Nile Perch Fishing November 2000

The Nile Perch is regarded by many big fish freshwater anglers as one of the worst fighting fish for it's size. They do Occasionally leap out of the water. I’m assuming trying to throw the hook, but it’s fight compares nowhere near with the Wels Catfish. Though the Tiger fish is in a different league when it comes to fighting. Most come off the hooks, but if you do hook one, it fights like hell for it’s size. Most we caught were around 6 or 7 pounds, but my friend Johnny managed to hook them to 12Lbs. The Tiger fish makes the Nile Perch look stupid in fighting terms. The Nile Perch seem to exhaust themselves to fast. It's like catching bream on very heavy carp tackle.

 

This fish weighed 120Lb, it leaped twice I think, at distance, but then tried to drop back down to the bed of the lake. It was like trying to lift an heavy dead weight off the bottom. The fish give up fast.

 

My friend Johnny caught a catfish around the 40Lb mark one night, we think it was maybe a Bagrus or Vundu Catfish. It didn't take long for him to catch it. Some don't realise but some Catfish are attracted to torch light, and move in on baits fast, when light is shone on them in the margins. That was the only time we wet a line in the hours of darkness. I have swam about in lake Nasser, but you have to be careful at night time, because there are crocodiles present, and that's when their most active.

 

I have been told by quite a few anglers that have fished Lake Nasser in the past. Some have been there five times or more. The water clarity of Nasser seems to been getting dirtier each year. It gets more muddier the closer you get to Sudan way. Some say useless for lure fishing. Though interesting to me, because there is a type of carp and various species of catfish living in those waters. Which prefer muddier circumstances. I went there for a 13 day Nubian Safari. Starting from the Aswan end of the lake. Many say November is not a good month to catch Nile Perch. Though we still managed to find them. Though the first five days we were fishing in very strong winds, that were causing sometimes sand storms. Making it very difficult for our guide Mohammed to guide, and steer our boat. He told us strong winds constant for more than one day was very unusual. Our guide, and cooks were great blokes. Couldn’t do enough for you. Not the same can be said about their boss Tim Baily. All their boats were having problems with their outboard motors. We were one of the lucky ones , and only lost a day, and half at the end of our trip through engine failure. If you do ever decide to fish with the 'African Angler', check out all the costs, because Tim Baily did have a few hidden ones, Which he does like to spring on you once you arrive in Egypt.

 

I found out a couple of years back, the Nile Perch wasn't native to the lake, and like the Wels in the Segre Spain it is taking over. Wiping out native species.

 

I would only go back to fish for other species, because my fishing time is very limited. The Nile Perch didn't really do it for me. I've been spoilt by the fight of the Wels Catfish.

 

 

 

Done