AI-Powered Competitive Fishing App

About the Client

Our client is an innovative startup focused on reimagining recreational fishing through technology. Their mission was to build a mobile-first, AI-integrated digital fishing platform that would enable anglers worldwide to compete, log catches, earn recognition, and share their passion through a gamified, intelligent user experience. Their vision was to modernize the fishing community by blending artificial intelligence with mobile innovation to create a truly immersive and accessible sport-tech ecosystem.

Objective

The goal of the project was to develop a scalable, AI-powered mobile application that allows fishing enthusiasts to:

  • Instantly identify fish species and measure catches using advanced computer vision.
  • Automatically participate in a digital fishing competition with dynamic rankings.
  • Maintain personal fishing logs, photo galleries, and achievements.
  • Earn badges and rank on leaderboards based on AI-verified catch data.
  • Provide a seamless experience for both casual and competitive users.

In addition to the mobile application, a web-based admin panel was required for content moderation, user management, AI model training feedback, and performance analytics.

Project Solution

App Maisters designed and developed a comprehensive mobile application and admin dashboard that transformed the client’s vision into a fully operational digital platform.

Key Deliverables
  • AI-Powered Capture Worklow: Users can capture images of their fish, with the app automatically identifying species, measuring size, checking for uniqueness, and verifying eligibility for awards.
  • Flexible User Modes: The app accommodates both non-registered users through a quick capture mode and registered users with access to extended features.
  • Gamified Experience: A badge-awarding system recognizes top catches in various categories (weekly, species-specific, all-time) for edible and non-edible fish.
  • Smart Logbook & Gallery: Automatically generated fish journey logs based on GPS, editable metadata, and user-curated galleries for private or public use.
  • Admin Dashboard: A robust web portal for managing badge approvals, content moderation, media curation, misidentified data correction, and AI model oversight.

The platform was engineered for scalability with future expansion in mind, including capabilities for sponsored tournaments, AR-based measurements, and native video content hosting.

Main Features of the App

For End Users
  • Quick Capture Mode: One-tap fish ID without registration.
  • AI Verification: High-confidence species identification, measurement extraction, and duplicate prevention logic.
  • Leaderboards: Dynamic rankings based on verified catches, segmented by fishing styles and categories.
  • Logbook Entries: Automatically grouped by location and date, with fields for tackle, bait, weather, tides, and custom notes.
  • Badges & Achievements: Real-time award tracking with visible trophies and achievement badges.
  • Gallery Management: Save and organize photos, share publicly or keep private.
  • Membership Tiers: Users can subscribe to Bronze, Silver, or Gold plans unlocking exclusive features.
  • Multilingual Support: App experience available in English and Spanish.
For Admins
  • User Management Tools: Suspend, verify, delete accounts; password resets and role-based controls.
  • Award Moderation: Admin queue to review and approve catches for over eight award categories.
  • Media Library Tools: Upload, schedule, or remove homepage carousel images, YouTube/native video links, and gallery content.
  • AI Feedback System: Misidentified catches and corrected entries are queued for model retraining and review.
  • Analytics Dashboard: Key metrics on engagement, AI accuracy, session length, leaderboard activity, and growth.
  • Role-Based Access: Differentiated permissions for super admins and staff-level users.

Tools and Technologies

  • Mobile App: Flutter / React Native, Firebase for push notifications
  • Backend API: Node.js, Express, PostgreSQL / MongoDB
  • AI Engine: Python, TensorFlow, OpenCV, Custom-trained CNN models
  • Cloud Infrastructure: AWS S3 (media storage), AWS Lambda (serverless tasks), Azure AI (optional)
  • Admin Panel: Angular + Node.js Web Portal with JWT-secured login
  • Analytics: PostHog integration for session/event-level tracking
  • Payment Integration: Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal
  • CI/CD & DevOps: Docker, GitHub Actions, AWS Code Pipeline

Results

  • AI-Driven Fishing App Launched: First-of-its-kind mobile solution for image-based competitive fish verification and measurement.
  • Intuitive Onboarding & Capture Flow: Quick capture mode significantly lowered the barrier for first-time users.
  • Scalable Competition Framework: Robust awarding logic and leaderboard architecture laid the foundation for future prize-based events and sponsorships.
  • Strong Feedback on Usability: Users appreciated the sleek interface, real-time AI feedback, and community-driven gamification features.
  • Admin Control at Scale: Internal teams were empowered to manage disputes, approve badges, and train AI with minimal tech dependency.
  • Subscription Monetization: The app’s built-in membership structure offers long-term monetization opportunities via tiered access.

App Maisters successfully translated a novel concept into a powerful AI-powered fishing app that merges technology, community engagement, and outdoor recreation. This end-to-end solution modernizes how anglers connect, compete, and document their experiences, establishing a blueprint for future sport-tech applications across niche outdoor communities.

This project demonstrates the power of combining machine learning, intuitive UX design, and scalable architecture to revolutionize traditional hobbies into data-driven, inclusive, and globally accessible digital experiences.