At onWater, we’re a little obsessed with trout. And we’re not just obsessed with catching them, we’re committed to protecting them. At the core of what we do is helping anglers not only find great places to fish, but also build lasting connections with the rivers and streams we’ve come to love. That’s why we’ve partnered with an incredible lineup of organizations to build tools that make it easy to discover conservation and restoration projects, log critical waterbody observations, and plug into the groups working to protect the waters we fish.
Our goal has always been to bring anglers closer to conservation. It’s about connecting people to the science, the projects, and the communities that make protecting trout waters possible. Whether it’s making a TroutSpotter submission, attending a local TU event, or logging an observation through a community science form, every action helps support healthier habitats.
Trout Unlimited has been at the heart of this mission. Together, we’ve built a chapter and events locator, plus a TU Costa 5 Rivers club locator, making it easy for anglers to find community, join local events, and directly support trout conservation. Meanwhile, California Trout now has a custom CalTrout Project map layer in the app, helping to connect users to conservation initiatives across the Golden State while giving anglers a clear view of where help is needed most.
But conservation isn’t just about maps, it’s about empowering people to act. Science on the Fly now has a custom mobile data form to streamline their volunteer sample submissions, and Project Big Wood’s EcoWatch feature allows anglers to log river and ecosystem observations through a simple, mobile-friendly interface. These tools modernize community science, making it easier than ever for anglers to contribute essential data that enhances research and conservation efforts.
Innovation goes even further with TroutSpotter, a collaboration between onWater, Trout Unlimited, Conservation X Labs, and the USGS. The in-app tool lets users submit trout photos to help train a machine learning model designed to identify individual fish. “We wanted to create something that unites research with stakeholders,” explains Toren Shirk, onWater’s Director of Product Innovation and Expansion. “TroutSpotter impacts both, allowing anglers to contribute to fisheries science just by doing what they love – catching trout and documenting their observations. It’s a way to turn everyday angling into research-grade data.”
American Rivers also plays a crucial role. Their America’s Most Endangered Rivers map layer highlights waterways facing ecological threats and helps anglers discover where they can volunteer, advocate, or support restoration efforts. These tools, along with others in the app, position onWater as more than just a fishing resource; it’s a platform for collaborative, community-powered conservation.
What sets onWater apart is the combination of personal passion and professional execution. Every map layer, data form, and community initiative has been informed by our firsthand experience as trout anglers and our long-standing relationships with conservation partners. This ensures the tools are not just useful, but meaningful, built to get people involved in real-world stewardship.
For anglers of any and all experience levels, this means every trip to the water can be more than just a day of fishing; it can be a chance to make an impact. Stewardship is about accessibility. The more anglers we can connect with these initiatives, whether they’re brand new to the sport or have been fishing for decades, the more significant our collective impact will be.
Rivers are dynamic, and so is conservation. By blending technology, community, and hands-on stewardship, onWater makes it easy for anglers to go beyond catching fish and take meaningful action. Every TroutSpotter submission, every observation logged, every project discovered, and every “Take Action” button clicked contributes to a bigger story, one where anglers are actively shaping the future of trout.
All of these tools and partnerships live under what we call the C.A.T.C.H. Project, our umbrella initiative focused on a Community of Anglers Tracking for Conservation & Habitat. It’s where technology meets stewardship, bringing together anglers, conservation organizations, and fisheries managers through community science and AI-powered tools. Through innovations like our patented photo-based fish length estimation and integrated species ID technology, we’re helping transform how fisheries data is collected and how anglers engage with it, all while keeping fish handling minimal and angler data private. The C.A.T.C.H. Project is our call to action for the entire fishing industry: a shared effort to make conservation part of every angler’s experience and ethos.
Start making an impact with onWater Fish: Download the App, create your free account, and explore our full range of stewardship tools. Submit trout photos to TroutSpotter, check out interactive map layers, or connect with local projects and events. Each of these conservation-focused features is openly accessible and never hidden behind a paywall, designed to empower anglers everywhere to protect trout waters and river ecosystems for generations to come.