James RickardVampire Fish!
May 20th 2009 00:50
As I was researching the post about piranha, I ran across some information on something weirder and I thought I'd share it with you. Say hello to the PAYARA-otherwise known as the "vampire fish" and a relative of the piranha--only meaner and uglier.
Check out the teeth on a payara!
I think I have to get down to South America because they have some wild fish down there and this critter is no exception! The payara's nickname, "vampire fish," comes from two long fangs which protrude from its lower jaw. These fangs can be 4 to 6 inches long-- not bad for a fish that's only around 20 inches or 50 cm. long! That's an average fish. Record fish in excess of 40" have also been landed by intrepid anglers!
You can watch this quick clip from YouTube and get an idea of the paraya's size and see just how ugly they are!
You can watch this quick clip from YouTube and get an idea of the paraya's size and see just how ugly they are!
When landing payara, you have to be really careful when you remove a hook because their fangs can easily pierce your hand. Aside from that, if you're angling for this species, get ready for a fight. You may even end up hooking a peacock bass instead of a payara because they sometimes inhabit the same waters.
Make sure you have a heavy rod, line around 30-50 lb. test and steel leaders. As for bait, fresh fish works, (they LOVE piranha), deep diving crankbaits and flashy spoons similar to what you would use in saltwater applications.
An example of nature in the raw can be observed if you use live fish. Payara often use their fangs to puncture the air bladder of prey fish and then devour the struggling specimen.
These viscous predators can be found in eddies and currents caused by waterfalls in South American rivers. Although it's almost a lock to find them in Venezuela, you can find them almost anywhere in the Amazon Basin where the water is flowing. If you think the water is moving too rapidly for fishing, that's the time for payara!
Until next time--watch your line and watch yourself!
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