App matches fishing buddies in Missouri and beyond
STORY AND PHOTOS by Sara Schafer
On a beautiful October afternoon in 2021, John Bledsoe was casting for bass on Pomme de Terre Lake. The serene scene of calm water reflecting the wide Ozarks sky created the perfect environment for pondering life’s questions.
“I happened to turn around and look at the empty seat on my boat and thought, ‘Why didn’t I bring somebody with me?’ ” John recalls. “As I pondered that, I wondered why there isn’t something out there that connects people who want to fish together?”
The idea stuck. “I came up with the name Co-Angler, and then I bought coangler.com for $13,” says John, a member of Southwest Electric Cooperative.
From Idea to App
The concept was simple: create a virtual platform that lets fishing buddies connect. Unfortunately, the idea was the easy part.
John knew his idea was bigger than just a Facebook group for anglers. He wanted Co-Angler to be a hub for fishing enthusiasts. At the time, he was working as a chemist for Brewer Science at its Springfield location. Right across the street was efactory, a business incubator that provides mentorship opportunities.
At efactory, John received valuable business advice and conducted a feasibility study to formalize his concept. Those connections led him to Codefi, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs — primarily those in rural areas — build tech-focused businesses. That’s when John started learning the ins and outs of coding.
“My teacher had office hours on the weekends,” he says. “I could go and get extra help. I even skipped the Super Bowl to meet with him.”
While John was building what would become the Co-Angler app, he was also building his network. He received a $75,000 grant from Codefi, which allowed him to hire his teacher as lead developer.
Around the same time, John’s employer was facing budget cuts. When he lost his job, John decided to turn his complete focus to his business idea. “I was ready to see how far I could take it if I went full time on Co-Angler,” he says.
In 2023, John was selected to attend the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program, part of the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. This 12-week program, along with seed funding, was exactly what he needed to launch Co-Angler.
Better Way to Fish
In November 2023, John did a soft launch of the app to work out any technical bugs. Today, the app has around 2,000 users. These users, primarily in Missouri, can request or offer fishing trips. Those with boats can connect with those without, and they can share trip costs.
“Right now, I am really focused on the Ozarks,” John says. “This is a great area to start a company like this because we have lots of lakes and rivers. The fishing culture is as strong here as anywhere in the country.”
One in five anglers typically fish alone, according to a 2024 report by the Outdoor Foundation. That’s a number John hopes to change, as he believes experiencing the outdoors with others can support mental health and strengthen communities.
“I had two gentlemen that went catfishing together on Truman Lake, and now they’re fishing buddies,” John says. “Now they technically don’t need the app, but they are now my brand ambassadors.”
John knows people hesitate about meeting somebody through the internet. To combat that, the app has many levels of transparency to verify people and build trust.
“Co-Angler is about people,” he says. “If two anglers connect through our platform, share a trip, and end up forming a lifelong friendship, that’s the greatest reward for me.”
To learn more about the Co-Angler app, visit coangler.com. Email Sara Schafer at sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop.