A frustrating catch-and-release moment sparked an idea that turned into a full-fledged fishing tech company.

This week, Jake and Tyler sit down with Lawrence, founder of Fishtechy and creator of the Proofball, to talk about measuring fish without harming them, turning a physical product into a data-driven platform, and why fishing might be the next sport to see a true social-tech revolution. They also dig into ethics, fair chase, and where technology should, and shouldn’t, go in outdoor sports.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 — Intro & Proofball Overview
01:04 — Lawrence’s Entrepreneurial Background
03:50 — The Fishing Moment That Started It All
05:30 — Why Measuring Fish Is Hard
07:18 — What the Proofball Is Made Of
08:14 — Why a Reference Object Matters
09:40 — Ice Fishing & Slot Limits
10:51 — Pushback From Traditional Anglers
12:45 — Technology Resistance in Fishing
14:22 — When FishTechie Launched
15:14 — Growth Curve & Seasonality
16:10 — Going Viral Without Inventory
17:28 — Why the Ball Markets Itself
18:13 — Total Addressable Market
19:18 — Does It Ruin Fishing Stories?
21:18 — Policing Accuracy vs. Letting Stories Live
22:21 — Fishing as a Social Platform
24:36 — Comparisons to Strava & Golf Apps
26:03 — Physical Product vs. Tech Company
26:42 — Broader Fishing Tech Landscape
28:27 — Fair Chase & Ethical Limits
30:56 — Data Ownership & Privacy
32:41 — Barriers to Entry in Fishing
35:10 — Is Fishing Growing Too Fast?
38:26 — The Next Wave of Fishing Tech
39:24 — Closing Thoughts
39:52 — Post-Episode Reflections
45:16 — Outro