Macquaria ambigua

Golden Perch, also known as yellowbelly, callop, perch, Murray Perch or white perch, naturally inhabit the Murray-Darling river system (except at high elevations) and exist in the internal drainage systems of Lake Eyre and the Bulloo River.

Adult perch are moderate to large in size and are bronze, olive green to brownish in colour overall with a yellow ventral surface but vary from in colour from pale silvery-gold (turbid waters) to deep yellow/gold or bronze-black (very clear waters). The forehead is distinctly concave above the eyes, the lower jaw is protruding and a distinct “hump” above the head. The caudal fin, soft dorsal fin, and anal fin are rounded.

Golden perch are medium-sized fish, commonly 30–40 cm and 1–2 kg in rivers. Fish from rivers are smaller and somewhat streamlined — fish in man-made impoundments are much deeper-bodied and show much greater average and maximum sizes. In rivers, has been recorded to 9 kg, in impoundments to 15kg.

Adult golden perch are carnivorous, eating mainly yabbies and shrimps, insects, molluscs and small fish. Feeding behaviour varies, some individuals remain in shaded areas or amongst cover to take prey as it passes, whilst others move slowly over weed beds etc. to feed.

Yellowbelly can often be taken on the edge of weed beds or adjacent to submerged structure. Sometimes, simply continuing to cast into a likely looking place for quite a while can eventually provoke a strike from an unseen passive fish. This is apparently an aggression response and can produce sizable fish.

Golden perch are a very strong fish, they can hit very hard at times and fight well. An 8 wt rod and an intermediate sink rate line or a sink tip one are recommended. Golden perch have small mouths when compared to the likes of bass or saratoga and a smaller fly will be more successful with size 1 or 2 ideal. Purple and black Bass Vampires, Zonkers, Clousers in chartreuse over white and small Lefty’s Deceivers will all attract yellowbelly.

Most goldens in impoundments seem to have a preference for sitting in ambush mode close to cover or hard structure in shallower sections which is a lot closer to the edges. Early morning and late afternoon fishing session with the sun behind a hill or deep cloud cover will also be a lot more productive for goldens than working the fly in the middle of the day when the sun is at its brightest.

When handling golden perch, be very careful around the operculum (gill plate) as they have a couple of razor sharp plates along the edge which can easily cut your finger to the bone. Never put your fingers into the gills of a golden perch. Like most Australian freshwater angling species has spines in the front part of the dorsal fin, so look out for them too!