He Was Told It Was a “Dumb Question”… Now He Runs NZs Largest Fishing Platform

Ben Chissell didn’t set out to build New Zealand’s biggest online fishing platform — he started it after getting absolutely slammed for asking what he thought was a simple fishing question. Instead of backing down, he decided there had to be a better way for Kiwi fishos to connect, learn, and share without being ridiculed. That moment sparked what would become the NZ Fishing Community, now the largest online fishing group in the country.

In this episode, Ben opens up about the early days — the criticism, the backlash, and the growing pains of running a fast-scaling Facebook group. We talk about moderation, online pile-ons, misinformation, and the responsibility that comes with leading a platform where thousands of anglers share reports and opinions daily. We also unpack some of Ben’s early boating mishaps and hard-earned lessons — the kind most fishos can relate to — and the journey from figuring it out the hard way to landing a world record gemfish.

We also dive into the One Ocean Protest, and how — much like starting the Facebook group — it came from frustration. Frustration with government decisions, frustration with how recreational fishers were being represented, and the decision to channel that energy into action instead of just noise. This episode is about resilience, community, learning publicly, and what can happen when you turn criticism into something constructive.

✅ Ben Chissell @chissellben (IG)
✅ https://www.facebook.com/groups/nzfishingcommunity
✅https://www.facebook.com/profile.phpid=61583108365415 (one ocean project)

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🎵 Music Used

✅ Proctor, Topher Mohr & Alex Elena

✅ Satellites, Swello

✅ Momentum, Zplit

✅ Source (YouTube Audio Library)

🎥 Production Notes

✅ Shot on: Sony A7iii + Sennheiser Mics

✅ Edited in: Adobe Premiere Pro

✅ Shot, Edited & Produced by Nick Hoyle