Freshwater

Silver cobbler (Lake Argyle catfish)

Bagre plateado (silver cobbler)

Neoarius midgleyi

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

5–20 lb.

Depth

5–60 ft.

Best time

Day and night.

Found in

1 area

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A big, silver-gray fork-tailed catfish with a hard bony head shield, three pairs of barbels around the mouth, and sharp serrated spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins.
Typical size: 5–20 lb.
Maximum size: About 4½ ft.
Diet: Fish, shrimp, insects and plant matter.
Behavior: Schools in big numbers in Lake Argyle, where it supports a small commercial fishery, and in the big rivers of the Kimberley and the NT.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Northern Territory & Western Australia. Lake Argyle and the Ord, Victoria and Daly river systems of northern Australia.
Habitat: Lake Argyle and the Ord, Victoria and Daly river systems of northern Australia.
Depth: 5–60 ft.
Fishing depth: 10–40 ft.
Best season: All year; best in the dry season.
Best time: Day and night.
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: Cheese, worms, cherabin (freshwater prawns) and fish strips on the bottom.
Best artificial lures: Soft plastics and vibes hopped along the bottom.
Tackle setup: 7 ft medium spinning or baitcasting rod.
Hook size: 2/0–5/0 hooks.
Line: 20–30 lb braid.
Leader: 30–40 lb monofilament.

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

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Hooks Weight Rig Holder

As an Amazon Associate, BigJoe earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep this guide free.

Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Lake Argyle and the Ord, Victoria and Daly river systems of northern Australia.
Rig up: 7 ft medium spinning or baitcasting rod. 30–40 lb monofilament.
Pick your bait: Cheese, worms, cherabin (freshwater prawns) and fish strips on the bottom. Lures: Soft plastics and vibes hopped along the bottom.
Fish it: Anchor over drop-offs and drowned trees and fish baits on the bottom, or hop plastics through schools on the sounder.
Time it: Day and night. No tide in fresh water; rising or steady water levels after rain are usually best.

Fishing techniques: Anchor over drop-offs and drowned trees and fish baits on the bottom, or hop plastics through schools on the sounder.
BigJoe's tip: Cobbler are easy to find in big schools on the sounder — once you're on them, the action is fast.
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.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Good, firm white meat (sold as "silver cobbler" fillets); skin it and fry or grill.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Serrated, venomous fin spines cause very painful wounds — handle with a towel and keep clear of the dorsal and pectoral spines. Freshwater crocodiles live in Lake Argyle.
Regulations: Western Australia requires a freshwater angling licence; bag limits apply. 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: Keep only what you'll eat and release the big breeders; wet your hands, support the fish's belly and get it back in the water fast.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits