Paul Reiss from Acute Angling with a superb payara from the deep Amazon jungle www.acuteangling.com
Angler Maximilian Hampl landed a toothy 6.25 kg (13 lb 12 oz) payara while fishing the Rio Tocantins. Hampl used a live bait fish to induce a strike from this strong predator, and needed eight minutes to land it. www.igfa.org
Payara is a member of the Cynodontidae family; it is also called peixe cachorro, dog fish, saber toothed dogfish, tiger fish, guapeta.
Payara inhabit freshwater rivers and lakes in South America from the Orinoco to Paraguay River basins. The distribution of large payara is limited to a few places in Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, Peru and probably Ecuador. They prefer fast moving water, but are found in still waters of lakes and rivers as well. Payara are among the gamest of South Americas freshwater fishes, leaping when hooked and making long fast runs. They are picivorous predators that attack upward, stabbing prey with the large canine teeth and then swallowing them whole and head first.
Payara inhabit freshwater rivers and lakes in South America from the Orinoco to Paraguay River basins. The distribution of large payara is limited to a few places in Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, Peru and probably Ecuador. They prefer fast moving water, but are found in still waters of lakes and rivers as well. Payara are among the gamest of South Americas freshwater fishes, leaping when hooked and making long fast runs. They are picivorous predators that attack upward, stabbing prey with the large canine teeth and then swallowing them whole and head first.
| DISTRIBUTION: | South America |
| MAX SIZE: | 44 lb / 20 kg |
| MAX LENGHT: | 60 inches / 150 cm |
| MAX AGE: | Unkonwn |
| ENVIRONMENT: | Freshwater |