An African Fly Fishing Trip Takes Unexpected Turn and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

In case they slipped by you, following are the most read fishing stories of the week. A Fly Fishing Trip to Africa Took an Unexpected Turn on Safari; The Strange Spiny Lure Taking Over Bass Fishing in 2026; I Didn’t Expect the Best Bass Fishing of My Trip to Happen at Disney World.

1.) A Fly Fishing Trip to Africa Took an Unexpected Turn on Safari

A male lion looking fiercely at the lens as it is walking towards the photographer. — An older male lion with fiercely intense eyes. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Halfway through my trip to Africa, I was offered a chance to go on a safari with Desert and Delta Safaris. They arranged my stay at the Nxamaseri Island Lodge, and now they invited me on a safari. You would think I said yes right away, but the fishing for tigerfish was too good, I didn't want to leave the river.

Keep hunting for the big fish, or experience lions, elephants, and other African game in the wild?

I put the fly rod away and unpacked my camera and long lens. I caught a lot of fish in the last three days. I wanted to take a picture of a lion. And not just a lion but a lion in the wild.

On the day of the safari, I climb into an open-top SUV. Our safari guide explains some rules to us so we don't get mauled or skewered, and then we slowly move through the bush…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) The Strange Spiny Lure Taking Over Bass Fishing in 2026

Coike soft plastic bait — The Coike, spiny ball, or urchin-bait is the hottest bass lure in the country right now. | Dave Rush, Outdoor Brand Team

The Coike, a dense elastomer ball covered in soft spines, looks more like a sea urchin than a bass lure. Over the past year it has become one of the most talked-about baits in professional bass fishing.

A little over a year ago, I attended a writer’s conference at Lake Hartwell, South Carolina. Among the various fishing brands present was a Japanese company called Hideup, which offered an assortment of odd-looking, spiny soft plastic baits called the Coike. They’d been popular in Japan for some time, but were just entering the US market.

While intrigued, I assumed the unusual baits were likely a passing novelty, stuffed them in my bag, and mostly forgot about them. But the following weekend…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

3.) I Didn’t Expect the Best Bass Fishing of My Trip to Happen at Disney World

The author and his fishing guide holding up several big largemouth bass with Disney World's Cinderella's Castle behind them. — Big bass, Disney backdrop—Seven Seas Lagoon delivered one of the best bites of our Florida trip. | Kurt Mazurek

I never would have guessed the best bass fishing of our Florida adventure would happen in the middle of Walt Disney World. But as the sun came up over Seven Seas Lagoon, Space Mountain and Cinderella’s Castle, another nice largemouth in the net made it difficult to argue otherwise.

This wasn’t a kiddie attraction. It wasn’t an “as long as you’re here, you might as well” activity.  It was real bass fishing—diverse structure and environment, consistent action, solid fish, and photo opportunities unique to this one iconic destination.

And somehow, most anglers have no idea it exists…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.