In the age of social media, engaging and directly communicating with the general public has never been more accessible to researchers. However, establishing a platform to effectively communicate and connect with the public can be difficult. Here we present a case study of how Project Kingfish has successfully created an engaged online audience through transparent science communication, tag-and-release fishing competitions and collaborative research. Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) are one of Australia’s most valued recreational fisheries, with a large cohort of passionate recreational anglers. Project Kingfish, funded by the New South Wales DPIRD Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trust and Victorian Recreational Fishing Grants Program, collaborates with recreational fishers enabling two-way knowledge exchange and the successful tagging and tracking of large sexually mature kingfish. Social media enabled Project Kingfish to identify and recruit specialist kingfish anglers who are highly respected within the community. The collaboration with respected anglers ensured that the information communicated by Project Kingfish was trusted among the recreational fishing community more broadly, and allowed for more individuals, particularly those considered “hard-to-reach”, to be engaged. Additionally, their countless years of experience and expertise assisted with the deployment of satellite tags on mature-sized kingfish. Research outputs from Project Kingfish are communicated through social media platforms, reaching hundreds of thousands of individuals, and public talks showcase the impact fishing licence fees are having by funding research. Direct communication with the recreational fishing community allows for the promotion of sustainable fishing practices, and the ability to highlight research that will inform the management of the Eastern Australian kingfish stock. Engaging and bringing the angling community into the scientific process, builds scientific transparency and increases trust between the recreational fishing community and researchers. This encourages recreational fishers to share their own knowledge, observations and experiences, benefiting research projects. By establishing these collaborative relationships and two-way communication streams, the impact of a project can be amplified, particularly for species of high recreational importance and community value.