Fishing on the brain? Keep fishing on your phone or tablet, even when you can't be on the water. This annotated list describes the features of some of the most popular fishing apps and online games available for iOS and Android devices.

Fishing Games and Apps

You can't be on the water casting, trolling, and jigging every day. But you can stay in practice and enjoy some of what draws you to fish with the plethora of online fishing games available. And when the season hits, you can assess conditions and log your catches and best locations with a fishing app or two! Here are a few highly-rated and popular games and apps for Android and iOS devices.

Games and Simulators

Carpcraft: Carp Fishing (iOS, Android, $2.49): Yes, this game is solely focused on carp. But there are many different kinds to catch, and reviews of this game tout it as so detailed that it is more of a fishing simulator than a game. So you're not playing. You're practicing!

Ace Fishing: Wild Catch (iOS, Android, free with in-app purchases): This is another fishing game full of realistic details. You must catch smaller fish to work up to larger, but as you do so, you'll also earn "money" to purchase equipment improvements.

Fishing Strike (iOS, Android, free with in-app purchases): This game is a little basic compared to others in our list, but it does feature a wide variety of fishing environments and species.

IFishing (iOS, Android, $2.49): This one is billed as a fishing simulator instead of a game, so again it's practice, not play, right? You have a choice of three different lakes, along with choices in gear and tackle.

Let's Fish (iOS, Android, free with in-app purchases): This game features quite a wide variety of environments from which to choose—60! And likewise, there are more than 650 species of fish you can catch. But perhaps the feature most unique to the fishing games here is its online multiplayer mode. Now you can compete against your fishing buddies even when you can't be on the water together.

Fishing Apps

Fish Brain (iOS, free with in-app purchases): In this social media-driven app that boasts the largest fishing community in the world, you can hunt down today's catch with an open source data-driven fishing forecast that will tell you who's biting where. And that means you also have the option to help out other app users by logging your catch. You can connect with others in group and one-on-one settings to discuss all things fishing.

Fishidy (iOS, Android, free): This fishing app revolves around its mapping features. You log your catches and locations, allowing you to see patterns and better guess where to go if you want another monster bass. Your logged data then gets uploaded to an interfaced "Hot Spots" map.

GoFree Hooked (iOS, Android, free): Another social media-driven app, GoFree Hooked allows you to log catches and then benefit from the generated data for picking future fishing spots. One fun feature is the tournament option, in which you can compete with other app users to hook the biggest catch.

Navionics: Boating Marine and Lakes (iOS, Android, free with in-app purchases): Beware of the older, area-specific versions of this app that are getting phased out and download this one if you want GPS capabilities, detailed maps and charts, and automatically generated best boating routes. As the long time leader in online mapping and charting, you can trust Navionics with this one.

ANGLR Logbook (iOS, Android, free with in-app purchases): This app allows you to pull on weather conditions and historical data to find your best fishing spot every time. You can log your own catches, and share them with friends through the social media function. With the purchase of a small device you can attach to a shirt, hat, etc. called the ANGLR BULLSEYE for $29.99, you can also automatically track your water, weather, and location data on your phone.

Fish Rules (iOS, Android, free): This is an extremely handy app for the traveling saltwater angler. It contains easy to find rules and regulations for state and federal waters, making it easy to know what's legal to fish when and where.

Fishangler (iOS, Android, free): Touted as one of the best and most comprehensive free apps, Fishangler includes social media functions, allowing you to share photos and conversations with other anglers. It also includes weather forecasting, a logbook, and fishing reports.

In Conclusion

While you can't always be on the water, you can still scratch that itch with a huge variety of different fishing games and apps. From simple and direct, to involved and social, there's an app out there just for you. So, go ahead, test the waters!