A Look Back on Boatsetter’s 2024 Fishing Trends
Last Updated on February 3, 2025 by Boatsetter Team
As 2025 and the Year of the Explorer kicks off, we took a look back at the major fishing trends that emerged among Boatsetter users in 2024. Overall, fishing bookings on Boatsetter increased by 22% in 2024 vs. 2023, as experience-driven travel continued to rise in popularity and we expanded fishing offerings in more locations.
Boat types
Bass boats experienced significant booking growth, increasing by 46% year-over-year. Anglers also utilized boats offering more space to fish from, with pilothouse and walkaround boats both seeing a 42% increase in bookings.
Pontoons continue to be the most popular boat type in the boating industry at large and surpassed 20,000 bookings on Boatsetter all within 2024. We continued to add more pontoon options equipped for fishing, with over 300 fishing pontoon models available to book across the country during summer.
Seasonality
Anglers took more advantage of the first half of the year than they did in 2023, as the three months with the largest increases in fishing rentals were March, June, and May. However, freshwater fishing boats had their most significant growth in the fall, with aluminum fishing boats and bass boats doubling their bookings year-over-year across September and October.
Locations
We continued adding more fishing boats to rent in new areas of the country, and there was plenty of demand from anglers. In 51 different DMAs (Designated Market Areas), our fishing business grew by over 50%. In total, the fishing business grew in 73 regions year-over-year.
The state with the most growth was Michigan, with over 500% growth at a state level, and more than doubling in each region of Detroit, Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, and Traverse City. Other regions with notable fishing growth included Shreveport, Louisiana (+194%), the California corridor from Sacramento to West Lake Tahoe (+146%), and Seattle-Tacoma, Washington (+136%).
Top 10 fishing destinations of 2024
- Tampa – St. Petersburg, FL
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Miami – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Dallas – Ft. Worth, TX
- Ft. Myers – Naples, FL
- Mobile, AL – Pensacola, FL
- Charlotte, NC
- Houston, TX
- Charleston, SC
- Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL
Fishing gear add-on
Boatsetter’s fishing gear add-on, which allows anglers to add essential fishing equipment to their rental, was utilized on 34% more bookings year-over-year. Typically, the gear added was rods and reels, with some owners also including a fully-stocked tackle box or a selection of tackle recommended for the body of water visited. The average price for this add-on when charged per booking was $76.50, while the average price when charged per passenger was $20.48.
What would you like to see more of from Boatsetter Fishing?
We welcome feedback from anglers on what they’re looking for more of on Boatsetter. Is there an area you’d like to see more options in, more of a specific boat type, or something else? Leave us a comment, or message us on Instagram.
Luke is a Director of Boatsetter’s Fishing team, supporting fishing operators and boat owners earning income on Boatsetter along with guests planning fishing experiences. Previously, Luke co-founded Fisher Guiding, a platform for booking fishing guides, with his friend Edward before both joined Boatsetter in an acquisition in 2020. The best part of his job is meeting fishing captains, boaters, and fellow anglers across the country and helping people try a new experience, whether it’s fishing for the first time or exploring new waters.
