Nile perch

Huge silver perch with a humped back behind the head, a pointed head with a big mouth, and two dorsal fins (spiny in front, soft behind) that just touch. Eyes glow golden-red in light. Close cousin of the barramundi.

10–60 lb; Lake Nasser and Murchison Falls give fish over 100 lb every year.

About 6½ ft and around 440 lb (200 kg); rod-caught fish over 200 lb have come from Lake Nasser and Lake Victoria.

Fish of every kind (tilapia, small cyprinids, smaller Nile perch), plus shrimp and insects when young.

An ambush predator that holds on rocky drop-offs, points and river current, moving shallow at dawn, dusk and night to feed. Big fish are loners.

Found from African Lakes & Rivers, Gulf of Guinea & Central Africa and Morocco & West Africa. Native to the Nile (including Lake Nasser and Lake Turkana), Lake Chad and the Niger, Volta, Senegal and Congo basins; introduced into Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga in the 1950s, where it changed the lakes forever.

Native to the Nile (including Lake Nasser and Lake Turkana), Lake Chad and the Niger, Volta, Senegal and Congo basins; introduced into Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga in the 1950s, where it changed the lakes forever.

5–60 ft; big fish often sit on rocky ledges 20–40 ft deep.

Shallow rocky shores at first light, then trolling 10–40 ft along drop-offs.

Year-round; on Lake Nasser the best months are about March to July and September to November, avoiding the hottest summer weeks.

Dawn, dusk and night are best; big fish move shallow in low light.

No tide — on lakes, wind-blown points and rising or stable water levels are best; on rivers, fish the current seams below falls.

Calm, stable weather; strong winds make big lakes dangerous for small boats.

Live tilapia or other small fish where live bait is allowed, fished on the bottom or under a float.

Big deep-diving crankbaits (6–8 in), large swimbaits, rattling lipless plugs and big spoons.

Heavy 7–8 ft spinning or baitcasting rod with a strong reel holding plenty of line; boat trolling rods for Lake Nasser.

Strong 6/0–10/0 single hooks for bait; upgrade lure trebles to extra-strong.

50–80 lb braid.

80–100 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon (the gill covers and rocks are sharp).

Troll big crankbaits along rocky drop-offs and points, or cast them at first light to boulders in the shallows. When a big perch hits, keep steady pressure and steer it away from the rocks; it will jump and shake its head.

Big Nile perch often follow a lure to the boat; slow down and pause the crankbait near the rocks — that pause gets the strike.

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.

Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.

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

White, firm, mild fillets — grilled, fried or in stews; smaller fish (10–30 lb) eat best.

The sharp gill covers and spiny dorsal fin cut hands — hold big fish under the belly and by the lower jaw with a glove. Crocodiles and hippos live in many Nile perch waters: don't wade or land fish at the water's edge, and keep hands out of the water.

On Lake Nasser, safari operators hold the permits and big fish are released; Murchison Falls is inside a national park with park fishing permits and catch-and-release rules. In Lake Victoria it's a commercial fish and keeping some for food is normal. 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.

In Lake Victoria the introduced Nile perch wiped out hundreds of native cichlid species. In its native waters (Nasser, the Nile, Turkana) the big breeders are precious — release the giants.