Freshwater - Fishing On SI - Sports Illustrated

Freshwater

Anglers working the riverbank for African tigerfish.

On the Okavango River in Africa, I search for tigerfish, navigating hippos, bird-filled channels, and the kind of strikes that can yank your fly rod out of your hands.

Anglers working the riverbank for African tigerfish.

Destinations

On the Okavango River in Africa, I search for tigerfish, navigating hippos, bird-filled channels, and the kind of strikes that can yank your fly rod out of your hands.

Recent Articles

The face of a brawler.

Destinations

How a simple email turned into a week chasing tigerfish in Botswana.

Warm late-winter days before ice-out can produce some of the most aggressive perch fishing of the season, as fish feed heavily in preparation for spawning.

Freshwater

Late-season ice fishing often produces the biggest perch of the year. Learn where to find late-ice perch, the best lures to use, and how to fish safely.

After the Seagrass Collapse, Is Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Again?; Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes — and a Problem; Svivlo Draken ONE Baitcaster Review: Is This Really a Backlash-Free Reel?

Fly Fishing

After the Seagrass Collapse, Is Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Again?; Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes — and a Problem; Svivlo Draken ONE Baitcaster Review: Is This Really a Backlash-Free Reel?

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.

Freshwater

Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes and a Problem; Win an Ice Fishing Derby Without Cheating; Burbot Ice Fishing Is Booming.

A winter spotted bass caught on fly.

Fly Fishing

Bass don’t disappear in winter – they move. Here’s where to find them and how to catch them on a fly rod, when cold water changes everything.

Jon Kroll of Ashland, Wis., displays a 14-pound Lake Superior eelpout. This fish is longer than the existing state record, but came up a little short of record weight.

Freshwater

Burbot ice fishing is booming during late ice. Once overlooked, these freshwater cod are now one of the most compelling targets of the season.

The look on the rescuer’s face suggested this wasn’t his first call like this, and possibly not the first time we had met under these circumstances.

Freshwater

A snapped steering cable left Joe Shead four miles offshore on Lake Superior — and reminded him he’s better at getting towed than maintaining his boat.

Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes — and a Problem; How to Win an Ice Fishing Derby Without Cheating; The Fish That Becomes an Obsession for Fly Anglers.

Freshwater

Five Miles From the Truck, With a Limit of Walleyes — and a Problem; How to Win an Ice Fishing Derby Without Cheating; The Fish That Becomes an Obsession for Fly Anglers.

Five miles from the truck, after dark, with a limit of walleyes — and a treble hook I didn’t plan on bringing home.

Freshwater

Joe Shead finished his walleye limit while ice fishing on a remote Minnesota reef — then buried a treble hook in his thumb five miles from the truck.

Ice Fishing River Backwaters for Slab Crappies; California Beaches, Redwoods & Big Fish on the Fly; Why My Longtime Goal to Bass Fish Okeechobee Keeps Sending Me Somewhere Else

Freshwater

Ice Fishing River Backwaters for Slab Crappies; California Beaches, Redwoods & Big Fish on the Fly; Why My Longtime Goal to Bass Fish Okeechobee Keeps Sending Me Somewhere Else.

YETI gear is built for the cold and ready for the catch.

Gear Reviews

Hit the ice with this YETI bucket seat, blanket, cooler and tumbler this winter to keep drinks hot, fish fresh, and yourself comfortable.

Trophies line the stage as anglers compete on the ice during a midwinter fishing derby.

Freshwater

Want to win your next ice fishing derby? Learn smart strategies serious anglers use to beat the odds and maximize their chances at big prizes.

There are only pretty steelhead in the Smith River.

Destinations

The best fly fishing in Northern California, from coastal steelhead rivers to stillwater bass fishing.

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.

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.

Taking kids ice fishing is a good way to get them interested in the outdoors. Keep them warm and entertained and your fishing trip will be a positive experience.

Freshwater

Cold fingers and boredom end trips fast. These lessons help make ice fishing with kids warm, fun, and worth repeating.

Women often outfish men, which can hurt a guy's fragile ego.

Freshwater

Fishing with women often reveals more about a guy’s ego than his fishing skills. A humorous, self-aware look at patience, humility, and partnership.

This is the day a small New England river finally revealed a reliable winter crappie pattern.

Freshwater

River backwaters offer safe ice and predictable winter habitat. Learn how to locate, fish, and stay safe while ice fishing for slab crappies.

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.

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.

Midwinter perch can often be found on deep mud flats. Use large spoons to get down quickly and attract fish from a distance.

Freshwater

Midwinter perch often abandon weeds for deep mud flats. Here’s how to find roaming schools, choose the right lures, and stay on fish all winter.

The Rapala Busch Light Original Giant Lure will add fishing flair and originality to any cottage, office, or man cave wall.

Freshwater

Rapala’s new Busch Light Original Giant Lure turns one of fishing’s most iconic crankbaits into a bold wall display for cabins, offices, and man caves.

Big 'bows still eat in the cold.

Destinations

Cold temperatures thin the crowds—but not the trout. In North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, tailwaters and sun-warmed freestones keep fish active all winter long.

The transducer's cone angle is important: the wider the cone angle, the more of the bottom you can see.

Freshwater

Fish finder cone angle and depth dramatically change how much bottom your electronics see. Learn how wide, medium, and narrow transducers really work.

A little more than an hour outside of Charlotte, NC, can get you into some good striped bass fishing on a fly rod.

Destinations

Striped bass fishing on a fly rod, and a legit food scene. You can find it in Charlotte, NC, and both are exceptional.