

The archipelago boasts the world’s best sea-run brown trout angling: the minimum average weight of the region’s brown trout is 4kg (one in 50 catches are said to be 11kg or above), and the Rio Grande teems with an estimated 70,000 of the prized fish. Tierra del Fuego is Spanish for ‘Land of Fire’, and au fait fly-fishers couldn’t agree more: when it comes to trout, this place is hot. Brown trout, Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego Squid season in Halong begins in April and runs through until January: the biggest squid are caught between October and November. The stillness of the bay dotted by the dreamy reflection of the lamps makes for a contemplative, romantic evening. With only a bamboo rod, a catch net and a lamp to attract the squid to the surface, anyone can hook themselves an impressive 30-plus squid in just a couple of hours. Dozens of junks ply the bay’s jade-green waters on moonless evenings, fishing for the slippery little cephalopods that go into the region’s best-known speciality: squid sausages. The word ‘squid’ mightn’t conjure up the warm-and-fuzzies right now, but after a night on Halong Bay, that will change. Head to for full details on the Ice Fishing Extravaganza held each January. Organisers pre-drill 20,000 holes into the thankfully very well-frozen Gull Lake, from which (d)anglers pull up walleye, perch and bass. The annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is the largest of its kind in the world, attracting more than 12,000 hopefuls keen on the cold… and on hooking themselves a cool US$150,000 worth of prizes. Ice fishing, Brainerd, USAĭo you like to dig holes in ice and stare into them for a long time? Then the central-Minnesota town of Brainerd is your dream destination. The best time to catch one is during the Congo’s dry season, June to October. If you want to battle the mbenga, you must join an organised excursion for your own safety.
