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Is This the World’s Toughest Game Fish?
Editor’s Note: The Papuan bass (Lutjanus goldiei) is not a bass at all, but a snapper, found only in New Guinea estuaries and lower rivers. Although widely called “bass,” it is more properly a Papuan black snapper. The very few anglers who’ve ever caught one generally agree that these fish are incredibly difficult to land; they have all the power of a big cubera snapper and live in swift currents of dark waters full of trees and snags. And of course one must get_ to _them to fish for them, no simple task in this isolated, primitive land. Arnout Terlouw has traveled the world to catch game fish in salt and fresh water; you can read more about him at the end of this gallery.
Here, Terlouw shares with Sport Fishing‘s audience in photos and comments what it’s like to venture into the very wild land of West Papua in search of a wild game fish.
For more information on trips like this one, click here. — Doug Olander
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CONDITIONS LESS THAN IDEAL
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HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE
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LIGHT AND DARK
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WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
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HOME SWEET HOME
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SPORT-FISHING FLEET
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THAT JURASSIC PARK THING
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TROPHY BARRA
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TROPHY BASS
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TEST OF TACKLE AND ANGLER
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MANGLED
![14 m_papuan bass adventure (12).jpg](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/1420m_papuan20bass20adventure20281229.jpg)
IT AIN’T EASY
![15 .jpg](https://www.sportfishingmag.com/uploads/2021/09/1520.jpg)
ANOTHER BASE CAMP
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TWO WORDS: HOT AND HUMID
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LOST WORLD
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LITTLE COUSIN
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ACTION ON THE “OUTSIDE”
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