Imagine this: You’re walking through a tropical rainforest following a fast flowing stream. Bird song in the forest canopy above melds in with the sound of water. You feel like you’re in a scene from a postcard.
You reach a small pool and make a cast. You’re shocked out of your reverie by an instant surface explosion. Before you get a chance to click the bail on your reel, you’re on.
A chrome coloured predator has launched itself from the crystal clear water to smash your surface offering. Tranquillity turns into complete chaos.
Welcome to jungle perch country!
To my way of thinking, jungle perch, aka JPs, have to be one of the most attractive freshwater species this country has to offer.
With their polished silver scales and defined black markings on their tails, it’s no wonder so many anglers put in the time and effort to target these iconic little sportfish.
JPs inhabit the clearest of tropical waters. Being able to observe their surroundings from both under and above makes them one of the most cunning and smart freshwater fish you’ll come across.
The challenge offered by these fish plays a big part in their overall attraction to keen lure anglers.
These unique fish are found along the Queensland coastline, starting at around Mackay and heading north right through to Cape York.
They are also found on some Pacific Islands and the south-eastern parts of South Africa. Much like Australian bass, JPs need access to the saltwater to spawn.
The average JP is around the 20cm mark. There have been reports of 50cm plus fish. You’ll find the bigger specimens only when putting in the effort to get to more remote locations; my current PB is 42cm and I look forward to upgrading.
Bag and size limit for JPs consists of one fish with a maximum length of 35cm. Catch & release is encouraged when chasing JPs and using ethical techniques (such as barbless hooks) is a great way to ensure the fishery remains viable.
Over the years, jungle perch have declined in some waters due to artificial barriers such as weirs and causeways denying them access to the salt.
Pressure from the sugar cane industry has been identified as causing habitat damage and also possible pollution due to pesticide run-off.
It’s important that we look after the habitat required by these fish and do what we can to help restore rivers and creeks which have suffered damage.
When it comes to fishing, JPs take a variety of different lures. As with bass and even barra, the fish often smack the lure as soon as it hits the water.
I like to approach my JP fishing with stealth – you have to stalk these fish, just as if you were hunting a deer or similarly spooky wild animal.
Tactics like working from the shadows, getting behind structure, staying low and keeping out of the water as much as possible are vital if you want success with these wary fish. You basically need to keep out of sight as much as possible.
If you see a JP, more often than not it’ll be too late. Chances are he’s already spotted you!
The only thing the JP should see and hear is the gentle splash of your lure landing near him.
Using the flow of the water to make your lure seem as natural as possible is worth trying. Anything that doesn’t look natural will quickly see the JP swim the other way.
As with trout fishing, walking upstream is the way to go. Not only will it make your presentations appear more realistic, the sound of the water will mask your noise and give you an extra advantage.
When it comes to gear for JP fishing, I use a 6’6” graphite rod with a fast taper to give my lures the best possible action.
I like to use a two-piece stick, due to the fact that when I go bush I’m heading into rough terrain that often requires some intense climbing.
A two-piece rod also makes things a little easier when trekking through the thick jungle to find the honey holes.
Spinning gear is the way to go for this style of fishing. I use threadlines in the 1000-2500 size loaded with 4lb braid and 4lb-8lb fluorocarbon leader.
The lighter you can go the better; you often need to be able to cast your lightly weighted presentations long distances to avoid detection.
Overhanging vegetation, snags, deep pools and bends in the streams or rivers are all key areas to target when JP fishing.
These fish love to hang under cover and wait for small insects, lizards, frogs or even berries to fall in the water. Accurate casting into these key fish-holding areas is sure to give you some action!
My current favourite lure is the Halco Roosta Popper 45 in the R35 Caviar colour. It’s basically the same colour as the berries I come across in the areas I fish – and let me tell you it doesn’t last too long in the water!
As well as the Halco, other must-have lures in my tackle box include Z-Man GrubZ 2.5, Bubble Pop 45, Ecogear SX 48, Lucky Craft Sammy 65 and the Squidgy Bloodworm Wriggler.
Soft plastics also work well when JP fishing. A lightly weighted approach in the deeper pools or a heavier weighted jig head for faster water is sure to get the attention you’re after.
I often land a lot of smaller JPs when using softies, compared to the bigger ones on surface lures.
A game plan I normally use when JP fishing involves walking upstream using hard-bodied surface presentations and switching to soft plastics on the return trek. I find you can work a plastic more naturally than a surface lure when fishing against the flow.
Getting a trophy jungle perch requires serious trekking to find untouched water. For safety reasons, you need to make sure you pack an essential kit including water, First Aid kit, GPS, food, phone, torch and a camera.
It’s important to let a few people know exactly what river system you intend walking up. It’s always best to fish with a mate or two when going into the jungle as so many things can go wrong …
Also be prepared to tangle with a few of the other locals when out JP fishing. Sooty grunters will almost certainly like the look of your popper and the occasional mangrove jack might appear to test out your drag pressure!
Jungle perch fishing is an amazing experience. It’s such a magical way to get away from it all and enjoy the beauty nature has to offer, while catching a truly amazing species.
I recommend this style of fishing to anyone. Give it a go – you’ll love it and you’ll want to keep doing it.
While I was writing this I couldn’t help but plan my next trip … After all, that trophy PB Jungle Perch is just one cast away!
This article was first published in the Fishing World February 2014 issue.
