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EveryFish

Sport fishing

Prized by anglers. 165 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 riversLargemouth bassAmerica's most popular sport fishBrown troutStocked for anglers across the world

Still to be written: Tor remadeviae, Atlantic blue marlin, Atlantic tarpon, Giant trevally, Bonefish.

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
🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreSockeye salmon Anadromous Pacific salmon known for red spawning colour and zooplankton diet.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇺🇸 United StatesCutthroat trout A group of Pacific trout native to western North America, known for red throat markings.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1793 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreKokanee salmon A landlocked freshwater form of the sockeye salmon found in North America and Japan.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreSea trout Anadromous form of brown trout that migrates between sea and rivers.Salmonid · Between sea and river 🇯🇵 JapanBiwa trout Salmonid fish endemic to Lake Biwa in JapanSalmonid · Rivers and lakes · 2025 🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreOncorhynchus A genus of migratory fish native to the North Pacific basin.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreBrook trout A colorful freshwater char native to eastern North America, known for its spotted pattern and status as a popular game fSalmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1814 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreBull trout A large char native to cold rivers of northwestern North America.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1836 WorldBrown trout A widespread salmonid with river, lake and sea forms.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreHuchen A large freshwater salmonid native to the Danube basin in Central and Eastern Europe.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreSiberian taimen The world's largest salmonid, found in Eurasian rivers.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreSakhalin taimen Large, ancient salmonid of Northeast AsiaSalmonid · 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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