Master reference for where to source each content type in the Meridia data pipeline. Competitors and third-party platforms can serve double duty as both competitive intel AND data acquisition channels.
Destination Sourcing
Sources for fishing destinations (rivers, lakes, tailwaters, flats, offshore, inshore, etc.)
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| USGS National Water Information System | Government | River/stream data, gauge locations |
| State fish & wildlife agencies | Government | Stocking reports, species data, regulations |
| MallordBay.com | Competitor | Destination inventory — scrape or reference |
| FishBrain.com | Competitor | User-reported fishing spots (13M+ users) |
| FishingBooker.com | Competitor | Destination pages tied to guide listings |
| Trout Unlimited chapter pages | Non-profit | Regional stream/river guides |
| Orvis destination guides | Brand | Curated fly fishing destinations |
| Hatch.travel | Competitor | Premium fly fishing destinations (Iceland, Patagonia, NZ, Mongolia, etc.) |
| Aardvark McLeod | Brand | Premium fly fishing travel agency — curated global destinations. Sitemap: aardvarkmcleod.com/destination-sitemap.xml |
| NPS Fishing in Parks | Government | National parks with fishing: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fishing/fishing-in-parks.htm |
| NPS ArcGIS Fishing Parks API | Government | Structured GeoJSON — parks with fishing via ArcGIS FeatureServer (queryable REST API) |
| Wikipedia — Rivers of Canada | Reference | Seed list for Canadian river destinations |
Waters Sourcing & Enrichment
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| USGS Water Services API | Government | Real-time gauge data (flow, temp, height) |
| NOAA Weather API | Government | Weather conditions, forecasts |
| State hatch charts / entomology reports | Government/Community | Insect hatch timing by region |
| Local fly shop reports | Community | Weekly fishing reports, current conditions |
| NOAA | Gov't | NOAA river forecasts |
Guide Sourcing
Sources for fishing guide profiles and availability.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| State licensing databases | Government | Registered/licensed guides by state |
| Maine Registered Guides | Government | https://visitmaine.com/explore/guided-experiences/registered-maine-guides/ |
| MallordBay.com | Competitor | Guide marketplace listings |
| FishingBooker.com | Competitor | Guide profiles and reviews |
| 🔒Captain Experiences | Competitor | Guided fishing trip listings |
| Orvis-endorsed guides | Brand | Vetted guide network |
| Fly shop referral networks | Community | Local shop → guide relationships |
Lodge & Accommodation Sourcing
Sources for fishing lodges, camps, and accommodations.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| Existing data pipeline (Serper → Playwright → Schematron) | Internal | 1,459 unique accommodations enriched |
| MallordBay.com | Competitor | Lodge listings |
| FishingBooker.com | Competitor | Lodge/outfitter profiles |
| Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures | Brand | Curated lodge partnerships |
| The Fly Shop travel division | Brand | Lodge packages |
| TripAdvisor fishing lodge category | Platform | Reviews and listings |
| Google Maps / Places API | Platform | Business listings, reviews, photos |
| Hatch.travel | Competitor | Curated premier lodges — small catalog (~20-30) but high-quality data per listing |
| Orvis Endorsed Lodges | Brand | Vetted lodge network — high signal, pre-qualified quality |
| FishLodges.com | Directory | Lodge aggregator — scrape for inventory |
| Dude ranch directories | Niche | Dude ranches with fishing programs — crossover audience |
| Facebook Groups (fly fishing travel, lodge reviews) | Community | User-sourced lodge recommendations, real reviews, trip reports |
| Gear brands (Sage, Hatch Reels, Orvis, Simms) | Brand | Brand ambassador lodges, sponsored destination content |
| Fly shop outreach | Community | Email fly shops for lodge recs — shops are the connective tissue between anglers and lodges |
| Aardvark McLeod | Brand | Premium fly fishing travel agency — curated lodge partnerships worldwide. Sitemap: aardvarkmcleod.com/destination-sitemap.xml |
| DudeRanch.com | Directory | Dude ranch directory — filter for fishing programs |
Associations, Trade Orgs & Non-Profits
Sources for industry networks, conservation orgs, and member directories. Useful for lodge/guide discovery, outreach lists, and partnership opportunities.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| Fly Fishers International (FFI) | Industry Org | Member directory, chapter networks |
| Fisherman's Conservation Association of New York | Regional Non-profit | Northeast conservation + fishing community |
