Yellowcheek Private Tour
Your own bass boat and guide on a deep limestone reservoir about two hours from Hanoi. Fish lure or fly for Yellowcheek, one of Asia's most powerful freshwater predators.
About the water
We fish a 40 km reservoir in northern Vietnam, surrounded by tall limestone mountains, jungle and thick vegetation. There are almost no shallows: 3 m from the bank it can already be 60 m deep, and the deepest points reach about 200 m.
As well as Yellowcheek, the reservoir holds Barramundi and Giant Snakehead (Toman). Our guides report Yellowcheek up to 50 kg and Barramundi up to 25 kg here.
Three ways to find them
There are three main ways we catch Yellowcheek.
Sight fishing
Yellowcheek are pelagic: they roam open water, and when they find a bait ball they very often blow up on it at the surface. Cast just behind the bait ball to entice a bite.
Blind casting
We patrol the banks of the river and the lake and cast tight to the shore, where Yellowcheek hunt the smaller fish hiding there for safety.
Sonar fishing
We find the fish on live sonar, chase them down and cast to the Yellowcheek we can see on the screen.
Yellowcheek can be caught all day. From 9am to 3pm the fishing is good, and from 3pm until dusk is the golden hour.
Top 5 reasons
- Yellowcheek are the apex predator here, with fish reported up to 50 kg.
- A bucket-list species found in only a handful of waters.
- Clear water and variety: Yellowcheek, Giant Snakehead and Skygazers.
- A bass boat with fishfinder and live sonar to find the fish.
- Private or group: the trip is built around you.
Two seasons a year
Trophy season · November to early April
In the cooler winter months the water temperature drops and the big, mature Yellowcheek come down from the river to spend the winter in the lake. This is the time for the biggest fish.
Numbers season · mid-April to end of October
Through the summer months the catch rate is higher and you catch more Yellowcheek on average. Average size is smaller, but big fish are still caught.
A typical trip
- 05:00Taxi pickup at your hotel in Hanoi
- 07:00Arrive at the lake after a 2-hour drive
- 07:30Set up the boat and start fishing
- 09:00Breakfast at a waterfall
- 13:00Lunch
- PMAfternoon session, then dinner and the night at the floating house
- 06:00Start fishing
- 09:00Breakfast
- 13:00Lunch
- PMFish until evening, then dinner and overnight at the floating house
- 06:00Start fishing
- 09:00Breakfast
- 13:00Lunch
- 18:30Head back by taxi to your hotel in Hanoi
Best lures & flies
Poppers
Many poppers work. After testing a lot of designs, the Skitterpop has the right amount of pop and splash to get Yellowcheek blowing up.
Jerkbaits
A safe option for any predator. In our testing the X-Rap got the most fish interested and committed, because its action mirrors the baitfish they hunt.
Whopper Plopper
Fast bursts through the water mimic baitfish escaping a chase, and the plopping sounds like bait jumping.
Also works
Jigs, spoons and spooks all catch fish at certain times and in certain conditions.
Streamers
The standard fly for big predators. Silver, red, blue and yellow patterns work well.
Game Changers
A segmented fly that adds movement. Yellowcheek respond to erratic action.
Popper flies
Yellowcheek are drawn to splashing more than popping, so both small and large poppers work.
Wiggle minnows
A subsurface diver with a wild, erratic action that Yellowcheek find hard to ignore.
Fly fishing for Yellowcheek is physically demanding. You need to be competent with an 8 wt or heavier rod.
Where you fish and sleep
Hydrasport 5.8 m bass boat
- Yamaha 100 hp four-stroke
- Lowrance Elite FS 9 3-in-1 sonar
- Lowrance ActiveTarget live sonar
Floating house on the lake
- 4 bedrooms
- Toilet and shower
- Electricity, fridge and wifi
Included & not included
- Transport between your Hanoi hotel and the lake
- English-speaking fishing guide
- Boat and fuel
- 3 meals a day, water and soft drinks
- Accommodation at the lake
- All fishing licences
- Gear: baitcasting (Shimano Zodias MH rod, SLX DC reel, left or right hand, 40 lb Suffix braid) or spinning (Shimano Zodias MH rod, Shimano Sienna reel, 40 lb braid)
- Lures: Whopper Ploppers, buzzbaits, poppers, jerkbaits, crankbaits
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- Alcohol (available to buy)
Choose baitcasting only if you're confident with a baitcaster. Some areas can't be fished with sinking lures because the floating houses are anchored with ropes. Catch and release is encouraged; if you like, the guide can prepare sashimi or a Vietnamese dish from your catch.
Choose your package
Basic
Everything you need on the water. You arrange your own Hanoi hotel and airport transfers.
- Transport between your Hanoi hotel and the lake
- Guide, boat and all gear
- 3 meals a day, water and soft drinks
- Accommodation at the lake and all licences
Premium
Everything in Basic, plus your airport transfers and two nights in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
- Everything in Basic
- Airport to Old Quarter hotel transfer, and back
- 2 nights in a central Old Quarter hotel
More than 5 days, a larger group or a custom plan? Email Booking@taycaufishing.com for a custom quote.
Guests on this tour
They go fast and hit like a Tarpon.
Had an excellent 5 days chasing Yellowcheek with Phillip at TayCau Fishing.
This was a great trip in northern Vietnam.
I'm already looking forward to my next trip with Phillip.
Our biggest Yellowcheek
