Recreation specialization and consumptive orientation are two important constructs to understand anglers’ attitudes and behaviors. Although theoretical explanations and previous studies in different countries addressed the relationships between the two constructs, limited support has been provided in a context of anglers in Korea. This study developed a conceptual model explaining the causal relationships between recreation specialization, anglers’ preferences (activity-specific and activity-general) and consumptive orientation. An on-site survey was conducted to anglers in the city of Busan and Gyeongnam province in 2018. A total of 614 data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling The study results showed that recreation specialization positively and indirectly influenced consumptive orientation via anglers’ activity-specific and activity-general preferences. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.