Influencers Take On The High Seas In OFTV’s New Reality Show 'Reel Rivals'

Social media stars are swapping filters for fishing rods in "Reel Rivals," the latest reality competition show streaming on OFTV.

Produced by outdoor creator Isla Moon, the series brings together some of the internet’s most recognizable influencers for a high-stakes fishing challenge unlike any other.

Described as a mix between "Love Island Games," "Too Hot to Handle," and Nat Geo’s "Fish My City," but without the male gaze or unnecessary drama, the goal of "Reel Rivals" is simple: outfish the competition and claim the $20,000 grand prize.

Among the contestants vying for the title of ultimate fishing champion are Ara Bozorgian (2.1M Instagram followers), Bryce Adams (1.3M followers), and Dan Dangler (1.6M followers), who will battle it out aboard a luxury yacht in Miami.

The twist? None of them are professional anglers. With zero fishing experience, they must navigate unpredictable challenges, reeling in everything from sharks to mahi mahi, all while proving that influencer-led content is changing the reality TV landscape.

“I wanted to take models who are super polished on Instagram and throw them somewhere where they can get down and dirty,” Moon exclusively told The Blast. “As models, we’re constantly filtering everything that we post, so I wanted to push a different narrative and show that there are other facets to creators. We just don’t explore it enough.”

With so many dating shows out there already filled with "over-scripted" and "repetitive" relationship drama, Isla wanted to try and "create the same drama through competition and high-pressure situations."

"You would see that a lot of times on reality shows like 'Wipeout,' which has obstacle courses and is a very physical-based competition," she told The Blast. "I personally love these kinds of shows and watching people get wrecked a little bit. It's kind of funny. I feel like I'm creating a show that I want to watch. I know from my fan base that people really like watching fishing, so I wanted to throw a bunch of people in that environment and see what happens.”

In regard to scripting, Isla confirmed they "decided not to script anything and run with what happens." On set, if something happened during the competitions, they would "let it ride out."

"Obviously, we have our outline of how the show is structured, but during the editing process, the story editors would look over all the footage and come up with a story for each person based on what actually happened," she explained. "It’s harder, but it's refreshing. It comes off super personable.”

So why influencers? Well, Isla said it's because "we are often misunderstood, but we know what our audiences want."

“Creators and influencers add a whole different perspective. They’re very interesting people," she told The Blast. "Through working with all of these people on the show, I realized how multifaceted they are. There's so much to them, and they’re more than actors. They already want to be online and share their personality, as opposed to reality stars who join these shows [whose] focus is different."

Isla further explained how being a creator influenced the way she approached producing the new reality show, explaining that because of her passion, she knows what her audience is looking for.

"I knew that if I wanted to base a show on influencers, I had to show them on the social media side of things," she said. "I also knew I wanted to appeal to influencers, so that’s why having a social media presence for the show was a big priority. It makes a show a lot more engaging, and it’s something that’s missing from some reality TV. You need to form your community."

Her passion for filming played a key role throughout the production process. With a strong understanding of camera work, she provided input on effective angles, visually appealing shots, and the best gear to use. She also knew how to communicate these ideas to the director of photography.

Beyond filming, her experience extended to post-production, where she was able to identify key elements and offer clear direction during the editing process.

Many of the cast and crew initially formed their impressions of Isla through her social media presence, where she is known for her playful and lighthearted personality. However, they were soon surprised by her ability to switch gears and take a more professional, business-minded approach when necessary.

One of the biggest challenges she faced was defining her hosting style. Over the course of the season, she gradually found her footing, evolving from a content creator into a confident host.

Another big challenge?  “Making sure we had fish each time was a big challenge, especially when there were days that were too wavy," she admitted. "And we’d have to fish in the intercoastal area in Florida. We’d be wondering if we even have an episode."

"While fishing one day, one of the contestants caught a really big barracuda, but then an angler who is known to everyone in Florida as Mark The Shark came by on his boat and rode over our line, and it got caught, and we lost the fish," Isla teased. "We were all screaming at each other. The best part was that his kid drew a picture of the event and Mark sent it to us. It was hilarious.”

"Reel Rivals" not only delivers high-stakes competition but also showcases the growing influence of creator-led reality TV,

“This is definitely only the start," she said of the future of creator-driven reality competition. "The film industry underestimates influencers when it comes to casting us in stuff. Creators can be part of the cast members, but they have a lot to offer behind the scenes as well when it comes to making decisions on the creative side of things. It adds a whole new perspective."

She continued, "Even some of the editors from our show who have been doing this for decades, were saying how refreshing it was for them. Also, not everyone is going to be the best actor, but if you think about the marketing side of things, it's super cool to have people who have an audience to promote your show. We're getting a lot of traction based on just having all of these people we can cross-promote with.”

Isla emphasized how excited she is to see how the "reaction morphs as the show progresses and even as I go on to work on future projects."

"Right now, there's some resistance, and some people think I’m leaving the influencer side of things and leaving them behind," she added. "But hopefully, soon, they’ll see that the point is to morph both of them together.”

And, with a $20,000 cash prize on the line, how competitive did things really get? “It was almost more of an ego competition than about the cash prize," Isla told The Blast. "Everyone wanted to be in as many episodes as they could. There’s some spicy rivalry between the guy versus girl episode, though.”

The first episode of "Reel Rivals" is available now.