To organize a trip like this and to count on the professionalism and seriousness of a good tourist structure is to have half of the work done. The ship Piratinga is prepared to receive up to 10 fishermen with plenty of comfort. Her simplicity and shelter of good quality warrant an unforgettable fishing trip. It must be also said that the fishing guides are well prepared and polite. As a matter of fact, everyone gets closed to the fish or seeks them in great advantage in small boats (“voadeiras”). 

 

Kuryala Lodge / Piratinga Boatel

Phone Number:  **62 -215 1313 / Ingrid 

“DAS MORTES” RIVER: STRIKES AND MORE STRIKES 

After we landed at the airport of Goiania, two small planes freighted by the lodge were already waiting to take the group directly to Sao Felix do Araguaia. The two-hour flight passed very quickly because the pilot flew over the Araguaia River and the Bananal Island (a shortcut actually). During this trip we could appreciate all the beauty of the Araguaia region. 

From Sao Felix to the lodge we took about 20 minutes by van. We then arrived at the boatel, where a very tasty luncheon waited for us. The decision of the group was to depart immediately to Das Mortes River because the need for fishing was enormous. At dusk, within about two hours of navigation, we got on the boats and started our search of the “pirararas”.  

In the evening of the first day of fishing many stories were counted. Stories about broken rods, broken lines and some good hooked fish were the themes of the chats. One lunker pirarara, with 35 kilos, had defied the fisherman Ricardo and he had to sweat in order to see the fish’s face after 15 minutes of intense dispute. On that first night the sleep came easy and the dreams were stuffed with the various many actions of the following days.   

During the time we fished in Das Mortes River the fishing was not constant. Some fishermen caught a lot o fish sometimes, but they didn't have the same luck in other moments. In any way, everybody had lots of fun fishing peacock bass in the morning, while the water was not very warm, and pirararas during the afternoons and evenings.  

In this area it is worth the effort of dragging the boat in order to reach less-fished lakes. In one of our attempts got very disappointed because nothing really happened. The lake was practically dead - only a few peacock bass (small ones), an inattentive aruana and a small cachara that decided to bite the artificial baits. In compensation, next other morning it was worth our effort. We entered with an only boat to avoid frightening the fish; even the outboard motor was no turned on. While we prepared the equipments, the guide used oars to take us around the margins of the lake. We cast until noontime and then we went back to the mother ship. As a matter of fact, we had some action, but without a heavy strike attack of any aggressive peacock bass. We hooked more than 40 fish varying from 1 to 3 kilos. Wagner, a friend that was fishing with me in the boat, went bananas because he had never caught so many fish in a short period of time.  

ARAGUAIA RIVER: THE HOME OF THE PIRARARA 

After we had come back to Araguaia, we decided to go up the river in search of lunker fish. In that area, as there are no lakes around, the fishery concentrates on the pirararas, apapas and cachorras during the day and bargadas in the evening or in the first hours of the morning.    

The fishing of the pirarara, a very heavy Brazilian fish, demands compatible equipment. The integration between the fishermen that are on board with the guide is very important because it is almost impossible to take the fish off the water without the participation of everyone. In the moment that the fish bites the bait there should be no hurry. If the fish gets scared, it will release the bait and swim away. It is good to give some time so that it accommodates the pirana (bait) in the mouth. Following this recommendation, we guarantee a more efficient hooking.  

I prefer fishing the pirarara with the rod pointed upward. I start lowering the point of the rod in direction of the fish. With rod pointed to the water and feeling plenty of weight in the line, I hook strongly. The pirarara usually stays at the bottom of the river. It is always worthwhile to give another fishhook in order to confirm the process and be sure of the penetration of the hook in the mouth of the fish. 

Be sure your adrenaline will skyrocket. Everyone on the boat has a role to play. The partner has to remove his fishing line from the water in order to free the way to the big fish. The guide has to work out the outboard motor and place the boat in the middle of the river. To catch a pirarara without moving the boat to the middle of the river is almost impossible because the fish will certainly find an obstacle to hide and possibly escape from the hook. 

After the fish gets tired, the best thing to do is to move the boat to the margin and start pulling it. Even if everything is correctly done, there are times when the fish gets away. I remember one morning…a partner of mine felt the biting and guaranteed the hooking while the guide made all efforts to accelerate the movement of the boat. In a safer point in the middle of the river - and believing to be a small pirarara - the guide stopped the boat in order to give some time for my partner to retrieve the line calmly. Until today we don't know what bit that bait: when it approached the boat, the fish, literally, placed the line behind his head and said good-bye to everyone. The race was very fast, giving no time for any defensive action. It easily took 20 meters of line and we could only feel the “song” of the line. My partner got very frustrated and his disappointment was visible. 

After we lose big fish we start learning many lessons. My friend, after losing that lunker one, uttered: "A line 60mm doesn’t resist this fish in these conditions, I would certainly need an 80mm-line to fight with him”. For those who fish pirarara, situations like these are relatively common and it is part of the game. To lose about 50% of the fish that bite the hooks is the normal average. Even with the fishing experience in these conditions, this percentile is only reduced 30%. As the days go by, after feeling the heavy equipment and the hours of fishing, the learning comes naturally and not so many pirararas will get away. But, it must said that to see a pirarara breaking the line and swimming away with its read tail is, as a matter of fact, an unforgettable view.   

The whole evening, while there was light, the guides looked after good points for the bargadas. With the ship anchored in shallow places, less than 1 meter of depth, in gravel bottom we had only to wait for the right hour for their arrival. Not too heavy, the bargada bites two or three times before getting all the speed. The fishery is very entertaining, especially with light equipment, but it demands many skills of the fisherman to control the great race of the fish. When fishing the bargada, I recommend using minhocuçu (big worms) as baits and they have to be previously ordered at the lodge. Minhocuçu is unbeatable bait for this species. I believe that very few fishermen that go to Araguaia (Sao Felix area) are devoted to this fishery - perhaps because they ignore its great potential as sport fishing.  

This adventure in Araguaia basin was compensating. More than 40 pirararas were hooked. Everyone could feel could feel what is to have those big fish in the tip of the line. Other fish were also caught.   Hundreds of peacock bass completed the party and provided unforgettable moments during the whole trip. In this area of Araguaia and “Das Mortes” rivers we can really fish. We should remember the beautiful preservation work that has been done by the Kuryala Lodge and Piratinga Boat. Because of that,  we will be able to fish all right and feel great positive emotions for a long time.