On the water
A striped, sharp-toothed predator that strikes hard and leaps clear of the water — the tigerfish draws anglers to Zambia’s rivers season after season.
Tiger fishing in Zambia is catch-and-release angling for one of Africa’s great freshwater game fish. The tigerfish is a sleek, silver predator with dark horizontal stripes, red-tinged fins and prominent teeth, known for violent strikes and acrobatic jumps. On the Lower Zambezi you fish from a small motorboat with a guide, working channel edges and island tips while elephants and hippos go about their day.
What makes it work on a safari is flexibility. Many riverside camps offer fishing as one activity among many, so an angler can spend a morning on the water while a partner takes a walk or a canoe safari, and you meet for lunch. The upper Zambezi above Livingstone and the Kafue River offer different waters, each with its own rules.
Tiger fishing on the Zambezi
We choose camps that offer fishing for your dates and find out what tackle they provide, so you know whether to bring your own.
You head out by motorboat with a fishing guide, often early or late in the day, when tigerfish tend to feed most actively.
You fish from the boat, casting lures or flies or trolling along channel edges, drop-offs and confluences where the guide knows the fish hold.
Fish are landed quickly, unhooked by the guide and released, with any photographs taken close to the water.
Wildlife comes with it: most outings double as a boat safari, and you’re back in camp for brunch or the afternoon activity.
Tiger fishing on the Zambezi
Where to go
Zambia’s water safari, half an hour by air from Lusaka: canoeing, boating, walking and drives on the Zambezi floodplain.
Explore
The Zambian gateway to Victoria Falls: Knife-edge Bridge, Livingstone Island, rhino walks and quiet upper-Zambezi lodges.
Explore
Zambia’s oldest and largest park: the Busanga Plains in the dry season, river camps with long seasons and an easy road link to Livingstone.
ExploreSafaris
Lusaka · Mfuwe Airport · South Luangwa · Lower Zambezi · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
First-time visitors to Zambia who want walking, water and the falls in one well-paced trip
Lusaka · Lower Zambezi · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
Honeymooners and anniversary couples who want a gently paced safari with water and privacy
Lusaka · Busanga Plains · Kafue National Park · Livingstone · Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya)
Repeat safari-goers and photographers who want space, few vehicles and landscapes unlike the valley parks
Good to know
The legal season runs from 1 March to 30 November, and tigerfish are most active in the warmer, clearer water of the dry season. September and October are usually considered the best months on the Lower Zambezi, though the heat is intense. Fishing is closed from December to February for breeding.
Inside the national parks, catch-and-release is the norm and is generally required, and most riverside camps follow it wherever they fish. Fish are handled quickly and returned to the water. Your camp explains any local rules, including limits outside the parks.
Not usually. Most camps that offer fishing supply rods, reels and lures suited to tigerfish. Serious anglers often bring their own favorite rod, reels and flies, but check they fit within the light-aircraft luggage limit before you pack.
Yes, and that’s part of the appeal. A non-angling partner can ride along for the scenery and birdlife, or take a walk, game drive or canoe outing from the same camp, and you regroup for meals. Many couples split their mornings this way and share the afternoon activity.
Experiences
On the water
Paddle a two-person canoe down the Zambezi’s side channels with a trained river guide, at eye level with elephants on the banks.
Share your dates, who is coming and whether you want to walk, paddle or simply watch. A safari specialist will design a private Zambia journey around the seasons, with nothing booked until you approve it.
Plan My Zambia Safari