Top 10 Fishing Spots in Zambia
Zambia sits at the heart of southern Africa's river system, a landlocked country drained by some of the continent's most productive fishing rivers. The Zambezi — which forms Zambia's southern border with Zimbabwe — is the country's most famous fishing river, carrying enormous volumes of water over Victoria Falls and through Batoka Gorge before widening into the Upper Kariba reservoir. Above the falls, the Upper Zambezi meanders through floodplains and papyrus swamps where tigerfish, bream, and yellow-billed stork fish the same shallows. The Kafue River, deeper into the country's interior, is even more remote and arguably holds greater diversity: bream species, tilapia, nkupe, and the occasional vundu catfish that can reach 50 kilograms. Between these two river systems, Zambia offers freshwater fishing of a quality that rivals any destination in Africa.
Tigerfish on the Upper Zambezi
The stretch of the Zambezi above Victoria Falls — from Livingstone north toward the Caprivi Strip border — is Africa's premier tigerfish water. The tigerfish here, Hydrocynus vittatus, run to 10 kilograms and are known for acrobatic fights that leave anglers with sore forearms and frayed leader material. Chessa Point, a well-known camp on the Zambian bank, positions anglers in prime territory near mid-river islands where the current accelerates through rocky channels. The best tigerfish fishing occurs from September through December when water levels drop and fish concentrate in pools.
Victoria Falls Area
Below the main falls at Livingstone, the Zambezi enters a series of deep basalt gorges carved through the Batoka landscape. Fishing in the gorges themselves is restricted for safety reasons, but the pools immediately above the falls — accessible from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean banks — hold tigerfish, large bream, and the occasional banded tilapia. The roar of the falls carries upstream for several kilometres, and fishing within earshot of one of the world's great waterfalls is an experience that combines spectacle with substance.
Kafue River at Kafue National Park
The Kafue River runs through Kafue National Park — at 22,000 square kilometres one of the largest national parks in Africa — and provides excellent fishing in one of the continent's most spectacular wildlife settings. Three-spotted bream, green-headed bream, and the large Kafue pike (a cichlid, not a true pike) dominate the catch alongside tilapia and nkupe. Fishing camps within the park require guests to hold a valid national park fishing permit, issued at park gates. The remote northern sector around Kapinga ya Ngombe camp is particularly good for undisturbed river fishing.
Lake Kariba: The Zambian Shore
Lake Kariba, created by the Kariba Dam in 1959, straddles the Zambia-Zimbabwe border. The Zambian shore, accessed from Siavonga, is less visited than the Zimbabwean bank and consequently holds less fishing pressure. Vundu catfish up to 30 kilograms are caught on dead baitfish worked near underwater structure. Tigerfish, breams, and the large kapenta — a small sardine that supports the lake's commercial fishery — create a complex ecosystem. Tilapia fishing on light tackle in the bays near Siavonga is particularly productive from May through August.
Mulungushi Boating Club Waters
The Mulungushi Reservoir, northeast of Lusaka near Kabwe, is home to the Mulungushi Boating Club — one of the oldest organized fishing venues in Zambia. The reservoir holds largemouth bass (introduced decades ago), bream, and tilapia in a setting of flooded woodland and exposed red laterite shores. Bass between 1.5 and 3 kilograms are the target for visiting sport anglers; the club maintains basic facilities including a slipway and covered braai area. Fishing is at its best from April to August when water temperatures drop to their winter minimum.
Bangweulu Wetlands
The Bangweulu Wetlands in northern Zambia form one of Africa's largest freshwater ecosystems — a vast expanse of grass floodplain and permanent lagoons that shifts dramatically with the seasonal flood. The wetlands hold large populations of endemic bream species, barbel, and the enormous Nile perch equivalent of the region: the mpumbu, a species of labeo that migrates seasonally through the swamps. Fishing from mokoros (dugout canoes) guided by local fishermen from Chiundaponde or Chilubi Island is the most practical approach.
Luangwa River
The Luangwa River, which drains eastern Zambia into the Zambezi at Luangwa town, passes through two national parks — South Luangwa and North Luangwa. It holds excellent tigerfish, tilapia, and large catfish in its middle reaches. Fishing is best in the dry season from May to October when the river retreats to its main channel and hippo and crocodile are concentrated in known pools — which means maintaining constant awareness of your surroundings. Guided fishing from South Luangwa camps around Mfuwe is available through several operators.
Zambezi Floodplains West of Livingstone
West of Livingstone, the Zambezi spreads across the Barotse Floodplain — known locally as the Barotseland. From January through April, the plain floods to a depth of two to three metres, creating an immense temporary lake that drains back into the main channel by June. As the water retreats, bream, tilapia, and catfish concentrate at the mouths of drainage channels in enormous numbers. Local fishing camps at Mongu and Limulunga position anglers to intercept this seasonal bonanza.
Lake Tanganyika at Mpulungu
Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-deepest lake at 1,470 metres maximum depth, touches Zambia's northern tip at the port town of Mpulungu. The lake holds Nile perch, the unique Lake Tanganyika tilapia, and several species of endemic cichlids. Sport fishing for Nile perch (locally called sangala) from Mpulungu produces fish up to 40 kilograms on trolled surface lures. The lake's water is extraordinarily clear — visibility can exceed 20 metres — giving trolling a visual dimension rare in African freshwater fishing.
Explore on the map
Zambia's fishing landscape spans some of Africa's most powerful rivers and most remote wetlands, from Chessa Point on the Upper Zambezi to the clear depths of Lake Tanganyika and the reed-fringed channels of the Bangweulu Wetlands. Explore the full picture on the map, and locate Zambia on the map to plan your river adventure.