Gone Fishing: Best Fishing Destinations

Fishing is as compelling of a holiday idea as many others. Fishing offers the perfect mix of location and relaxation. As this list suggests, it can be a romantic idea or a challenge for one to rise to. Summer after summer as a teenager, my friends and I would plan that great fishing adventure. Here are some destinations for you to plan your own great fishing adventure.

Umba River, Kola Peninsula

There are very few salmon fishing experiences like this one. From the geography to the adventure of just getting to the Kola Peninsula, Umba River is unrivaled and unique.

In the cold Russian winter, you can expect Aurora Borealis, reindeer, and snow. However, come salmon season — May to the end of October — you’ll be accompanied by herds of other fisherfolk.

The 76-mile long Umba River is home to some of the fattest Atlantic salmon, a salmon fisher’s dream. On top of that, it is said that Umba has five salmon runs per year, which amounts to a near-constant stream of fish.

While wading the isolated Umba and having bears as competition is, fishing on Umba River is an experience like no other.

Manaus, Brazil

We have all seen distinctly average horror-films to make us scared of piranhas. However, very few of those films have enlightened its viewers on the virtues of piranha fishing.

Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonia, is a great spot for some piranha fishing. Just be careful when you go. July to October is dry season, which means the piranhas are particularly hungry and aggressive.

From Manaus, you can latch onto many different tours that offer piranha eating and fishing. Just be aware that their razor-sharp teeth can cut through steel hooks.

Eg-Uur River Basin, Mongolia

Mongolia’s Eg-Uur River Basin is a haven for the rarely found taimen, one of the largest trout species. Locally, these fish grow up to 6.5 feet long and 198 pounds. Considering the taimen’s size and weight, you’ll want to prepare for the June to November season with a few months in the gym.

Moreover, a strict catch-and-release policy is enforced.

Tierra Del Fuego

Tierra Del Fuego, or the “Land of Fire”, would be better called Tierra Del Trucha Marron, “the Land of Brown Trout”.

This archipelago off the coasts of Argentina and Chile is known for having the world’s best brown trout angling, where the minimum average weight is nine pounds. Apparently, one out of every 50 catches is above 24 pounds. Even better, there are about 70,000 brown trout in Tierra Del Fuego.

If you are in the mood for some brown trout fishing, then aim for December to mid-April.

Panama

In contrast to other destinations on this list, Panama is a bit of an all-rounder, offering keen fishers a variety of fish and locations.

Panama is known for its tuna, for which you’ll need to wade out into Panama’s glorious bay. Head out to Zane Grey Bank and Hannibal for schools of tuna navigating these iconic seamounts amongst vast schools of dolphins. On top of this, Closer to the shore, there are topwater predators like the cubera snapper, bluefin trevally, and roosterfish amongst the many other game fish.

As long as you can handle the Fall rain on the coast, you can fish basically all-year-round.

Florida Keys

Like Panama, you can fish all year-round. Even though winters can be a bit hard, it’s a great time to sail out to the outer reefs.

What makes the Florida Keys a great fishing destination isn’t so much what you’ll be catching, but the climate, scenery, and plentiful hotel choices. Even on your least successful days, you’ll want to stay out all day.

The Florida Keys is an angling-oriented community with some of the best guide and charters money can buy. It’s ideal regardless of whether you are an expert looking to fish barracuda or just starting out on snapper.

The Bahamas

Compared to other countries close to the United States, the Bahamas stands alone for its flats and the size of its bonefish. Great Abaco Island stands out, drawing in sea fishers as its guides, tours, and experts take you out into its deep waters for barracuda, tuna, and marlin. Around Abaco, Andros, and Long Islands, the flats and shallows hold a vast array of fish. You might even find the ray-finned tarpon!

In the Bahamas, the culture exists to make it a dream fishing destination. You can fish any time of year. Just beware of hurricane season in late summer and early fall.

Honduras

Fisherfolk will love Honduras for two key reasons: you can fish all year round and the range of fish is uniquely tropical.

The island of Roatan is home to miles of pristine, perfect flats, which is an ideal habitat for bonefish. Thousands of anglers a year visit the Bay Islands to chase the surly, moody “permit”, a fish that has frustrated anglers the world over. You’ll also find tarpon, snook, barracuda, jack crevalle, snapper, and grouper around Honduras, giving you the opportunity to explore a whole range of different fishing types.

Although Honduras is hot all year round, with lows of around 14 degrees, you may want to avoid fishing in its wet season from May to October.

Congo

Fishing in the Congo is not for the faint of heart.

Once you have navigated the country’s tension, conflict, and lack of infrastructure, you’ll have to take on the goliath tigerfish. Viewed as Africa’s equivalent of the piranha, this huge brute terrifies all other fish populations. Known-locally as the Mbenga, it can be as large as five feet and 155 kg with a temper as sharp as its teeth. Catching this tigerfish is more like a battle. As a fish known to have eaten crocodiles and children, it is little wonder fishing the Congo is one of the world’s greatest fishing challenges.

If this challenge interests you, make sure to go during Congo’s dry season between June and October.

Sergii Sobolevskyi / Shutterstock

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