Barramundi

Names   Seabass, Barramundi, Barra, Sea perch, Siakap, Kim Bak Lor, Suzuki-akame, Pla Kapong Khao. Their scientific name is Lates Calcarifer and their family name is Centropomidae. .Description..   The barramundi is a handsome fish with big scales, a large mouth, humped shoulders, a deeply scooped forehead and characteric close-set eyes, which shine under artifical light or sunlight. The colouration of individual barramundi depends on the environment. Freshwater barramundi are usually dark bronze to chocolate-brown on the back with brassy flanks and very dark fins. The saltwater barramundi from reasonably clean water appear to have chrome plated scales. The fins are very lightly coloured and the tail is often tinged with yellow.Seabass are found in the South East Asia-Indo-pacific region, Northen Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, South China Sea, Cambodia and Vietnam. They can be caught locally and the main places that they are caught are comercial ponds and Pulau Ubin which has numeras mangrove swamps for the barramundi to breed. Size   The common sizes caught are from 1-10kgs in Australia, monster barramundi of 40kgs can be caught in the region of the Kimberley. In the Bay of Bengal, near the Indian coast, exceptional barramundis of 120kgs have been caught in nets. Habits   The barramundi are born all male and some will mature to become females.They can live both in salt and freshwater but they must return to saltwater to breed.The barramundi has no front teeth but the front of its mouth is very rough and can easily fray your line.They feed on their prey by sucking them into its big mouth tumbled around and then swallowed. Fishing Techniques   Barramundi can be caught by using artifical baits like the rapala. The best baits are live prawns,live bait fishes,fish slices and prawns.The best way to fish for them is by using a running sinker,using floats or just the bait alone.So if your hands are itching to fight these fish, go down to your nearest commercial pond as they stock up their ponds with a large percentage of them. Eating Qualities   The meat is white and firm and it tastes delicious.