Papuan black snapper, aka Papua New Guinea black bass are large, powerful snapper species found in the rivers and estuaries of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Malaysia. They are known for being a very challenging game fish with unmatched strength. They inhabit freshwater and brackish environments. Little is known on this species such as spawning whereabouts. The current IGFA all tackle record stands at 47 lbs 8 oz caught on the Tauri River in Papua New Guinea's Gulf Province.
Only the strongest lures have a chance of landing these brutes. They inhabit wood structures leading to numerous snags. Once a bite is detected, the angler has a split second of stopping these bass from getting into their structure. Heavy duty hooks and split rings are a must.
I have fished for bass a few times in Papua New Guinea and recently returned from West Papua, Indonesia. The best results on our recent trip came from DUO Realis Fangbait 140DR SW and the 140DR model. These lures were built to tackle even the largest of the beasts. They are constructed with a 1.2 mm diameter thick wire running through the whole body. The wire is secured by 3 different sized stainless-steel pins. They have a moving weight system which enables the lure to cast long distances, which produce a rattle noise. Both models can get down deep to around 3.5 meters on a fast retrieve using 100 lbs braid.
All of our bass exceeding 40 lbs on my recent trip were landed on mega prawns rigged with a Gamakatsu weighted superline EWG hook. These mega prawns were around 8 inches in length. They are not available in the USA but can be bought from Australia. The best prawns were the ATTOM and those made by Irukandji Tackle. We casted these mega prawns directly into wooden structure and let sink to the bottom while jigging with an extremely slow retrieve.
So, before you head out on your dream trip in search of the strongest freshwater fish on earth, it pays to have the best tackle available!
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