Piranha fishing isn?t like regular fishing. There?s no sophisticated equipment (just a short rod made from bamboo) or any wriggly maggots to contend with (a chunk of filet mignon will do just fine). Then there?s the technique to master. Pretty simple, really.
?The trick is to keep the line perfectly still and pull it in as quick as a flash,? said naturalist guide Daniel. With that in mind, I stood by the side of our small boat in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon and simply waited. The minutes ticked by but nothing. Then, in an instant, there was a heavy tug on my line that almost yanked it out of my hand. I hauled the rod backwards and a sharp-toothed, metallic bodied and red-bellied fish came flying out, landing on the floor of the boat with a slap and to squeals from my fellow fishermen and women. The ‘Aria’ (Richard Dobson)
Julio stepped forward to retrieve it and gave us a closer look at the Amazon?s most feared resident before returning the man-eating predator to the water.
My companions and I weren?t on a specialist anglers? getaway, but a unique journey through the world?s most revered rainforest. Despite common perception, a trip to the Amazon needn?t mean sleeping in hammocks, cooking beans on a campfire and endlessly swatting mosquitoes. Seeking an experience high in both adventure and luxury I boarded the Aria, a river expedition vessel belonging to Aqua Expeditions. It is more polished than most hotels: its 16 modern and spacious suites have recentl...