Freshwater

Jungle perch

Perca de la selva (jungle perch)

Kuhlia rupestris

FreshwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

8–14 in.

Depth

1–10 ft.

Best time

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Found in

6 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A silver-bronze perch with dark spots on the scales of the back and two big black spots on the tail lobes, large eyes and a big mouth.
Typical size: 8–14 in.
Maximum size: About 18 in and 6 lb (2.7 kg).
Diet: Insects, spiders, shrimp, small fish and fruit falling from overhanging trees.
Behavior: A shy, fast fish of clear rainforest streams; it spawns in estuaries or the sea and the young swim back up the rivers. Very sensitive to dams and dirty water.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef, South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sulawesi), Philippines, American Samoa and East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands. Clear coastal rainforest streams with rocks and waterfalls in north-east Queensland, New Guinea, Pacific islands and the Indian Ocean islands.
Habitat: Clear coastal rainforest streams with rocks and waterfalls in north-east Queensland, New Guinea, Pacific islands and the Indian Ocean islands.
Depth: 1–10 ft.
Fishing depth: 1–5 ft.
Best season: All year; the dry season gives clear water.
Best time: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: No tide in fresh water; rising or steady water levels after rain are usually best.
Best weather / conditions: Warm, stable weather; the build-up before the wet season and calm, overcast days are excellent. Heavy rain muddies the water.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Grasshoppers and crickets.
Best artificial lures: Tiny poppers, spinners and floating minnows; small dry flies and hoppers.
Tackle setup: 5½–6½ ft ultralight spinning rod; 4–6 weight fly rod.
Hook size: Small barbless single hooks.
Line: 4–8 lb braid.
Leader: 8–12 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Lures Plastics Hooks Box

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Clear coastal rainforest streams with rocks and waterfalls in north-east Queensland, New Guinea, Pacific islands and the Indian Ocean islands.
Rig up: 5½–6½ ft ultralight spinning rod; 4–6 weight fly rod. 8–12 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Grasshoppers and crickets. Lures: Tiny poppers, spinners and floating minnows; small dry flies and hoppers.
Fish it: Wade or walk the stream and cast small surface lures into pools and under overhanging trees, keeping out of sight.
Time it: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon. No tide in fresh water; rising or steady water levels after rain are usually best.

Fishing techniques: Wade or walk the stream and cast small surface lures into pools and under overhanging trees, keeping out of sight.
BigJoe's tip: Fish very light and stay hidden; jungle perch spook at a shadow.
Catch and release: 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.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Slippery rainforest rocks, flash floods after rain, leeches and the occasional crocodile in lower reaches.
Regulations: Queensland has strict bag and size limits, and jungle perch have disappeared from many southern streams; most anglers release them. 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.
Conservation: Release every jungle perch; populations are fragile.

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Sources & photo credits