Viktor Hluben | Building Landshark Outdoors & Viral Fishing Content | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 863

Viktor Hluben is the founder of Landshark Outdoors, a fishing content brand that built a massive social media following by creating viral fishing videos across multiple platforms. In this conversation, Viktor reveals how he went from childhood fishing videos to running a full-scale outdoor media operation, the specific strategies he used to grow his audience organically, and the hard lessons he learned about content creation, sponsorships, and building a sustainable brand in the outdoor space. He also shares the story behind some of his most viral moments, including encounters with massive fish and the behind-the-scenes reality of what it takes to capture compelling fishing content.

Building a Fishing Brand from Childhood Videos

Viktor's journey into fishing content didn't start with a business plan—it started with a kid who loved fishing and happened to have a camera. He talks about how his early videos were simple documentation of fishing trips, but over time he began to understand what made content engaging. The transition from hobbyist to professional creator wasn't overnight, and Viktor explains the specific moment when he realized this could become more than just a passion project. He also reveals how his childhood fishing experiences shaped the type of content he creates today, and why authenticity matters more than production value in the early stages. The full story of how Landshark Outdoors began starts at the opening of the episode.

The Reality of Viral Fishing Content

Creating viral fishing videos looks easy from the outside, but Viktor pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes. He discusses the hours of footage that get cut, the moments that look spontaneous but are actually carefully planned, and the challenge of balancing genuine fishing experiences with content that performs on social media. There's a specific type of content that consistently goes viral in the fishing space, and Viktor has figured out the formula—but it comes with tradeoffs. He also addresses the criticism that comes with being a successful fishing content creator, and how he decides which comments to listen to and which to ignore. Viktor's breakdown of viral content strategy starts around the middle of the conversation.

Sponsorships, Money, and Sustainability

The business side of fishing content creation is something most creators don't talk about openly, but Viktor does. He shares his perspective on working with sponsors, how he evaluates potential partnerships, and why turning down money is sometimes the right move for long-term brand health. There's a specific approach he takes to sponsorships that differs from many other content creators, and it's shaped by some early experiences that taught him valuable lessons. Viktor also discusses the challenge of making content creation financially sustainable, especially when platform algorithms change and what worked yesterday doesn't work today. The discussion about the business of content creation and sponsor relationships happens in the second half of the episode.

Equipment, Gear, and What Actually Matters

Viktor has strong opinions about fishing gear, and he's not shy about sharing them. He talks about the equipment he relies on for both fishing and filming, and more importantly, what gear matters and what's just marketing hype. There's a specific piece of equipment that changed how he creates content, and another that most people think is essential but Viktor rarely uses. He also discusses how gear choices impact content creation differently than they impact pure fishing performance, and why content creators sometimes need different equipment than tournament anglers. The conversation reveals that success in fishing content has less to do with having the most expensive gear and more to do with understanding what your specific situation requires. Viktor's gear philosophy and specific equipment recommendations come up throughout the conversation.

Final Thoughts from Tom

I really enjoyed this conversation with Viktor because he's willing to talk about the stuff most content creators keep private—the business decisions, the sponsor relationships, the reality behind the highlight reels. He's built something impressive with Landshark Outdoors, and what I appreciate most is his honesty about what works and what doesn't.

If you're interested in fishing content creation, or just curious about how modern outdoor media works, this episode pulls back the curtain in a way that's genuinely useful. Viktor's perspective on building a brand authentically while navigating the realities of social media algorithms and sponsorships is something I haven't heard discussed this openly before.

This conversation goes into territory that's valuable whether you're creating content yourself or just consuming it and wondering what goes on behind the scenes. Listen to the whole thing—Viktor's insights on this stuff are worth your time.