| CAPTAIN'S BLOG AMAZON RIVER CATFISHING |
| MIGRATORY SPECIES AND MIGRATION PATTERNS Catfish (Siluriformes) Brachyplatystoma vaillantii This fish is known as the piramutaba, pira-botão, and mulher ingrata in Brazil, pirabutón in Colombia and manitoa in Peru. It was described by Eigenmann and Eigenmann (1890) and commented on by Britsky (1981). B. vaillantii occurs mainly along the mainstem of the Amazon River and its Andean and sub-Andean white water tributaries in the Brazilian, Peruvian and Colombian Amazon, as well as in the Orinoco and Maroni rivers (French Guiana). It is rarely found above rapids, except in the Madeira River, and above the Middle Tocantins River. The fish is a medium sized riverine piscivore (max. 100 cm). It rarely visits the floodplain, preferring to inhabit the mainstem of the rivers. Its migration has been investigated by tagging, field observation and fishery studies. Tagging conducted during the late seventies failed to produce any useful results, probably due to the large distances involved. Fishery reports and field observations suggest that this species migrates 3,500 km upriver from the mouth of the Amazon River to spawn in Andean tributaries (400 m altitude), such as the Ucayali and Japurá rivers. Upstream migration occurs between May and October. During all life stages piramutaba lives primarily near the river bed. |
| water before it got away. At first he thought it was a young salton, but then changed his mind to manitoa, which seems to be the general opinion of several witnesses. Three days before catching the manitoa, he caught a giant sting ray from the same location with the same gear. In both cases a live fish 6 to 8 inches long was the bait. I did not see the sting ray but it was reported to be larger in circumference by 2 feet than his arms could hug. He screamed for someone to bring the machete before it killed him. He cut off its tail in self defense. It fed 16 people. |
| To be truthful, I must say that I did not catch this catfish. The gentleman pictured is Luzmildos, and he caught the fish with the gear he is holding, from the back of my boat, while it was tied a few hundred yards downstream from the confluence of the Nanay and the Amazon Rivers, over the channel. He had a larger one to the top of the |
| Dawn on the Amazon, 2005. All rights reserved. |
| I did some research on the internet with these results: |
| The fish pictured was caught Sept. 17th, I assume on it's migratory route upstream. Timing is crucial to catching them close to Iquitos. Otherwise we have to chase them upstream, or meet them downstream. Amazon River Catfishing I did some further research by eating a big catfish fillet fried in palm oil with aji and lime and yellow potatoes from the Andes on the side. Oh yes, Amazon River catfish is delicious. Come and catch some with us. |
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