| Friends of the Upper Delaware | Regional Non-profit | Delaware River fishing community |
| Trout Unlimited (national + chapters) | Non-profit | Stream conservation, regional guides, chapter events |
| International Game Fish Association (IGFA) | Industry Org | Record fish, tournament data, global reach |
| American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) | Trade Org | Industry trade shows, manufacturer/retailer network |
| Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) | Industry Org | Tournament trail, bass fishing community |
| State guide associations | Industry Org | State-level guide networks (e.g., Montana Outfitters & Guides Assoc.) |
Access Point Sourcing
Sources for boat ramps, public access points, wade-in access.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| 🔒OnX Fish | Competitor | Boat ramp and access point mapping |
| State fish & game departments | Government | Public access maps |
| USACE (Army Corps of Engineers) | Government | Reservoir access points |
| National Park Service | Government | Park fishing access |
| Google Maps / OpenStreetMap | Platform | Boat ramp POIs |
| National Parks Service | Government | Public access points |
Boat Ramp Sourcing
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| 🔒OnX Fish | Competitor | Detailed boat ramp data |
| State DNR / fish & wildlife sites | Government | Public ramp directories |
| USACE recreation sites | Government | Dam/reservoir boat ramps |
| Marina listings | Commercial | Private ramp access |
State Regulations & Licensing
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| State fish & wildlife agencies (all 50) | Government | Seasons, limits, license requirements |
| eRegulations platform | Aggregator | Digital regulation books for many states |
| TakeMeFishing.org | Non-profit | License info aggregator |
USGS Gauges Sourcing
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| USGS Water Services REST API | Government | Real-time & historical gauge data |
| USGS National Water Dashboard | Government | Visual gauge monitoring |
| State environmental agencies | Government | State-maintained gauges not in USGS network |
Content & Editorial
Sources for fishing content, articles, and media.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| 🔒Wired2Fish.com | Competitor | Ranks for head fishing terms — study their SEO |
| 🔒BDoutdoors.com | Competitor | Outdoor content/editorial |
| Hatch Magazine | Media | Fly fishing editorial |
| MidCurrent | Media | Fly fishing news and content |
| Fly Fisherman Magazine | Media | Legacy fly fishing publication |
| YouTube fishing channels | Platform | Video content landscape |
Outfitters & Fly Shops
Sources for outfitter profiles, fly shop directories, and industry member networks.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| Fly Fishers International — Member Directory | Industry Org | https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Resources/Connect-with-FFI-Members |
| Orvis dealer/pro shop locator | Brand | Authorized dealer network |
| Casting Across — 385 Fly Shops Directory | Directory | https://castingacross.com/385-fly-shops-is-yours-in-there/ — curated fly shop inventory |
| Local fly shop directories | Community | Regional shop listings, guide referrals |
Industry Intel & Market Data
Sources for industry demographics, market sizing, angler behavior, and trend data.
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|
| LandBigFish — FFF Census / Angler Demographics | Industry Research | https://www.landbigfish.com/articles/default.cfm?ID=297 — fly fishing census data, angler spending, demographics |
| American Sportfishing Association (ASA) | Industry Org | Economic impact reports, participation data, state-level stats |
| Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) | Industry Org | Annual fishing participation reports, "60 in 60" initiative data |
| Southwick Associates | Research Firm | Fishing/hunting economics, license sales trends |
| USFWS National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife | Government | Federal participation survey (every 5 years) |
| Fly Fishers International (FFI) | Industry Org | Membership trends, conservation data, regional chapter activity |
| Casting Across — 385 Fly Shops Directory | Industry Research | Curated fly shop inventory, useful for shop density mapping (also in Outfitters section) |
Notes
- Competitors marked as data sources should be checked for ToS/scraping restrictions
- Government data sources are generally public domain and freely available
- Prioritize government + community sources over competitor scraping
- The data pipeline (📌 Data Pipeline) already handles lodge enrichment at scale — extend this pattern to other content types