Teen Angler Lands Back-to-Back Monster Catfish and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

These 3 stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

Teen Angler Lands Back-to-Back Monster Catfish, Including 109-Pound Giant; Hawks Cay Resort: My Base for World-Class Florida Keys Fly Fishing; Inside Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze | River Nicklen | Hawks Cay Resort | Kurt Mazurek

In case they slipped by you, following are the most read fishing stories of the week: Teen Angler Lands Back-to-Back Monster Catfish, Including 109-Pound Giant; Hawks Cay Resort: My Base for World-Class Florida Keys Fly Fishing; Inside Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze

1.) Teen Angler Lands Back-to-Back Monster Catfish, Including 109-Pound Giant

14 year old River Nicklen with one of his massive hauls | River Nicklen

Fourteen-year-old River Nicklen is going to have a difficult time topping his late August fishing trip for the rest of his life.

The British schoolboy landed two monster catfish in one epic night at Houchins, a private fishing complex in Essex, a county to the northeast of London.

It was supposed to be about catching the last of the summer warmth and camping by a lake.

“I came to Houchins with little hope of catching because of this heat we’ve had this summer but this was the only time my dad could get a day off because he’s busy at work,” said Nicklen.



The elder Nicklen ended up with not even a bite, while his son landed two enormous fish several hours a apart…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) Hawks Cay Resort: My Base for World-Class Florida Keys Fly Fishing

An aerial view of Hawks Cay Resort on Duck Key. You are right there in the middle of great fishing grounds, simple access to it, and easy livin. | Photo provided by Hawks Cay Resort

I wanted to hook a big tarpon; I wanted to chase some juvenile tarpon with an 8-weight fly rod, and I wanted to get some hours in sight-casting to redfish. If a snook crossed my path, that would be a bonus.

Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys promised me they could help with all of the above. Plus, I would stay in a comfortable villa, and they would set me up with a guide who could put me on all these fish.

Everything I needed would be available to me; I could get lost in fishing for a few days, and all my basic comforts would be within walking distance…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

3.) Inside Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze

One bait in focus, and imitators filling in behind it — the exact scene playing out on tackle shop shelves right now. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

If you’ve been able to get your hands on an original Hideup Coike in the past month, you’re either very lucky or well connected. “Sold Out” is what the rest of us are finding. After multiple high-profile tournament wins, proven success on both sides of bass fishing's biggest technology debate, and nearly every soft plastic manufacturer—from garage crafters to industry giants—racing to build its own version, the urchin-style bait category has quickly transitioned from a popular trend to a full-blown craze.

Baits like these started to creep into the consciousness of American bass anglers after a couple of strong showings by Elite anglers, Taku Ito and Kyoya Fujita. While their performances were worth noting, those guys are well-known as specialists who utilize forward-facing sonar. That put those “crazy looking baits” they were throwing in a category that a huge percentage of anglers wouldn’t touch.

But then, during a one-month period late this past spring, anglers won three major tournaments on three different lakes throwing an urchin-style bait—without FFS…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.