Gulf saratoga (northern saratoga)

An ancient, long fish (an arowana) with huge scales marked with red or pink crescents, a big upturned mouth with two small chin barbels, and the dorsal and anal fins set far back near the tail. Dark olive-brown back.

18–30 in and 2–6 lb.

About 3 ft or a bit more.

Insects, spiders, frogs and small fish taken from the surface.

Cruises just under the surface near banks and lily pads, looking up for food. Females carry the eggs and young in their mouth. Jumps wildly when hooked.

Found from Northern Territory & Western Australia, Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea. Freshwater rivers, billabongs and lagoons draining into the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Top End (NT), Cape York and southern New Guinea.

Freshwater rivers, billabongs and lagoons draining into the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Top End (NT), Cape York and southern New Guinea.

Surface to 10 ft.

Surface to 3 ft.

The dry season (May to October).

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

No tide in fresh water; rising or steady water levels after rain are usually best.

Warm, stable weather; the build-up before the wet season and calm, overcast days are excellent. Heavy rain muddies the water.

Grasshoppers, crickets and small live fish under no float.

Small surface poppers, walkers, floating minnows and fly-rod poppers and hoppers.

6–7 ft light baitcasting or spinning rod; 6–8 weight fly rod.

Size 1–2/0 hooks; single hooks on lures.

10–15 lb braid.

20–30 lb monofilament.

Cast small surface lures or flies close to banks, lily pads and overhanging trees, and twitch them slowly; saratoga have hard, bony mouths, so set hard.

Use single hooks — saratoga thrash and roll, and trebles tear their mouths and your hands.

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.

Edible but not prized — strong or bony; many anglers release it.

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

Edible but bony and soft; almost always released.

Saltwater crocodiles live in barramundi country across northern Australia, New Guinea and Southeast Asia: never wade, clean fish at the water's edge or lean over the side of a small boat. Gill covers are razor sharp.

Queensland and the NT have size and bag limits; many anglers release all saratoga. Check current rules. A freshwater licence or permit is needed in NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania, and a Stocked Impoundment Permit for Queensland's stocked lakes; the Northern Territory needs none. Each state sets its own bag limits, size limits and closed seasons.

A slow-breeding fish (the females brood the young); please release it.