Fish Types
The
Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is also know as sangara, mputa, or
capitaine. It is a large-mouthed game fish that grows up to 6 ft
(1.8 m) long and 400 lbs (180 kg). It is a predator and feeds on other
fish. The Nile perch is the largest freshwater fish in the world accessible
to anglers. There is an account from Lake Victoria where local fishermen
caught an incredible 232kg (516lb) Nile perch. The biggest recorded Nile
perch from Lake Nasser is 1 76kg (392lb). The all tackle world record
for Nile perch was a spectacular fish of 213lb and the second largest was a
210lb Nile perch. The largest Nile perch caught on an African Angler
safari was 6'2" long and had a girth of 4'11". This huge fish was
landed by Gerald Eastmure, a 78 year old tea planter from India. There were
no scales big enough to weigh the fish, which is estimated at 125kg
(275lb+). Research shows that Nile perch have a better chance of reaching
record sizes in lakes rather than in a river system, there is every
indication that there are massive fish still living in Lake Nasser.
The International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) has ratified three
| All tackle world record World record World record |
230lb on 20lb line class 213lb on 30lb line class 210lb on 50lb line class |
| Research shows that Nile perch have a better chance of reaching record sizes in lakes than river systems; there is every indication that there are some very large fish still living in Lake Nasser. |
Tiger
fish abound in the lake, and of the two species the most common is
Hydrocynus forskalli that grows to 7kg (15lb+). Tiger Fish are related
to the South American Piranha and just one look at their vicious teeth,
leaves you in no doubt that they are savage predators. The size and strength
of a Nile perch is one thing, but for sheer sport on light tackle a Tiger
takes a lot of beating. Not only is the tiger a beautiful fish, but its
ferocious elegance will get any angler's adrenaline going, few fish have
such a fierce fighting energy.
The
size and strength of a Nile perch is one thing, but for sheer sport on light
tackle a Tiger takes a lot of beating. They can rightly claim to be one of
the most spectacular freshwater fish in the world, not only is it a
beautiful fish, but its ferocious elegance will get any angler's adrenaline
going. Few fish have such a fierce fighting energy. A Tiger can leap clear
of the water and throw your hook, break wire trace, rattle swivels to bits,
and generally wreak havoc on tackle.CATFISH
Catfish provide an exciting challenge. There are 18 species found in
the lake, two of which are of interest to anglers. These being the Bagrus
and more notably the legendary 
Vundu
of Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe Southem Africa) fame. If you hook a Vundu it will
give you an unforgettable fight. The local fishermen talk of specimens that
can achieve weights of well over 100lb, the largest Vundu we have caught to
date was an 86 pounder. Methods of fishing are varied, you can either
troll from well appointed boats or lure cast and fly fish along the
shoreline. Shore fishing is an exciting challenge and has also produced a
lot of big fish, the largest shore caught fish to date is a 179lb Nile
perch.
