The Panhandle is arguably Botswana’s finest fishing destination, with lodges like Nxamaseri offering top class fishing activities for all levels of experience and expertise. Fly-fishing and lure-fishing are both on offer, with specialised fishing boats and equipment provided for both disciplines, although more advanced fly-fishermen might want to bring their own gear. The prize catch to pull out from these waters is the fabled tigerfish, which is most abundant from roughly September through to February, when the water levels are low and fish congregate in the permanent channels.
Numbers can get particularly concentrated during the spectacular catfish run from September to late October, when smaller fish respond to the dropping water levels by forming huge groups, which in turn attracts predatory species such as catfish and tigerfish. A catch and release policy is almost always enforced, as with fishing in the Delta, but there is still a distinct thrill to reeling in a large, impressive specimen such as a tigerfish, and when the excitement dies down you can enjoy the ambience of being out on a boat with a cold sundowner in hand.