Last Updated on February 15, 2023
Fishing is more than a pastime; it is a life skill. After all, as what saying says, “teaching a man to fish feeds him for a lifetime.”
However, it is also a pleasurable way to spend time outdoors, so 49 million Americans participate in deep-sea fishing, freshwater angling, or fly fishing.
Fishing is not just an “old man’s” sport; 60% of people who fish for fun are under 45. Even better, the recreational fishing industry is worth $212 billion annually.
So, perhaps you’d like to look into the fishing affiliate programs we found for you.
Are Fishing Affiliate Programs Profitable?
The fishing industry is massive, contributing nearly $90 billion to the US economy each year. It is also an industry that does not seem to suffer greatly during difficult economic times, which is good news for anyone who wants to make a living off fishing.
Academy Sports & Outdoors Affiliate Program
Academy Sports + Outdoors began in 1937 as a tire shop that also sold army surplus, and in 1980 they started stocking sports and outdoor goods for their customers.
And the good news is that each of their 250 stores stocks a wide variety of rods, lines, lures, reels, tackle boxes, fish finders, clothing, bibs, and even canoes and kayaks.
Their website also includes an ‘Expert Advice’ section on everything from how to smoke trout to the best saltwater live baits and lures.
As an affiliate for this program, you will receive a 2% commission on each sale you make. Their EPC isn’t exceptionally high, but their ‘Network Earnings’ score indicates that their program generates significant revenue.
So it stands to reason that their affiliates are as well.
URL: https://www.academy.com/
Commission: 2%
Cookie: 30 days
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Sportsman’s Guide Affiliate Program
The Sportsman’s Guide is known for being a leading supplier of army surplus. Still, they also have an impressive selection of outdoor sporting goods, including almost everything you’d need for fishing.
This includes standard items such as rods, reels, lines, terminal tackle, tackle boxes, and apparel from well-known brands.
However, they also carry more specialized items such as ice fishing equipment, fish finders, downriggers, and trolling motors. As a result, they are more of a one-stop shop for fishing than many of their competitors.
In addition, they provide free shipping on orders of $49 or more. This is a program I’d seen advertised on a few YouTube channels I follow, so I was already familiar with it.
However, this also implies that they are well-versed in working with social influencers and high-volume affiliate marketers. Their programs pay up to 5% commission per sale, but their 7-day cookie is inconvenient.
URL: https://www.sportsmansguide.com/ourcompany/affiliateprogram
Commission: 2% – 5%
Cookie: 7 days
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Boat Setter Affiliate Program
Some fishermen and women are content to stand on a beach or riverbank and cast their lines optimistically.
They could, however, change things up by visiting Boast Setter and renting a boat to take them and their friends/family out onto the open water for some deep-sea fishing fun.
Most people believe boat rentals are only available to the truly wealthy, but you can rent a craft for as little as $240 for a half-day or about $40 per person for you and five friends.
You can also choose from 1,700 boats in 600 locations, so you’ll be able to find something that meets both your fishing needs and your budget.
This is a per-lead program in which you will earn $20 for each booking. A percentage-based system would be preferable, but if you can drive enough business their way, you can always try to negotiate that later.
URL: https://www.boatsetter.com/affiliate-program-boatsetter
Commission: $20 per lead
Cookie: 30 days
Forza Sports Affiliate Program
Chill! We’re not trying to sneak in an MMA program here.
Forza Sports’ website has an entire section dedicated to outdoor sports and activities, including fishing.
This sporting goods company began in a basement in 2008 and has grown to occupy a 115,000-square-foot facility in less than a decade.
That means they have enough room to stock a full range of fishing equipment, such as lures, bait, fishing lines, rods, reels, waders, boxes, terminal tackle, and various other fishing accessories.
Affiliates who promote this program will receive 10% of each referred sale, for a total payout of $9.55 per transaction. Their program also has a 10% conversion rate, indicating that they handle sales and customer service like pros.
URL: https://www.forzasports.com/
Commission: 10%
Cookie: 30 days
West Marine Fishing Affiliate Program
Randy Repass, a boating enthusiast, founded West Marine (originally West Coast Ropes) in 1968.
He noticed that most boating supply stores were run by men who preferred to spend their days spinning salty sea yarns rather than serving their customers.
So he opened a single boating shop that stocked the basics, and now they’re a household name with 240 locations. This stems from offering a wide range of products at reasonable prices, backed by excellent customer service.
