In many developing economies, households have come to depend on diversified livelihood strategies and the informal sector due to economic downturns and the lack of formal employment opportunities. This study explores the nature of small-scale fisheries as informal entrepreneurship and livelihood diversification among households in the vicinity of Cactus Poort Dam, Redcliff, Zimbabwe. The study was guided by the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and implemented using an exploratory mixed methods descriptive design with a sample of 23 people involved in fishing and associated livelihoods. The study employed structured and semi-structured questionnaires to gather data, which were then analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, with a triangulation approach used to combine quantitative and qualitative data. The results show that small-scale fishing is more used as a flexible complementary livelihood than as a sole commercial enterprise. About 71% of participants practiced fishing monthly and most of them practiced vending, urban agriculture, artisanal mining, and other informal income generation activities alongside fishing. In addition, 40% of the respondents caught and consumed their catch, and 29% caught and sold their catch. The results show that small-scale fisheries offer a low-entry barrier livelihood opportunity that allows resource-limited households to diversify sources of income, improve food security, and cope with economic uncertainty. The study contributes to the management and informal entrepreneurship literature by demonstrating how households strategically combine livelihood activities and allocate limited resources to enhance resilience. Policy and managerial measures to enhance market access, fish processing and storage facilities, skills development and sustainable resource management could help to further consolidate the economic contribution of small-scale fisheries and to contribute to more resilient livelihood portfolios in economically vulnerable communities.