User Guide.

1. Download the App

theShoal is available free on Google Play. Search for theShoal and tap Install. iOS support is coming soon.

2. Create Your Account

Open the app and tap Sign Up. You'll be asked for:

• Your name and email address
• A username (this is how other anglers will see you on leaderboards)
• A password

Once registered, you'll receive a confirmation email. Click the link to verify your account and you're ready to fish.

3. Complete Your Profile

Head to your Profile to add a profile photo and adjust your competition preferences, including whether you want to be automatically entered into platform-wide competitions.

Your profile is your angler identity on theShoal. It displays your username, Scales balance, and competition history.

Key Profile Settings

• Platform Competitions: Toggle whether you are automatically entered into platform-wide competitions. This is on by default.
• Username: Your public display name across leaderboards and competitions.
• Profile Photo: A photo visible to other competition participants.

Your Scales Balance

Your total Scales points and leaderboard ranking are shown on your profile. See the Scales & Leaderboards section for more detail.

Joining a Competition

You can join a competition in two ways:

• Platform competitions are listed in the Competitions tab. Tap a competition to view its rules, then tap Join.
• User competitions require an invite. Accept the invite from your notifications or via a shared link.

Creating a Competition

Tap the + button in the Competitions tab and fill in:

• Name — give your competition a title
• Duration — set the start and end date/time
• Scoring type — weight, length, or catch count
• Species — restrict to a specific fish or allow any
• Region — optionally restrict to catches within a set distance of a location

Once created, you can invite participants by sharing the competition link or searching by username.

Leaving a Competition

Open the competition, tap Options, and select Leave Competition. Your catches and score will be removed from that competition's leaderboard.

Logging a catch is quick and is designed to be done streamside without fuss.

How to Log a Catch

• Tap the Log Catch button (available from any screen during an active session)
• Take or upload a photo of your catch
• Select the fish species
• Enter the weight (required for weight-based competitions)
• Add length if needed
• Tap Submit

Your catch is instantly added to all active competitions you're enrolled in — you don't need to submit it to each one separately.

Editing or Deleting a Catch

Catches can be edited or deleted from your session history, provided the competition has not yet ended. Once a competition closes, submitted catches are locked.

A fishing session groups your catches together by time and location. Starting a session helps keep your fishing history organised and ensures your catches are properly attributed.

Starting a Session

• Tap Start Session from the home screen
• The app will record your start time and current location
• Log catches throughout your time on the water

Ending a Session

When you're done fishing, tap End Session. This finalises the session and locks in all catches logged during it. Your session summary will show total catches, species logged, and which competitions were updated.

Scales is the points currency of theShoal. It measures your competitive record across all competitions you enter.

How You Earn Scales

Scales are awarded when a competition ends, based on your finishing position. The better you finish, the more Scales you earn. Platform-wide competitions typically award more Scales than private user competitions.

The Global Leaderboard

Your Scales total determines your position on theShoal's global leaderboard. The leaderboard is updated after every competition concludes. You can view the global leaderboard in the app's Leaderboards tab.

Competition Leaderboards

Each competition has its own real-time leaderboard, updated whenever a catch is logged. You can monitor your standing throughout the competition period.