Sharptooth Catfish Information And Pictures (Clarias gariepinus)

All You Need To Know About South Africa's Infamous Barbel

The South African Sharptooth Catfish, which is also known as the Barbel, is a common fish in South African waters. This interesting looking fish is commonly found in a lot of rivers, dams, weirs, lakes and other bodies of water in the country. They are a well sort after angling fish species and they are farmed for private fishing too.

The Barbel can grow into a huge fish specie. These Catfish can attain 1,4 metres in length and can way up to 60 kilograms... This is amazing and hard to comprehend. The South African angling record is about 35 kilograms. The Sharptooth Catfish is found in many various colours of the spectrum, depending on the condition of it's required habitat. They can come in shades of olive green, brown and even almost completely black! This aquatic creature is a common source of food for the local people and can survive out of water for a long time. The Sharptooth Catfish also has the ability to bury itself in the waters bottom when a decrease in water or drought is occurring. They will re-emerge at the first sign of water.

The Barbel can also move over land when damp conditions are present. They can live for about 10 years and can survive in the harshest of conditions. They eat almost anything that presents itself... Frogs, birds, mammals, invertebrates and even seeds and fruit. This South African fish is mainly preyed upon by the Southern Leopard, Nile Crocodile, Marabou Stork and African Fish Eagle. They breed in large schools during and after the rainy and wet season. To see what the largest Sharptooth Catfish that I have caught is, please visit the fishing logbook page. Pictured below is a drawing of South Africa's amazing Barbel...

Image obtained from the book Freshwater Fishes Of Southern Africa; Paul Skelton.

How To Catch The South African Sharptooth Catfish (Southern Barbel)

There are many fishing techniques that can be utilized when aiming for a barbel at the end of your line. The Barbel is a very common South African freshwater fish species. The type of fishing I favour when catching the Sharptooth Catfish is Fly Fishing, using a Walkers or Hamill's Killer fly or, my favourite, a Mrs. Simpson fly. Many other methods are available when catching these hungry Catfish.

When looking for the larger members of the Barbel family I recommend fishing with live bait; like Yellowfish, Carp or Papermouth. Live or dead these 'bait fish' are often picked up quickly by large Barbel. Also don't forget about fishing with worms, insects, mealies or bread: these all work. So good luck, and be prepared, the Barbel (Sharptooth Catfish) are extremely strong fighters.

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