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[IT Dong-A, Reporter Kim Young-woo] Before going fishing, anglers must go through several steps. They search recent catch reports on blogs and online cafés, check real-time information via social media, and look up the weather on the Korea Meteorological Administration website. Parking information for fishing spots has to be found on yet another community site, and they need to call a tackle shop to ask what rigs and bait to prepare. All these steps take an average of more than 30 minutes.

The fishing app “Nakmat: The Taste of Fishing” (hereinafter “Nakmat”) recently carried out a major update to address these inconveniences. By redesigning the home screen, search flow, community features, and other core parts of the app around a real-time fishing information map, the update significantly reduced the time anglers need to find information and plan their trips.

ConnectZero (CEO Lee Seung-yeop), the developer of Nakmat, is a startup that holds more than 80,000 pieces of catch data. Since its official launch in March 2023, the company has built a large-scale fishing database, and this update focused on UI/UX (user interface/user experience) improvements to deliver the vast amount of accumulated data more effectively.


Real-time fishing map appears immediately on app launch

The most notable change is the redesign of the home screen. A real-time fishing information map has been placed at the center of the home screen so it can be checked immediately upon launching the app. Fishing spots across the country are displayed on the map, and the latest catch status at each location is color-coded for quick understanding at a glance.

When a point on the map is selected, basic information such as weather, water temperature, and tidal conditions, along with recent fishing tournament results and real-time shared catch reports, can be checked immediately.


Simplified, species-centered search

The search function has also been completely overhauled. Previously, users had to set multiple options such as region, fishing spot type, and fish species, but now they can quickly find relevant points by selecting only the “fish species.” For example, if “horse mackerel” is selected, spots with good horse mackerel catches are displayed on the map, and the latest information on each location can be compared.

Accessibility to Nakmat’s core feature, the AI-based strategy report, has also been significantly improved. This function analyzes current and historical data for a selected date and location to recommend fish species, rigs, and bait, and to forecast weather and catch conditions. It is based on a proprietary database that combines data from the Korea Meteorological Administration, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and actual anglers’ catch data.


Strengthened community and revamped subscription introduction page

The “Lounge” community, a communication space for users, has also been substantially improved in this update. Anglers can freely share posts, comments, photos, and videos, and information exchange centered on specific fishing spots is expected to become more active. A notable addition is the expert consultation section within the Lounge.

The introduction page for the subscription service “Nakmat Pass” has also been revamped. Key benefits, such as unlimited AI reports and real-time alerts when following favorite spots, are now communicated more clearly. Nakmat Pass, at a monthly fee of KRW 7,900, provides real-time fishing information, a range-based analysis database, and big data analysis services.

Connectivity with “Nakmat Shop” has also been strengthened. Users can purchase optimal rigs and consumables directly within the app, enabling them to complete everything from checking information to preparing for a fishing trip within a single application.


Improved loading speed and stability

Alongside UI/UX improvements, the app’s overall stability and loading speed have also been enhanced. Response times for core functions such as loading the real-time map, generating AI reports, and checking point information have been improved, reducing perceived wait times for users. In particular, the path leading to Nakmat’s core feature, the “AI Strategy Report,” has been significantly shortened. With this update, users can access the AI report, which previously required navigating through several menus, much faster after selecting a point. Based on the more than 80,000 catch records held by ConnectZero, the service predicts what kinds of fish are likely to be caught at specific times and locations.

In an interview with reporters, ConnectZero CEO Lee Seung-yeop stated, “Even before this, there were fishing-related web or app services, as well as social media and communities focused on fishing, but it was not easy for users to obtain exactly the information they needed while moving between multiple services,” explaining that “this was due to what can be called severe ‘fragmentation of information.’”

He added, “Nakmat is effectively the first service to fully resolve the shortcomings of existing services by providing ‘everything about fishing.’”

Nakmat is currently available for free download on Google Play and Apple App Store, and users can choose between the basic free service and the paid subscription service (Nakmat Pass).

IT Dong-A, Reporter Kim Young-woo (pengo@itdonga.com)

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