Page 1 of 1

Freshwater species..top end size

PostPosted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 2:47 pm
by Bob Daly
Hi Larry. After watching an episode of "Hunt For Big Fish" on Nile Perch from Lake Nasser, was wondering with all your travels and variety of monster fish you have landed, which species do you believe you could not catch as many and could not catch as large today? Nile Perch over 100 lbs are hard to come by today. Huge Masheer are rare. Many have fell prey to over harvesting, construction of dams, etc.. Would you add any other freshwater species to this list? Have had the opportunity to land 100 lbs Perch, but have not tried for Masheer and don' t know if the species is worth travelling for today.
Good fishing, doradokiller

Re: Freshwater species..top end size

PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 6:31 am
by dahlberg
The first time I fished for them was in Victoria. Did not catch monsters, but lost two I am sure were well over 100. Have not been back. First time on Nassar was during winter and had no net issues. Majority of fish were pre spawn and in middle third of reservoir. caught one about 150, one over 200 and more than I can count in the 60-80 lb range. There were no nets, no weeds up and the water temps were in the low sixties. fish were extremely concentrated. so much so that the local expert we were with could not get a bite with his more or less random troll the shoreline strategy.
The last time I was there was during summer and there were nets targeting perch on every visible weed bed. So many that it was difficult to fish.
We did not break 100 lbs, but caught fair numbers up to 50 and a small handful in the 80lb range.
We also did not fish in the neckdown area I call the "spires" and where I found the largest bunch of huge ones the first trip. I couldn't convince our guide to even check it out. Using small spoons I caught some large herring-like bait fish that looked almost like ladyfish I know the big perch would focus on. 99% sure they were pelagic. We spent our time fishing the flats where tilapia were the main forage.
As far as the rest of the species, i think in areas where man has not messed up the environment, things are in pretty good shape. As far as masheer, I sure wouldn't spend my time doing it! India is a little too populated for me.
Good question!
best
L