Brazil – Piranha Fish in the Pantanal
Places to Fish for Piranha and Recipes for This Carnivorous Fish
Oct 8, 2009
Piranha is one of the most common fish that inhabit the wetlands of the Pantanal and it shares the water with about 260 other fish species. Angling is a popular sport in this ecological area of west Brazil; Brazilians and foreigners alike flock to the Pantanal to catch their share.
Types of Piranha Fish
There is no such thing as one specific piranha fish, it comes in about fifty different species. The piranha fish doesn't exclusively belong to the Pantanal either, it is found in other regions of Brazil as well, like in the Amazon, Paraguai, Orinoco and São Francisco Rivers.
Is the Piranha Fish Dangerous?
The piranha fish is known for its triangular teeth and its carnivorous character. The latter is only partly true though. Some piranhas live on seeds and fruits, while others just eat the scales or fins of other fish without killing them. Only few of the piranha species form a danger to other creatures.
Piranha fish can grow up to fifty centimetres long and, when hungry, a school of piranhas is capable of devouring a pintado fish weighing twelve kilos within two minutes. In general, there is no need for humans to be concerned about a massive attack by schools of piranha, but for safety reasons it is advised not to go swimming in closed-off lakes.
Piranha Fishing in the Pantanal
The best, or at least easiest, way to go piranha fishing is to organise a fishing trip via a tour operator or at the fazenda where the traveller is staying. Guides know best in which areas piranhas are common, which enlarges to possibility to indeed enjoy that fried "Piranha do Pantanal".
Guides will be familiar with the techniques of fishing for piranha – for example, they are attracted by noise and splashing on the water surface, which to piranhas signifies a distressed creature. Angling is done using a simple rod with a line and doesn't need fancy equipment like lures and floaters. Meat or chunks of fat both do well as bait.
The challenge in piranha fishing lies in getting the feisty animal off the fishhook without getting bitten. Even when appearing unconscious or dead after having floated in a bucket for hours, the piranha may suddenly lash out and leave a painful and nasty souvenir of the fishing trip.
Organised Fishing Trips in the Pantanal
The town of Corumbá, on the Bolivian border, lies along the Río Paraguai and offers a wide variety of boat trips and fishing excursions, from a small boat that carries four persons to a multiple-day cruise on a yacht with all kinds of amenities. Fishing trips can also be organised through Pantanal tour operators in Campo Grande or Cuiabá, the other two gateways to the Pantanal.
Recipe for Fried Piranha
- Scale, gut and slice the piranhas.
- Rub a mixture of salt and garlic into the cuts along the sides of the fish.
- Squeeze limejuice over the fish.
- Cover the piranha in flour.
- Heat pork fat or oil in a pan.
- Deep-fry the fish on both sides.
Serve "Piranha do Pantanal" garnished with a fresh lemon, and with rice or a salad.
Recipe for Piranha Soup
- Scale, gut and slice the piranhas.
- Fry some finely cut garlic and diced green peppers in a pan.
- Add vegetable oil and let it simmer for a bit.
- Add the piranhas and enough water to cover the fish.
- Add salt and a dash of cumin.
- Add some cut potatoes, carrots and hard-boiled eggs.
- Let the broth boil for a while.
Serve the piranha soup with bread.
Piranha fishing is an excellent way to experience a part of the interior life of the Pantanal. Learn the fishing techniques of catching piranhas, and prepare and taste the freshly caught piranha while surrounded by one of nature's most magnificent regions.
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