PAYARA

The Payara, also called called Cachorro (Hydrolicus scomberoides) has been described as possessing "the body of an elongated permit and the tail of a salmon." These anatomical characteristics not only allow it to be quite comfortable residing in and around rapidly moving water, but also make it quite a powerful adversary on the end of ones line. These fish leap like a tarpon, their silvery iridescent bodies providing a beautiful site as they contort some four feet out of the water, and make runs comparable to any saltwater light tackle gamefish. The payara's most unforgettable features are the two long teeth protruding up from its lower jaw. When the payara clamps its mouth shut, these 4-6 inch fangs fit nicely through corresponding sockets in the upper jaw. These great predators attack upward, impaling prey with their fangs and then swallowing them whole and head first. Although payara are occasionally caught within the Unini River and Rio Negro, they tend to favor fast moving water strewn with rocky shoals and this type of habitat is not prevalent on the aforementioned rivers. Most payara on the Unini and Rio Negro are caught on jerkbaits and topwater lures while fishing for peacock bass.