Today you are going to know the general characteristics of this fish and some basic notions to know how to fish bocachico with hooks.
Bocachico Characteristics
- Migratory freshwater fish with a tropical climate that likes rivers and swamps for its habitat.
- They are medium in size that usually reach sizes between 35 cm to 50 centimeters.
- Elongated and compressed.
- Its silvery color can cast shades of leaden gray and bluish.
- Its spawning period takes place twice during the year April-June and September-November.
- The areas where we can get them in Central and South America.
Bocachico fishing with hooks
What bait to use for bocachico fishing?
Like all freshwater fish, fishing for this specimen is done with worms and earthworms. The use of bread or sweet corn as bait is something that could work to attract them in those areas where they can be located
Preferably opt for live bait, that is, care must be taken to hook them, whether they are worms, leeches, small minnows, grasshoppers or crayfish.
Bocachico fishing equipment
- Simple and basic rods work perfectly for this type of species.
- The ideal will be to use flexible rods that achieve about 7 feet in length.
- Even the humblest bamboo ones can be ideal, especially for beginners or even the little ones in the house.
- The finest lines can work perfectly
- The use of braided lines is recommended.
- For the most commercial and artisanal fishing, the cast net or trammel net is used, this to help capture only the largest species.
Importance of getting the hook right
One thing to be very careful about is when take out the hook, especially since it often happens that it gets stuck in the gills.
The important thing will be to make a movement (forward - backward) to gradually remove the hook and thus be able to enjoy a complete piece and without much damage.
Bocachico fishing overview
One of the great complications for the bocachico is that it is a fish highly threatened by overfishing. When it comes to sport or recreational fishing, it is possible to catch some specimens during the day. However, the most artisanal-commercial fishing is the one that truly threatens this species.
Bocachico, as well as other species such as catfish, are highly demanded due to their flavor. That is why overfishing affects them so much. In addition, poor management and the absence of a true closed season threaten this species in some areas where its consumption is greater.
Pollution is another factor that threatens this species, because many of the areas where they live are transit areas or are used as garbage dumps. The important thing will always be do sustainable fishing and seek to maintain the ecosystem in the best conditions for all the animals that make life in the waters in which the bocachico live.
