Wow, a meter-long catfish is pretty impressive, especially for local rivers. I have heard a couple of people report seeing fish this size in the local estuaries. I don’t doubt you, but could it have been a sand shark or small bull shark? Those are known to swim up-river from the ocean here and are at home in brackish water.
What is the average size of catfish here?
The Chinese or Amur catfish maxes out at about 100 cm, so I suppose a meter-long one is possible. The average size I’ve seen in local ponds is more in the 30 cm range.
The record was caught in S. Korea and was over 130 cm.
Rod and reel record
Taiwan Fish Database entry
Rod and reel record from S. Korea.
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This one was caught by a contestant at the Pure Fishing tournament in Hukou last month and is a bit more typical.
Damn, that record one is a monster… thanks for the info man… i don’t know much about the fish in Taiwan…
Fishing in Taipei is very different then sport fishing in the U.S., it was obvious that anglers in Taiwan benefited from the same excitement that fresh and saltwater fishing has to offer. Many people don’t know that Taiwan has a wealth of game fish species that even include native landlocked salmon. Fishing continues to grow as a major pastime in the region, and if you are ever fortunate enough to visit the region you owe it to yourself to do a combination of goldfish and big game fishing, from the streets of Taipei to the deep China Sea.
Those are highly endangered and it is illegal to fish or otherwise harm or interfere with the native habitat.
Tell me more about this GOLDFISH fishing, you speak of.
using Goldfish for bait? Thats illegal in the USA. I assume here as well.
Wow, a meter-long catfish is pretty impressive, especially for local rivers. I have heard a couple of people report seeing fish this size in the local estuaries. I don’t doubt you, but could it have been a sand shark or small bull shark? Those are known to swim up-river from the ocean here and are at home in brackish water.[/quote]
Hey guys,
Guess wad, despite seeing all the catfish and tilapia in the river, I ahve still yet to catch anything!!
They dun take bread, none on lure, chicken and prawn meat, earthworms, lure… etc…
Frustrating…
Been fishing in a paypond recently, decent catches, including an 8 kg Red drum… But pond fishing… is pond fishing…
Anyone have any suggestions on where to go in Taipei? Or boat charters around the area??
Cheers
Ok, I finally have some luck with catching fish in local Taiwan rivers!
Keelung River near Neihu District, fishing with 101 in the backdrop!
Anyone have any ideas with picture postings?? Haven’t figurd that out yet!
There were a school of mullets boiling on the surface!! Landed about 8, missed at least 3 times that!! According to local fisherman, these fellas will swim up from the sea from Danshui during winter, and will return to danshui as temperature rises in summer.
Also, tilapias bigger then my size 8 foot.
It had been a good day. Will post pictures when i have figured out how!
Cheers!
Did the “mullets” look anything like this? 
If so, they were Indo-Pacific tarpon, which behave how you described them and are pretty common (and fund to catch) rivers around Taipei and Keelung in winter.
There is a fishing shop in Yonghe, I wish more people would shop in. There is an old man in the store with a back brace and he sits there bored out of his mind it appears. I never see anyone in the shop… or hell maybe its a front for one of the world’s greatest brothel/gambling joints in Taipei. But anyway… its around here:
The Jingmei river between Xindian and NCCU is teeming with fish (tilapia?), and it’s common to see people fishing it. The water looks cleaner to me than other rivers in Taipei too (although I would still be reluctant to knowingly eat the fish out of it). The closest tackle shop I know of near there is across the street from Qizhang mrt station.
Confirmed with a native friend… you do not need a license of any kind to fish. Except if you are going out deep sea… like serious business stylee.
So I’m grabbing my tackle on my next visit back home to US.
There are some areas and rivers off limits to fishing , for instance in Pinglin.
Those are highly endangered and it is illegal to fish or otherwise harm or interfere with the native habitat.[/quote]
Yeah that’s crazy, I hope that person wasn’t serious!
Um … unless you’re a big corporation, in which case you can do whatever the fuck you want:
chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/nati … idents.htm
The EPA’s view on the matter is that since the companies concerned have already rendered this river a toxic, lifeless sewer, they might as well carry on polluting it.
Under those circumstances, I’d say you’re best off not eating anything you catch in Taiwan’s rivers anyway.
Different rivers. The landlocked salmon are only in a handful of protected high mountain streams. Ortherwise yeah, but I say anyone who fishes on a resource strained island such as this deserves whatever they get.
Different rivers. The landlocked salmon are only in a handful of protected high mountain streams. Ortherwise yeah, but I say anyone who fishes on a resource strained island such as this deserves whatever they get.
Um … unless you’re a big corporation, in which case you can do whatever the fuck you want:
chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/nati … idents.htm
The EPA’s view on the matter is that since the companies concerned have already rendered this river a toxic, lifeless sewer, they might as well carry on polluting it.
Under those circumstances, I’d say you’re best off not eating anything you catch in Taiwan’s rivers anyway.[/quote]
I caught that article, bizarre. Almost as bizarre as the supreme court ordering a project illegal, only for the Taitung government to institute it’s own ‘environmental review’ using handpicked reviewers.
Then there was the comment I heard from the EPA head a while back, in which he stated that the EPA should not be able to block projects if the environmental review fails and the law should be changed. Sorry, what?
That’s not 100% true. Pinglin is open from May 1 to October 31. You must get a permit from the local tourism office.