Lifelong friends and passionate anglers Devan Vitali and Paul Minton have launched two complementary platforms designed to modernise recreational fishing in New Zealand: SnapCatch and the New Zealand Online Fishing Club (NZOFC).
Drawing on a shared love of fishing and a belief that New Zealand deserves a more connected and technology-driven fishing community, the pair have developed an ecosystem that combines digital catch logging, nationwide competitions, and an online club experience for anglers of all skill levels.
Since launching in November 2025, the platforms have experienced rapid growth, establishing one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing digital fishing communities. Together they now include more than 2,600 anglers using the SnapCatch platform, over 200 active NZOFC members, an email database of more than 5,600 anglers, and a combined social media following exceeding 3,500 across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Their content also generates more than 90,000 social media views each month, while thousands of catches have been recorded and shared through the platform.
At the centre of the ecosystem is SnapCatch, a New Zealand-built fishing app designed to simplify and enhance the fishing experience. The platform enables anglers to digitally log and track their catches, enter fishing competitions from anywhere in the country, and use AI-powered fish identification and measurement technology. Users can also view live leaderboards, monitor personal bests, and create and manage their own fishing competitions for clubs, businesses, charities, and community events.
The long-term vision for SnapCatch is to become the digital infrastructure connecting anglers, fishing clubs, competitions, retailers, sponsors, and the wider recreational fishing industry within a single platform.
Complementing the app is the New Zealand Online Fishing Club (NZOFC), the country’s first truly nationwide online fishing club. Members compete in monthly fishing competitions, connect with fellow anglers from across New Zealand, and compete for a range of prizes, regardless of where they live.
The club has been built around three core principles: competition, community, and conservation, with a focus on encouraging participation while promoting responsible fishing practices.
Together, SnapCatch and the NZOFC represent a new approach to recreational fishing, combining traditional passion for the sport with modern technology to make fishing more accessible, engaging, and connected. The founders’ mission is to encourage more New Zealanders to get out on the water, celebrate their catches, and strengthen the country’s fishing community through innovation.
www.NZOFC.co.nz
