Species › Africa › African Sharptooth Catfish

Freshwater

African Sharptooth Catfish

Clarias gariepinus · Sharptooth catfish, North African catfish, Barbel (South Africa)

Water temp
72–86°F
Peak season
Oct–Dec
Best light
Night
IGFA record
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African Sharptooth Catfish (Clarias gariepinus (10.3897-zoologia.37.e51603) Figures 13–18.jpg)

Photo: Sabry DA, El-Badry D (2020) Altered retina and cornea of Clarias gariepinus (Sil · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

The African sharptooth catfish is a long, eel-bodied catfish with a broad flat head, four pairs of barbels and a dorsal fin running most of its back. It can gulp air, so it survives in warm, oxygen-poor water and even crawls between pools in the wet season. Native to most of Africa and the Middle East, it has been spread widely by aquaculture. It is an opportunistic scavenger and predator that feeds mainly at night on fish, frogs, insects and anything dead, and it grows to well over 100 lb (45 kg) in large lakes and rivers. For anglers it is the "barbel" of South African dams and the muscle behind many Nile and Zambezi river sessions: cheap to fish for, abundant and seriously strong.

Typical size4–15 lb (2–7 kg); 20–36 in
Trophy40 lb+ (18 kg+) in big rivers and dams
Table fareFair — oily, dark flesh; firm when smoked or fried

Where & when

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In southern Africa the peak is the warm, high-water months of October–March; near the equator fishing is steady year-round with a bump as rivers rise and flood.

Lake Kariba, ZimbabweHuge dam; big catfish around river mouths and flooded timberZambezi River, ZambiaUpper Zambezi backwaters above Victoria FallsVaal Dam, South AfricaPopular "barbel" water near Johannesburg

How to catch

Ledgered dead baitFish a chunk of fish, chicken liver or a whole small baitfish on a running ledger rig after dark along deep channel edges and drop-offs. Keep the bait pinned to the bottom with a 2–4 oz sinker and give the fish time to turn and run before striking.
Float-fished bait at duskIn shallow bays and flooded margins, suspend a worm bunch or fish strip under a large float just off the bottom. Catfish cruise the shallows at last light, and the float lets you cover weedy ground a ledger would snag.

Gear

Rod10–12' heavy carp or surf rod, or 7' heavy spinning
Reel6000–8000 spinning or large baitrunner
Line30–50 lb braid or 20 lb mono; 40 lb mono leader

Lures

Large soft-plastic swimbaitSpinnerbaitDeep-diving crankbait

Baits

Fish chunksChicken liversEarthwormsWhole small baitfish

Regulations

Most African countries require a basic freshwater or national-park fishing permit, and some reserves are catch-and-release only. Check the local provincial or park authority before fishing.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best bait for African sharptooth catfish?

Smelly, oily baits work best: cut fish, chicken livers, or a big bunch of worms. Fish them hard on the bottom after dark, because these catfish feed mainly by scent and at night. In dams, a chunk of fresh tilapia or bream is hard to beat.

Bite forecast — African Sharptooth Catfish

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to African Sharptooth Catfish.

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