ECUADOR – Amazon Adventures

written by robert 5. January 2023 244 views

Journey to the Jungle King – The Arapaima is undoubtedly the king of fish in the Amazon River system and can only be found today where civilization has not spread significantly: deep in the jungles of the Amazon. We set off for Ecuador to ask the Jungle King to dance there. What an adventure! It’s like fishing in a zoo, as you sneak up on the shy Arapaimas amidst caimans, parrots, monkeys, and the endless greenery of the riverbanks to lure them with bait. However, spotting, enticing them to bite, and actually catching Arapaima are three different pairs of shoes!

Spotting the gigantic fish is the lesser hurdle. Getting them to bite is more difficult, but anchoring the hook securely in the bony mouths of these prehistorically-looking fish so that it remains securely attached even during the leap of these jungle giants is not always successful.

However, we were fortunate enough on multiple occasions to invite one of these superfish for a photo session and were overwhelmed by the river monsters. It is the overall experience of jungle ambiance, the circumstances of the catch, and the adrenaline pumping through our veins that make these catches so special. No comparison to the colorless siblings released into Thai paylakes and “offered” for catch. Here, in the Ecuadorian jungle, we fished for wild and sometimes actively hunting Arapaimas – a dream! And that’s not all: Peacock bass in large numbers and some Pacus – a Piranha species weighing over 20 kilograms – perfectly rounded off our fishing trip to South America. An absolute overdose of impressions and experiences that no one can take away from us.

Florian Läufer
Professional Photographer