NILE PERCH

The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is a species of freshwater fish in family Latidae of order Perciformes. It is widespread throughout much of the Afrotropic ecozone, being native to the Congo, Nile, Senegal, Niger, and Lake Chad, Volta, Lake Turkana, and other river basins.

NILE PERCH

DESCRIPTION

The Nile Perch is undoubtedly Egypt's most targeted and hardest fighting freshwater fish, reaching massive sizes and weights. They have a large silver flanked body with a blue tinge, and a very distinctive black eye with bright yellow outer ring, Nile Perch spawn nearly all year round and can produce around 16 million eggs at a time after which they provide no parental care. They become sexually mature at around 3 years of age.

INTERESTING FACTS

Adult perch have been known to live in excess of 16 years of age.

Other Names

African snook, Victoria perch, Chengu, Sangara, Mbuta, Capitaine, Nilbarsch, Perca del Nilo

HABITAT

Nile Perch prefer to live in warm, tropical waters where they grow to a much larger size and can be found in greater numbers. Adult Nile Perch can be located in all depths of a lake where there are sufficient oxygen concentrations, whereas the juveniles are restricted to much shallower waters near to the shore.

FEEDING HABIT

Nile Perch are predators and therefore feed entirely on small fish, including juvenile Nile Perch, larger crustaceans and insects, although they have been known to take small water birds and mammals on the waters surface. Juveniles of the species are planktivorous, meaning they feed on plankton.

TACKLE AND METHODS

Nile Perch are renowned for their hard fighting capabilities and for growing to massive sizes therefore strong rods of at least 4.5lb test curve, with a good all through action are required,. Reels need to be large enough to hold at least 250 meters of braid or strong mono; braid however is the main choice for a lot of anglers. Live baits can be used to catch Perch, however lure fishing and trolling are the much preferred methods, and tend to catch the bigger fish, depth raiders and shads are among the best lures for Perch.