Who we are
Ofishal Forecast is an iPhone app for anglers, made by Gary Duty [CONFIRM] (legal business name and mailing address, if any). This policy covers the Ofishal Forecast app and this website. Questions go to [email protected].
Location
The app asks for your location only while you are using it ("While Using the App"). It does not ask for Always access. Your location is used to:
- score fishing conditions for where you are;
- center Live radar on you;
- show your boat on the lake chart;
- refresh the spot you have open.
The last location fix is saved on your iPhone so your score is ready when you have no signal. You can change or turn off location access at any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services.
Sign in with Apple
You can browse forecasts, radar and charts without an account. Posting, commenting, joining or hosting a trip, likes and profile edits require Sign in with Apple [CONFIRM] (that this list matches the shipping build).
When you sign in, the app asks Apple for your name only. It does not request your email address. Apple gives the app an anonymous user identifier, which is used to link your angler profile and posts to you. You can sign out in the app's Settings at any time.
iCloud, public posts and your private logbook
Ofishal Forecast stores community content with Apple's iCloud (CloudKit). There are two kinds of data:
Public (visible to other anglers)
- Angler profile: display name, home water, bio, boat or rig type, profile picture, and whether you are marked as a verified pro.
- Catch posts: the photo you choose, plus the lake name and state. Public posts store the lake name and state, not GPS.
- Trips: state, lake, ramp name, launch date, the forecast score and the host's name.
- Comments and chat messages in the Lounge and trip chats. Exact GPS is not stored with them.
Community guidelines must be accepted before your first public post, trip or comment.
Private (only you)
Private logbook entries stay on your iPhone or in your own private iCloud database, which only your Apple ID can read. A private entry can keep the GPS location of a catch. We cannot see your private iCloud database.
Camera and photos
The app uses the camera or your photo library only when you choose a profile picture or a catch photo. It only reads the pictures you pick. Before a catch photo is shared publicly, the app re-encodes it without GPS or other photo metadata, so a shared card never carries the location embedded in the original picture.
Weather, radar, water and map data
To build a forecast, the app requests weather, radar, water temperature, lake level, tide and map data for the spot or lake you have open. Those requests include that spot's coordinates and go to public data services, including U.S. government agencies such as the National Weather Service, NOAA, USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other weather and map data providers [CONFIRM] (whether you want each provider listed by name here). These requests are not tied to your name or account.
Notifications
Bite alerts, weather alerts and the morning brief are local notifications scheduled on your iPhone. You can turn them off in iOS Settings.
What we don't do
- We do not sell your personal data.
- We do not track you across other companies' apps or websites, and the app does not show ads.
- The app does not include third-party advertising or analytics SDKs.
- We do not share your data with anyone except as described here (Apple, for Sign in with Apple and iCloud; and the public data services above), or if required by law.
If you choose to share analytics with app developers in iOS Settings, Apple may give us anonymous crash and usage reports. Apple's handling of iCloud and Sign in with Apple data is covered by Apple's Privacy Policy.
Deleting your data
In the app, open Settings → Delete account. This removes the profile stored on your iPhone and your public angler profile in iCloud. Trips you host can be deleted from the trip itself. [CONFIRM] (whether Delete account should also remove your catch posts, comments and chat messages; until it does, email us and we will remove them.)
To remove private logbook data from iCloud, delete the entries in the app [CONFIRM] or manage iCloud storage in iOS Settings. Deleting the app removes the data saved on your iPhone. You can also stop using Sign in with Apple for Ofishal Forecast in iOS Settings → your name → Sign-In & Security → Sign in with Apple.
To ask what data we hold about you, or to have it removed, email [email protected]. We will respond within [CONFIRM] 30 days.
How long we keep data
Public content stays until you or we remove it. [CONFIRM] (any retention period for removed or reported content.)
Reporting and blocking
You can report a post and block another angler in the app. Blocking is saved on your iPhone. [CONFIRM] (how reports reach you and how quickly objectionable content is reviewed.)
Children
Ofishal Forecast is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. [CONFIRM] (minimum age and App Store age rating.) If you believe a child has shared information through the app, contact us and we will delete it.
This website
This website does not use cookies, analytics or ad trackers. It is served by Cloudflare, which may process standard technical data such as IP addresses to deliver and protect the site.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, we will update it here and change the effective date above. Significant changes will also be noted in the app [CONFIRM].
Contact
Email [email protected] with any privacy question or request.