after just two hours. Also caught numerous black drum. Tommy made us feel very welcome and was easy to talk with. We will be planning future trips with Tommy.

    David M. | November 9, 2024

    Trip: Rockport Bay Slam

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great day with Captain Justin. He communicated clearly well in advance, showed up exactly on time, and keeps his boat and gear in great condition. After a brief safety briefing and a few practice shots, we were off. Justin kept it fun the whole day and best of all, put us on the iguanas. We would do it again. Thanks!

    Jimmy C. | November 9, 2024

    Trip: Iguana Hunting

  • ★★★★★
    We had a GREAT time. First time duck hunters. Captain Brody put us on the ducks. Wings cupped feet hanging.

    John C. | November 8, 2024

    Trip: Whacking Ducks in North Rockport

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Dan and Ryan were fantastic. The ocean was pretty rough that day but they helped us have a great time and pull in quite a few fish. We’ll be back again next year and will definitely look to hire them again!

    Moira V. | November 8, 2024

    Trip: Deep Sea, Wreck and Reef

  • ★★★★★
    Dam good trip with Cap. Kenny, enjoyed our opportunity to fish wit him it was a pleasure to be on his boat with an experienced Cap. THANKS Captain Kenny

    Dan S. | November 5, 2024

    Trip: 3/4 Day Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great trip with Corey. In spite of strong winds forcing us to less productive areas, we caught 6 assorted keepers - including a couple of 25" reds - and released a bunch more. Corey was very friendly and accommodating, and his boat was very comfortable and well equipped.

    Richard M. | November 4, 2024

    Trip: ROCKPORT INSHORE

  • ★★★★★
    Chris is an awesome guide. Real Miami native who knows the bay better than anyone. He really cares about fishing and he is not on a hard "trip ending" time. Chris also suggested some local Miami restaurants and took us there after our trip. A certified damn good guide in my book.

    Hollis B. | November 4, 2024

    Trip: South Florida Inshore fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time with Ryan. Very personable and a great teacher.

    Lucy C. | November 4, 2024

    Trip: North Carolina Wade Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had an awesome trip with Captain John! He was an absolute pro and knew where to take us to find the schools. Even with less-than-perfect conditions, John put us right on top of the action. We caught a huge variety — stripers, white bass, drum, and some catfish! All six of us landed several fish and had a fantastic time out on the water. John filleted our catch at the dock, and we made ceviche the same day. Highly recommend booking with Captain John.

    Collin P. | November 3, 2024

    Trip: Captain John’s Morning Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Fun trip and caught some keepers and some we tossed back. Capt was very good.

    Karen H. | November 3, 2024

    Trip: Half Day Tarpon Trip w/ Capt Scotty

  • ★★★★★
    Brett was the best, I have some friends in Canada I will be sending info to.

    Tara P. | November 3, 2024

    Trip: Iguana Hunt in South FL

  • ★★★★★
    Capt Jonathan's experience & knowledge put us on over 2 dozen bull Reds on a day made for duck hunting, with rain 🌧 bands most of the trip. But like a good Capt, Jonathan knows not to fear the wind but to instead uses it as an advantage by fishing the consealed wind blown areas where the winds push the bait to the fish. DON'T Fear the Wind and DON'T pass up a fishing trip with Capt Jonathan. God Bless and Tight Lines.

    Mark B. | November 3, 2024

    Trip: Epic Jetty Trip - 21' Mako

  • ★★★★★
    Cody Great Very Knowledgeable of inland fishing; patient and extremely helpful with every cast and catch. Thanks Cody

    David A. | November 2, 2024

    Trip: Bay and Jetty Trips

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Corey did an awesome job would. recommend

    Jerry C. | November 2, 2024

    Trip: Half Day Gulf Classics

  • ★★★★★
    I recently had the pleasure of hunting with Captain Kyle, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the entire experience. From the moment we arrived, Captain Kyle was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about duck hunting. The setup was perfect, and he took care to make sure we were comfortable and prepared before heading out. Captain Kyle had an impressive understanding of the area, knowing exactly where to find ducks and when to call. To top it off, Captain Kyle was friendly and easygoing, making for great conversation and a genuinely enjoyable experience from start to finish. I highly recommend Captain Kyle to anyone looking for an outstanding guided duck hunt.

    Nick R. | November 2, 2024

    Trip: Corpus Christi Duck Hunts

  • ★★★★★
    Fun day on the water, captain worked hard and was very knowledgeable. Would go again.

    John G. | November 2, 2024

    Trip: Sea Monster Catch Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    He was great. Food was great. Fishing was fun. I would go again for sure

    Marc A. | November 1, 2024

    Trip: Peacock Bass: Fly or Spin

  • ★★★★★
    Capt. Ross is a great guy and guide. We had a less than ideal weather pattern, but still caught keeper reds and puppy drum. It rained hard on us but he kept me on fish

    Eric K. | November 1, 2024

    Trip: POC Fishing Frenzy

  • ★★★★★
    Our fishing trip was great. Caught a nice marlin. Very exciting.

    Glenn M. | October 30, 2024

    Trip: Cabo All-Inclusive Deep Sea Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Mike and captain Chris were great. They got us on the fish despite some tough conditions in the early morning.

    Jeffrey L. | October 30, 2024

    Trip: New Orleans Area Fishing Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time fishing with Capt Tim! His knowledge of the area maximized our time on the water, and his personality added to our enjoyment. Can’t wait to get out there again!

    David S. | October 29, 2024

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

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Leb was a great guide! It was my 2nd time red fishing. He gave me a lot of tips on how to fish for the red fish that were extremely helpful. We caught many red, black drum, and flounder and he filet out take homes to how we requested. I will definitely book with him again next year.

    Spencer W. | October 29, 2024

    Trip: Texas "Big 3" Bay Assault

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time on the water today, would highly recommend for fun and fishing.

    John R. | October 29, 2024

    Trip: Offshore Discovery: Fishing Intro

  • ★★★★★
    Matt was a great guide, we caught fish and he’s very knowledgeable. Highly recommend using him as a guide.

    Eddie | October 29, 2024

    Trip: Northern Wisconsin Fishing

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