The awe-inspiring Pirarucu, or Arapaima as it’s known, is the largest scaled freshwater fish globally and can reach weights approaching 400lb and lengths of almost three metres. As well as being one of the largest, it’s also one of the oldest and Arapaima fossils scanning back over ten million years have been found around the world.
Originally indigenous to Brazil, Peru, Colombia and several other countries in the Amazon basin, the fish is now also present in Thailand after being stocked by enterprising fish farmers. The giant apex predator is genuinely unique, and after an astonishing evolutionary process, it has the incredible ability to breathe oxygen, allowing it to survive in oxygen-depleted pools.
All these weird and wonderful facts, combined with being extremely challenging and hard fighting fish to catch, have made the Arapaima one of the most sought-after in the world. Usually fighting in short, fast runs with explosive jumps, they’re incredible leapers and can propel themselves way above the surface of the water once hooked. Fly fishing is a favoured method of targeting these fish, but tackle must be up to the job; heavy rods, lines and big flies are necessary to tame these monsters. A Fresh dead bait suspended below a float is also another popular method of fishing for Arapaima.
Below are the top destinations in the world for Arapaima Fishing.
Visit the best destination in the world to catch Arapaima all exclusively on the fly. Enjoy 6.5 days fishing at Pirarucu Lodge, the largest Arapaima fishing reserve on this planet, all set in the stunning Amazon rainforest. Also, how about, on average, catching 3.5 Arapaima each day, plus many other species all on your fly rod.
Exclusive to Sportquest Holidays, we have teamed up with our guides in Thailand. We are very pleased to offer you this unique chance of fishing for lots of different species from different lakes around the magnificent city of Bangkok. One day you could be fishing for 140kg Arapaima, the next Alligator Gar to 30kg.
The beautiful Gillhams fishing lake resort is located in the stunning area of Krabi Southern Thailand and is surrounded by limescale Karsts which are covered in a protected tropical rain forest. The resort can cater for single anglers, pairs, groups and we can also arrange full lake exclusivity.
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Name: Arapaima
Also known as: Pirarucu or Paiche
Scientific name: Sudis Gigas
The Arapaima is torpedo-shaped with large blackish-green scales and red markings. It is streamlined and sleek, with its dorsal and anal fin set near its tail. Their bodies are covered in hard mineralised scales, providing strength and protection, meaning they are heavily armoured while remaining mobile. They are a unique species as they depend on surface air to breathe. In addition to gills, they have a modified and enlarged swim bladder composed of lung-like tissue, which enables it to extract oxygen from the air.
This prehistoric leviathan can be found in numerous waterways worldwide, but it’s primarily famed as a giant of the lagoons and river systems of the Amazona. It was initially indigenous to Brazil, Peru, and Colombia but is also found in Bolivia and Guyana. For anglers fishing for them, Brazil is probably the most famous country, and Pirarucu Lodge in the world-famous Mamirauá Reserve is one of the best locations on the planet.
Over the last few decades, these magnificent specimens have also found their way into man-made lakes in Asia after being stocked by enterprising fish farmers. The most famous and popular of these is Gillhams Lake in Thailand, which contains fish of over 500lb.
Our top three Arapaima fishing tours:
Pirarucu Lodge Brazil
Gillhams Resort Thailand
Multi Lake Fishing Thailand
In the Amazon jungle, the favoured way of fishing for Arapaima is on the fly, and the style of fishing and tackle needed isn’t too dissimilar to that you would use Tarpon fishing. Heavy-duty 12-weight rods that feature a proper taper to cast big streamers and battle super-strong fish are essential, and so is a reel with a rock-solid drag. Aggressively tapered fly lines, purposely built for the jungle, are what you want, along with good quality backing and leaders. Large streamers tied on 4/0-6/0 heavy-duty hooks are what you want on the business end.
Fly fishing for Arapaima can be mentally taxing and requires a solid mindset to catch one. As they can only stay underwater for up to 20 minutes, it’s not unusual to see vast numbers of fish roll and splash throughout your session, and they can trick you into thinking it will be easy. However, they aren’t super aggressive feeders and prefer to wait and ambush their prey; this means blind casting with a slow retrieve is the order of the day. It’s essential to keep concentration at all times.
When fishing for them on conventional tackle, float fishing or ledgering a dead bait is probably the best method, but pellets and boilies also get used on some of the man-made lakes in Asia. Once again, as with fly fishing, your tackle must be up to the job, although on most lakes, all the correct tackle gets supplied.
To learn more about the Arapaima, visit our YouTube channel.
Arapaima can grow to exceptional sizes and is considered one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet; specimens over 3m in length, weighing hundreds of pounds, are not unusual. At Gillhams Resort in Thailand, the lake record is 560lb, whilst the largest fish caught on the fly, verified by the IGFA, is a beast of 339lb (154kg) landed by Jakub Vágner in the Amazon Jungle. At Pirarucu Lodge, our destination in Brazil, 10lb to 80lb fish are common, and you can expect several bites daily.
The Arapaima at Pirarucu made it into our list of top freshwater fly fishing holidays, want to know what else did? Read our blog: Top Freshwater Fly Fishing Holidays.
