Giant Catfish Safaris

The giant piraiba

    Acute Angling began its pursuit of Amazon catfish by organizing a giant catfish safari to the Rio Solimoes, Amazonia, Brazil in the spring of 2000.  It was strictly an exploratory trip, seeking the big cats in the heart of their natural territory and designed to develope a guided catfish trip for future anglers.  The purpose of this trip was pure and simple; to catch fish.  We went during the rainy season, not the most attractive of times to be in the rain forest, but until we learned better, it appeared to be the best time to find giant cats.  We headed for the Rio Solimoes, the main trunk of the Amazon, a big, wide and brawny river.  We went with scales and tapes and cameras because we were pursuing species of catfish that haden't even been listed in the record books yet.  It was planned as a trip for the dedicated, die-hard fisherman, not the casual tourist.
 
 

A brace of big Dourado

We weren't uncomfortable, however.  We ate and  slept and traveled aboard an 85 foot yacht with air-conditioned cabins,  bathrooms and a fully enclosed, air-conditioned dining room and bar.  The fully equipped kitchen provided delicious and satisfying meals.  Our experienced peacock bass fishing staff and guides were aboard to ensure your convenience and safety.  We were comfortable, well fed and fully supplied with everything we needed in a relaxed and friendly environment.  We fished in stable, 16 foot Lowe fishing boats, equipped with 40 hp Yamaha outboards and trolling motors.  With two anglers and a guide per boat, we ranged up and down the river and its many tributaries in search of giant cats (and other exotic fish) while the yacht cruised on.  We roamed several hundred miles up the Solimoes. 

The results were equivocal at best.  We landed a few, we hooked even more and we lost a monster on 5/0 stand-up gear, 45 minutes into a fight.  But it wasn't what we hoped for.  We shared the waters with commercial anglers, the weather was wet and humid and we just didn't produce in a way that would justify a regularly scheduled adventure.  We weren't willing to add it to the Acute Angling catalog, so we moved on.  We explored and roamed and experimented, finally finding our catfish mecca in the highlands of the Guyana Shield region of northern Brazil (see giant catfish exploratory articles)

Today, our unparalled catfish safaris are in pristine, untouched waters with an abundance of extraordinary monsters.  Anglers are catching a minimum of several catfish per day and routinely landing monsters over 100, 200 and even 300 pounds.  We've set record after record, including the largest officially recorded catfish ever caught on rod and reel.  There is nothing like it anywhere else. 

A big red-tailed cat.

The Quarry - The biggest catfish in the Amazon is the piraiba (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum).  It is said that these monsters can exceed 450 pounds and 9 feet in length.  Commercially caught specimens have exceeded 350 pounds and our client, Russell Jensen, currently holds the record at 295 pounds, caught on our Rio Travessao tri  Piraiba are so huge that a separate name is given to the more commonly caught specimens under 50 kilos (110 pounds).  Their smaller offspring are called filhote (youngster or nestling in English).  Imagine referring to a 100 pound plus fish as a baby! Piraiba are one of main focal points of our trip and we fish right where they live.  Although it's the giant 'Grandpa' that we all seek, even the big bouncing babies will give any fisherman an experience to remember.
            
    Several other giant species inhabit these waters.  The Jau (Paulicea lutkeni) is a giant of the deeper waters.  Attaining weights in excess of 250 pounds, this heavy-bodied catfish will requires deeper water techniques as well as stout tackle.  Big pirarara or red-tailed catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus), are already represented in IGFA with a 97 pound specimen caught by Gilberto Fernandes in 1988.  These are terrific fighters and can be found in varying water depths.  Tiger flatheads, or suribim (Psuedoplatystoma fasciatum), are the speed merchants of the catfish clan.  Aggressively striking artificial baits, they commonly take off on high speed runs.   Several other smaller but still impressive species such as piramutaba (Brachyplatystoma vaillantii), bandeira (Goslinia platynema) and piranambu (Pinirampus pinirampu) round out the lineup of potential catfish species.
 

FYI  Acute Angling is putting together a trip in the spring of 2000 to pursue the biggest of the giant Amazon catfish.  We'll take eight adventurous souls into the heart of Amazonia in the rainy season, the best time to find the cats. Read about catching a big cat or view a sample itinerary For more information about this fishing adventure, to speak with us, or to book a trip, contact:       Paul Reiss at (908) 832-2987 E-Mail Paul Reiss, or:  Garry Reiss at (908) 431-1668 E-Mail Garry Reiss

    Many other species of Amazonian fish are available on our unique variety trips.  We catch enormous payara, pirapitinga, bicuda, trairao and even peacocks on our variety trips.  We're still exploring, improving our access and polishing our techniques.  Join us on the trip of a lifetime.