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Angler's Guide to Amazon Catfish
Apapa—Pellona castelnaeana—(Valenciennes, 1847)
Looking like super-sardines, "apapa" are large, migratory clupeids, feeding mostly on other fishes. They are most active in twilit hours and focus mainly on surface oriented prey. Typically encountered in large schools. They can present anglers with extended fishing frenzies.
ID Key: Mostly golden in color, they have laterally compressed fusiform bodies and upturned mouths.
| Bars and Markings | Colors | Size | Key Characters | Similar Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None, body relatively uniform and free of any clearly visible markings. Gold color tends to be most intense along the central line of the body. | Silvery yellow to gold coloration. Fins darker with orange/gold coloration on jaw and operculum. | Adults: up to about .75 meters and almost 20 pounds | laterally compressed upturned mouth streamlined fusiform shape gold color |
Two very similar species occur in the Amazon, with overlapping ranges. P.castelnaeana and P. flavipinnis, both achieving large sizes. P.castelnaeana has been identified as the species encountered by anglers, although further investigation may help clarify this. |
| Known Range | Behavior Notes | Habitat | Common Names | IGFA records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, possibly others. River Basins: Amazon, Orinoco and possibly others. |
Apapa feed actively late in the day. Schools may encircle baitfish schools and feed extensively on the trapped bait. Known to move into secondary rivers in large schools | Found distributed along banks when not actively moving as a school. | English: Amazon Pellona Brazil: Apapa Other: Sardinata |
15 lbs. 10 oz., caura Rio Caura, Venezuela, 1999 |
Fishing Tactics
Anglers can fish for apapa as distributed individuals during most of the day. They will often hold against steep banks or down-current sides of points. Streamer flies, small swimming plugs and jigs are effective in these circumstances. Apapa will attack head on, flashing and turning as they take the bait, often hooking themselves in the process. They are strong fighters and readily jump with gill-rattling head shakes. On occasion anglers may encounter feeding schools of apapa. Small poppers, zara spooks and skitterpops are particularly effective. A lure may get hit several times on a retrieve until a volunteer succeeds in hooking itself.
Apapa are great fly rod adversaries, readily taking small streamers and poppers and mounting a strong, acrobatic fight.
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When you Travel With Acute Angling, It's Much More Than Just Fishing
Imagine casting your line into the mysterious and beautiful black waters of the Brazilian Amazon. Then imagine the explosive strike of one of the biggest Peacock Bass you've ever seen. Then picture yourself fighting and landing the world's greatest freshwater gamefish and the trophy you've been dreaming of. Imagine doing this for days on end, without intrusive interruptions, or hurrying off because you've run out of time.
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