Lake & River (Mo)
Mo Lake
Mo lake is one of the biggest Natural lakes in northern Vietnam. This lake spanning nearly 50km, is surrounded by pristine golf courses, Villa’s, coves and gullies. Remote parts of the lake, as well as gullies and flooded shrubbery is what Channa Micropeltes (Giant snakehead) call home. Lure Fishing has only become a mainstream hobby in Vietnam over the last 5 years, so Mo lake is a honey hole containing some Giant Toman. Striped snakehead, Blotched snakehead, Pacu, and black carp can also be found here if you are species fishing. But once a Toman starts ripping line off your reel, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried to catch one before
How to catch Channa Micropeltes (Giant Snakhead/Toman)
Toman are an incredibly aggressive fish, Their sharp teeth, hunters instinct and primordial aggressiveness has been the death of many a tilapia or silver carp, Which can often been seen floating around, missing a head or a whole half of it’s body. Although Toman Hunt, they are primarily Ambush predators, so accuracy is often the Difference between getting a blowup or getting snagged in a tree. These fish breath air in intervals of 2/10 minutes depending on it’s size. Looking for blowups and listening for that distinctive sound of of water exploding, is one of the key ways to target them. Toman eat all kinds of lures, but prefer fast moving, loud lures such as buzzbaits, wopper ploppers, spooks or poppers. Underwater lures such as Spinnerbaits, Crankbaits or jerkbaits work just as well, but may cause you to snag on the thick shrubs that they like to hang out in. Toman, are without a doubt one of the smartest fish out there, hunting them isnt like hunting any other kind of predator, Silence, Focus and accuraccy are the only ways you will induce a bite. If they miss the bite, reel in quickly and cast again, they will go for the lure again as they are also territorial. Toman can be caught anywhere, Deep, shallow, Open water or 3 meters inside a bamboo brush, but the absolute best way to catch one is out of a fryball. Toman fry are bright red in color and they almost always have a parental guardian forcing them to the surface to take a breath. Look out for these red balls, they might be your Ticket to a 10kg Toman. Cast just behind or in the fryball, Topwater or sinking, Twitch until you feel your rod bend to it’s limit. Even if they don’t take it immediately, be patient. Wait for the ball to surface again and try again, This can be repeated for up to an hour, Even if the parents are not hungry, the annoyance of the ball bearings in a Jerkbait or the loud splashing of a buzzbait will cause them to attack. Toman are usually black and white, but during breeding season they adopt the most fluorescent greens, purples, blues and reds you’ve ever seen on a fish. They can be caught throughout the day but usually hunt from 06:00-10:00 and 15:00-19:00 (Please Note, Catch and release is recommended, Especially if caught out of a fryball)
