African bonytongue (African arowana)

Long, thick gray to brown body covered in big heavy scales, a small mouth, a short pointed head, and long dorsal and anal fins set far back near the rounded tail. Related to the South American arapaima and arowanas.

3–10 lb.

About 3 ft and about 22 lb (10 kg).

Mud and the small things in it: plankton, plant debris, insect larvae, snails and tiny crustaceans — it filters food with special gill rakers.

An air-breather that can live in swampy, low-oxygen water. Parents build a round nest in flooded vegetation and guard the young.

Found from African Lakes & Rivers, Morocco & West Africa and Gulf of Guinea & Central Africa. Native to the Sahel rivers and lakes — the Senegal, Gambia, Volta, Niger, Bénoué, Lake Chad, the Nile and Lake Turkana; introduced into reservoirs in Central Africa, the Congo basin and Madagascar.

Native to the Sahel rivers and lakes — the Senegal, Gambia, Volta, Niger, Bénoué, Lake Chad, the Nile and Lake Turkana; introduced into reservoirs in Central Africa, the Congo basin and Madagascar.

Shallow swamps and floodplains to open lake water 20 ft deep.

1–10 ft in weedy, slow water and floodplain lagoons.

Most are taken in the rainy and flood season, when they spread into the floodplains to breed.

Day; watch for fish rolling at the surface to gulp air.

No tide — rising floodwater is the key.

Warm, rainy-season weather.

Small worms, bread or dough on tiny hooks; it is mostly caught in nets and traps, rarely on a hook.

Hardly ever takes lures.

Light to medium spinning or float rod.

Small size 6–1 hooks.

8–15 lb mono.

Not needed.

Float-fish small baits in slow, weedy water where fish are seen rolling. Be ready for a strong, heavy fish on light gear.

This is more a curiosity than a sport fish — if you see one rolling, try a tiny bait right where it came up.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Good eating when fresh.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

Good eating and farmed in West Africa — smoked, grilled or in stews.

Hippos and crocodiles live in the same floodplains and swamps.

Mostly a food fish for local fishers; where it's been introduced outside its native range, don't move live fish to new waters. Each African country sells its own fishing license, and national parks, game reserves and many lodges charge separate rod or park fees; some lakes and rivers have closed seasons or catch-and-release rules — check before you go.

Introduced populations have hurt native fish in some countries; never move it.