Privacy Policy

Start Fishing (“we,” “our,” or “the app”) is a fishing app for beginner shore anglers, built and operated by an individual developer, Mike Adams. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using Start Fishing, you agree to the practices described here.

Your spots are private

Your spots, catches, and photos are never shown to other users. The places you save and the fish you log are visible only to you. We don’t publish maps, leaderboards, or “popular spots” built from anyone’s data, and we don’t share your locations with other anglers.

Information we collect

• Account information — your email address, a hashed password (if you sign up with email), or basic profile information from Google or Apple if you sign in that way (name, email address, and a unique identifier).
• Fishing spots and location data — the GPS coordinates and details of any spot you save, so we can give you a bite forecast for that exact location.
• Photos you submit— pictures you upload for catch or gear identification. These are sent to Google’s Vertex AI (Gemini) for analysis and stored so you can review your identification history.
• Catch logs — species, size, location, date, and any notes you choose to record.
• Device and usage information — basic technical data such as device type, operating system, app version, and crash or performance diagnostics, plus which features you use (for example, that you opened the map or saved a spot). Usage records never include your spot locations, spot names, or notes. We collect this ourselves; there are no third-party analytics or advertising tools in the app.

How we use your information

We use the information above only to run and improve the app:

• To create and secure your account and let you sign in.
• To generate bite forecasts and recommendations for your saved spots, and to identify catches and gear from photos you submit, using Google Vertex AI (Gemini) as our AI processing provider.
• To store and display your saved spots and catch log back to you.
• To diagnose bugs, monitor performance, and keep the service reliable.
• To process your Start Fishing Pro subscription (handled by Apple — see below).

We do not sell your data, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

Where your data is stored

Your data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure located in the United States.

Services that help power the app

To build forecasts and identify fish, the app sends limited information to these services. None of them receive your name or email address, and we share approximate locations (rounded to about 1 km) wherever an exact one isn’t needed:

• Google Vertex AI (Gemini) — photos you submit, your spot names and notes, recent catches and gear (to tailor recommendations), and approximate locations.
• OpenWeatherMap — approximate locations, for weather and forecasts.
• OpenStreetMap (Overpass)— a spot’s location once, when you save it, to work out which lake or river it’s on.
• U.S. Geological Survey — an approximate area, to find nearby water-temperature and flow gauges.
• Map providers— Apple Maps (iPhone app) and OpenStreetMap (web) load map images for the area you’re viewing.

Subscriptions and payments

Start Fishing Pro is an auto-renewing subscription purchased through Apple’s In-App Purchase system. We never see or store your payment card details — all billing is handled directly by Apple under its own privacy policy and terms.

Data retention and deletion

We keep your account information, saved spots, photos, and catch log for as long as your account is active, so the app can keep working the way you expect. Removing a spot deletes it and its photos (your catch log keeps the catches you logged there); deleting a catch deletes its photo. You can permanently delete your account and all associated data at any time from within the app (Profile). Deletion removes your saved spots, catch logs, submitted photos, and account information from our systems. Deleted data, including photos, can remain in our encrypted backups for up to 7 days before those backups expire.

Children’s privacy

Start Fishing is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will remove it.

Your choices

You can review, edit, or delete your saved spots and catch log at any time within the app. You can delete your account at any time, which removes your data as described above. You can also manage or cancel your Start Fishing Pro subscription at any time in your Apple ID account settings.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the effective date above and, where appropriate, notify you within the app.

Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at triangleharbor@gmail.com.