| Tropical Fresh Water Fishing | | | | full of sunken underbrush, fallen trees, limbs and |
| Ah, warm, tropical breezes, swaying palms, tepid | | | | braches along with a healthy current and |
| waters for wading and spectacular sunsets nearly | | | | undertows from the swirling fast-flowing waters |
| every evening. Bliss, heaven and Nirvana for | | | | and you’ve got the recipe for the makings |
| fishermen – or so you’d think. The | | | | of a serious mess if you make any mistake at all. |
| truth is that fresh water fishing in the tropics can | | | | Word of Advice: If you’re fishing unknown |
| be just as or even more dangerous than the salt | | | | tropical waters, take a local native guide – |
| water variety. How so? Read on. | | | | or else. |
| Piranha and Family | | | | Then there are some of the native indigenous |
| Take, for example, one of the best-eating fish I | | | | tribes themselves. Many of them don’t |
| know – Piranha. They’re relatively | | | | want you fishing in lakes and rivers in their |
| easy, even fun to catch, once you know how. | | | | territory. Why? It’s because you’re |
| Just don’t get careless or you’ll find | | | | tampering with their natural food supplies. Not only |
| a finger gone before you know it. Oh right, you | | | | that but some of the tribes, like the Huarani of |
| think Piranha are “little things”. Well | | | | Northeastern Ecuador, are not particularly |
| yes, some species can be palm-sized, but then | | | | “nice” about telling you |
| there’re also the “big boys” | | | | “NO”. The Huarani used to be |
| half a meter or more long and tipping in at several | | | | notorious headhunters. Publicly they claim it |
| pounds each. Now add in that regardless of size | | | | isn’t done anymore. But the Abya- Yala |
| or species they run in schools of a few dozen to | | | | Cultural Center, a museum in Quito, Ecuador ([ has |
| hundreds or thousands. No, that’s not a | | | | a supply of REAL shrunken heads collected from |
| typo. If you know how to fish for them you | | | | the region. That’s all I’m saying for |
| don’t even need bait. They’re | | | | now. |
| attracted to distress sounds in the water, you | | | | Some tribes in the Colombian Amazon |
| see. Just don’t be IN the water when they | | | | won’t exactly roll out the “Welcome |
| soon show up. Any kind of meat or flesh on your | | | | Wagon” for you either. |
| hook will then get them to grab hold. Don’t | | | | Tropical fresh waters in Colombia, Ecuador, |
| worry too much about losing them. They really | | | | Panama and Venezuela hold a surprising array of |
| don’t like to let go anyway. | | | | new and different species including sub-species or |
| Pirarácu and Giant Catfish | | | | ones you might be more familiar with such as |
| Then there are Piraracu, giant catfish and other | | | | Catfish and Carp varieties. Tropical Catfish species |
| man-sized fish lurking below the surface of | | | | in a number of beautifully-colored varieties are |
| hundreds of Amazon River and Orinoco River | | | | especially common in warmer tropical lakes, |
| basin waters. Angler fish “spit” at | | | | streams and rivers throughout most of South |
| you with amazing accuracy. Fresh water eels and | | | | America. Fishing this sector of the world can be |
| other small fish species slither, wriggle and crawl | | | | an exciting, rewarding experience in many ways. |
| into places I’d rather not talk about. Add to | | | | Just remember to exercise foresight and planning |
| their size and strength of some of the bigger | | | | along with a generous dose of caution whenever |
| species the fact that these waters are commonly | | | | you visit or fish ANY unfamiliar waters. |