Arapaima fishing
About Arapaima
The arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, an air-breathing giant of the Amazon basin that surfaces to gulp air with an audible roll. Anglers target it in oxbow lakes and slow river backwaters with large flies, soft plastics and live or dead baits, often sight-fishing to surfacing fish. Hooking one means an explosive, leaping fight from an armoured, bony-mouthed fish, and most fisheries are strictly catch-and-release.
Typical size: Usually 30-90 kg; trophies over 150 kg, to about 3 m. Record (approx.): approx. 200 kg (varies by region).
Season, time and habitat
Darker cell = more active that month. Based on the species' usual yearly rhythm.
Common questions
When is the best time to catch Arapaima?
Arapaima fishing is usually best around Jan-Dec. The best windows in the day are usually dawn, dusk.
Where can you catch Arapaima?
Arapaima is most often found in lake, river. Napp shows the nearest waters and the live odds on the bite right now.