Kurt Mazurek

Joined: Nov 5, 2024

Kurt Mazurek writes about all things fishing and the outdoor lifestyle for Fishing On SI -a division of Sports Illustrated. Before writing On SI he enjoyed a successful career in the fishing industry, developing marketing campaigns and creative content for many of the sport’s most recognizable brands. He is a dedicated husband and father, an enthusiastic bass tournament competitor, YouTuber, photographer, musician, and author of the novel "Personal Best: fishing and life”.

Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes — and a Problem; How to Win an Ice Fishing Derby Without Cheating; Burbot Ice Fishing Is Booming — From Overlooked to Late-Ice Target.

Bass Fishing

The 2026 iKon Tailgate Tour features four Southeast qualifiers with $10,000 payouts and a no-entry-fee championship for non-pro anglers.

Fishing in central Florida offered a reminder that timing, conditions, and local knowledge often matter more than reputation.

Destinations

A lifelong goal to fish Lake Okeechobee led to the same advice eight years apart: listen to conditions, not reputation, when chasing Florida bass.

Freshwater

The Muddy Midwinter Perch Pattern Most Ice Anglers Miss; How Much of the Bottom Does My Fish Finder See While Ice Fishing?; Ice Fishing River Backwaters for Slab Crappies.

The best Valentine’s Day gifts for anglers are the ones that fit seamlessly into time spent on the water.

Gear Reviews

Thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift ideas for anglers, from practical upgrades to unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime. Field-tested picks they’ll actually use.

Bass Fishing

A new neutral world championship brings Bassmaster and MLF anglers together to settle the debate over who’s truly the best in pro bass fishing.

Bass Fishing

The 2026 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame ballot highlights the many ways anglers, innovators, and trailblazers have shaped the sport’s legacy.

Freshwater

How Much of the Bottom Does My Fish Finder See While Ice Fishing?; Why Ciscoes are My Favorite Fish to Pull Through the Ice; and Why the Best Ice Fishing Is Where Other Anglers Won’t Go.

In Key West, the decision not to fish shaped the experience just as much as any day on the water.

Destinations

Key West looked like a fishing dream, but conditions changed the plan. Here’s why I chose not to fish—and how I’d approach a return trip differently.

It probably makes perfect sense that the last week of January was dominated by ice fishing stories.

Freshwater

Fishing Lake Superior Lake Trout All Winter—Despite the Risks; Extra Effort Rewards Anglers With the best Ice Fishing; and An Unlikely Species Saves the Day of Ice Fishing.

Fans gather for the final weigh-in of the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series, setting the stage for a 2026 season shaped by schedule changes and new sonar limits.

Bass Fishing

The 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series begins with new forward-facing sonar limits, a diverse schedule, and unfamiliar challenges that could reshape the season.

Running across Lake Worth Lagoon, it was hard to believe how remote the water felt for a Palm Beach-area fishery.

Destinations

West Palm Beach surprised us with quiet water, a secluded campground, and a low-key day of fishing that revealed a very different side of Palm Beach.

Gear Reviews

In case they slipped by you, following are the most popular fishing stories of the week. Can AI plan a great day of fishing; MX star Malcolm Stewart has launched a fishing clothing brand; and a fly angler parasite in the Northeast.

Kurt Mazurek

Joined: Nov 5, 2024

A Perfect Walleye Evening—a Limit, a Scar and a Story and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

A Bug Bite That Changed the Way I Fish

Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes and a Problem—and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

Ice Fishing River Backwaters for Slab Crappies and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

Bass Fishing

Big-League Prizes. No Pros Allowed. The iKon Tailgate Tour Is Back

Destinations

Why My Longtime Goal to Bass Fish Okeechobee Keeps Sending Me Somewhere Else

Freshwater

The Muddy Midwinter Perch Pattern Most Ice Anglers Miss and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

Gear Reviews

Valentine’s Day Gifts Anglers Actually Want

Bass Fishing

What the New “The Champions” Tournament Means for Pro Bass Fishing

Bass Fishing

What Defines Bass Fishing Greatness?

Freshwater

Understanding What Your Fish Finder is Actually Showing You and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

Destinations

Why I Didn’t Fish Key West — And What I’d Do Differently Next Time

Fishing Lake Superior All Winter—Despite the Risks and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

What to Know About the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Season as New Sonar Limits Take Effect

Fishing West Palm Beach Felt More Remote Than We Imagined

AI Fishing Day vs. a Bass Pro and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI