Papuan black bass (niugini bass)

A thick-shouldered, dark gray to black snapper with a big head, heavy jaws with canine teeth, and a rounded to square tail. Pound for pound one of the hardest-fighting fish in fresh water.

5–20 lb.

About 3 ft and over 40 lb (19.2 kg).

Fish, crustaceans and anything that falls into the river.

Hides tight against snags and undercut banks, grabs a lure and rips it back into the timber in an instant.

Found from South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea. Large rainforest rivers of southern Papua New Guinea between Port Moresby and the Fly River (the Pandi, Kikori and Lake Murray areas are well known).

Large rainforest rivers of southern Papua New Guinea between Port Moresby and the Fly River (the Pandi, Kikori and Lake Murray areas are well known).

2–20 ft.

2–10 ft along snags.

Dry season (about May to November) for clear, low rivers.

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

No tide in fresh water; rising or steady water levels after rain are usually best.

Warm, stable weather; the build-up before the wet season and calm, overcast days are excellent. Heavy rain muddies the water.

Not used; lure fishing.

Heavy-duty hard-body minnows, poppers and big soft plastics, with the strongest trebles or single hooks you can find.

6–7 ft extra-heavy baitcasting rod and a heavy-duty reel with a locked drag.

Extra-strong trebles or 5/0–7/0 singles.

60–100 lb braid.

80–130 lb monofilament.

Cast hard into the snag, wind fast and, when it hits, pull back with everything you have — you have only a second or two before it's back in the timber.

Bring spare lures and hooks; black bass straighten and crush gear that's fine for barramundi.

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.

Usually released — a sport fish more than a food fish.

Edible but nearly always released by sport anglers.

Remote rainforest rivers with crocodiles, malaria and no hospitals nearby — travel only with an established lodge, take malaria precautions and carry a first-aid kit.

Fishing is through licensed lodges on customary land, where landowners give permission; most lodges are catch-and-release. Rules differ by island: Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Marianas and American Samoa need no license for recreational saltwater fishing, but size and bag limits, closed seasons and marine preserves apply; other Pacific nations require permits, and many reefs belong to villages, so ask permission.

Release them: local communities earn far more from visiting anglers than from eating the fish.