Fans of fishing will find everything they need here, including rigid and inflatable boats.
There are some potential drawbacks to this program. The first is their 3-day cookie duration, which is unimpressive. They also pay different commission rates based on what you sell.
As a result, electronic items are worth 2%, anchoring is worth 5%, and clothing is worth 10%.
URL: https://www.westmarine.com/
Commission: Up to 10%
Cookie: 3 days
Phoozy Fishing Affiliate Program
This slot was a tie between Phoozy and another generic fishing supply company.
However, we chose Phoozy because it is unique. You will receive a customized protective sleeve for your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
Its main selling point is that it protects the battery inside your electronic device from heat and floats in water. So, use a Phoozy, or an exceptionally well-trained dolphin, to help you recover your phone from a river, lake, or ocean.
Promoting this program will earn you a 15% cut of each sale, which is around $6 per referral.
URL: https://phoozy.com/pages/phoozy-affiliate
Commission: 15%
Cookie: 30 days
Legacy Food Storage Affiliate Program
And now for something completely different from the other fishing affiliate programs listed here: Legacy Food Storage’s emergency food and survival gear.
Most fishing trips involve hours of sitting or standing, often in remote locations where tasty food is scarce. So your visitors can stock up on freeze-dried meals, other items like solar lights and first aid kits, or even a portable restroom.
Affiliates will earn a 10% commission on every sale referred to Legacy Food Storage, and there is a 30-day cookie to give your traffic time to decide.
Because their average order value is $366, your typical payout per customer should be $36.
URL: https://www.legacyfoodstorage.com/pages/affiliate-home
Commission: 10%
Cookie: 30 days
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Enigma Fishing Affiliate Program
Enigma Fishing isn’t your typical online retailer of fishing rods, reels, and accessories. They describe themselves instead as a company of anglers creating products and opportunities for anglers.
This means that they not only make some of the best fishing rods and reels on the market but also provide opportunities for anglers to be sponsored. And this is something that the professional sports fishing industry sorely lacks.
You’ll get free shipping on orders over $150, and they also have a discount for those who have served in the military.
The Enigma Fishing program pays a 20% commission on all sales referred by your links, and their EPC is the highest of any of the fishing affiliate programs featured here.
Because their product line is more expensive, the 90-day cookie is a nice touch – conversions may take longer.
URL: https://www.enigmafishing.com/
Commission: 20%
Cookie: 90 days
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Rapala Fishing Affiliate Program
Rapala is similar to Duck Dynasty, but with fishing lures instead of ducks.
Finn, Lauri Rapala, founded the company in the 1930s after noticing that big fish ate smaller fish, especially wounded ones. As a result, he developed an entire line of specialized lures, 20 million of which are sold worldwide each year.
They sell ice fishing accessories, clippers, fish grippers, and even scales in addition to their award-winning lures, and orders over $99 ship for free.
This program pays affiliates a 4% commission on all purchases made by new or existing customers, which is a bonus.
The 6% commission rate applies only to their “StrikeMaster” product line sales.
URL: https://www.rapala.com/
Commission: Up to 6%
Cookie: 30 days
Columbia Sportswear Affiliate Program
At first glance, Columbia Sportswear may not appear to be a prominent place to find fishing gear until you come across their PFG (Performance Fishing Gear) line, which caters to the more fashion-conscious angler or fly-fishing enthusiast.
They sell everything from fleeces, shirts, and fishing gloves to shoes, shorts, bibs, tackle vets, duffle bags, and thermal cases.
So, while they don’t sell rods, lines, or lures, they have several items that most fishing enthusiasts will happily pay for. The only thing they don’t sell is the fantastic fishing stories you’ll tell your friends after a day on the water.
Affiliates who promote this program will receive an 8% commission on all sales referred through their affiliate links.
If you already work in the fishing industry (fly fishing, angling, deep sea, etc.), this program you should consider adding this to your portfolio.
URL: https://www.columbia.com/Affiliates.html
Commission: 8%
Cookie: 21 days
The Bottomline
That brings us to the end of our list of the best fishing affiliate programs available.
Our picks deviate completely from other roundups because we want to help you make money with your website. We are not just blowing smoke up about some programs we barely researched.
In this game, empty promises of “roads paved with affiliate gold” are typical. So, if you want the inside scoop on what works in affiliate marketing, do your in-depth research.
