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EveryFish

Sport fishing

Prized by anglers. 302 fish on EveryFish so far.

Sport fishing, or recreational angling, is fishing for enjoyment rather than a living. Hundreds of millions of people fish this way, from children with a line in a pond to anglers who travel the world for marlin, tarpon or mahseer. Game fish are prized for their fight, size, wariness or the places they live. Catch and release, in which fish are returned alive, has become common for many species.

Game fish of India

The mahseers of the Himalaya and the Western Ghats are India's great game fish, known for their power in fast rivers. British anglers wrote about them from the 19th century, and camps on the Kaveri ran catch and release fishing for the hump-backed mahseer for decades. Trout introduced into Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the Nilgiris draw anglers to cold streams. Sea anglers fish for giant trevally, barracuda and sailfish off Goa, Karnataka and the Andaman Islands.

Rules and conservation

Recreational fishing is a large industry in North America, Europe and Australia, and it funds a good deal of fish conservation through licence fees. Anglers can also put real pressure on stocks, so many countries set seasons, bag limits and minimum sizes. The International Game Fish Association, founded in 1939, keeps world records and promotes ethical angling. Catch and release survival depends on careful handling, short fights and quick return.

Famous sport fishing fish

Golden mahseerThe golden mahseer of Himalayan riversOrange-finned mahseerThe hump-backed mahseer of the KaveriAtlantic blue marlinA giant billfish prized by sea anglersAtlantic tarponA leaping fish of warm coastsLargemouth bassAmerica's most popular sport fishBrown troutStocked for anglers across the worldGiant trevallyA powerful reef predatorBonefishA fast fish of tropical flats

Further reading

GroupSharkRayCarpCatfishSalmonidHerringCodTunaPerch-likeCichlidReef fishEelFlatfishLivebearerAncientOther
WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest firstBy size
🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreChum salmon A Pacific salmon species known for its large size and wide distribution across the North Pacific.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1836 🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreMasu salmon Pacific salmonid native to East Asian coasts and rivers.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United StatesCutthroat trout A group of Pacific trout native to western North America, known for red throat markings.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1793 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreSea trout Anadromous form of brown trout that migrates between sea and rivers.Salmonid · Between sea and river 🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreOncorhynchus A genus of migratory fish native to the North Pacific basin.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes WorldBrown trout A widespread salmonid with river, lake and sea forms.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreDolly Varden trout A cold-water char native to the North Pacific rim.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇮🇹 Italy and 4 moreMarble trout Adriatic freshwater salmonid with marbled skinSalmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreCoho salmon Anadromous Pacific salmon known for silver ocean phase and red spawning colours.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes North AmericaRainbow trout A cold-water trout native to the Pacific basin with a distinctive red stripe.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇳🇴 Norway and 4 moreAtlantic salmon A large anadromous fish found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and its rivers.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreChinook salmon The largest Pacific salmon species, prized for size and food value.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes WorldArctic char Cold-water salmonid native to Arctic and alpine waters.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇺🇸 United StatesCoastal cutthroat trout A Pacific trout with red throat marksSalmonid · Rivers and lakes

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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