Freshwater

Aimara (giant trahira, trairão)

Aimara (trairão, guabina gigante)

Hoplias aimara

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

5–20 lb.

Depth

3–15 ft.

Best time

Dusk and night.

Found in

4 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A giant wolf fish: thick, round, dark brown to black body, a big bony head and a huge mouth full of long fangs. Much bigger than the common trahira.
Typical size: 5–20 lb.
Maximum size: About 3½ ft and close to 90 lb.
Diet: Fish, plus frogs, birds and small animals.
Behavior: An ambush hunter that waits in eddies and slack water beside fast current; most active at dusk and night.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from The Guianas, Amazon & Pantanal, Amazon Mouth (Belém, Marajó & Amapá) and Venezuela & Colombia Rivers. Clear rivers with rapids and rocks in Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Amapá and the lower tributaries of the Amazon (Xingu, Tapajós, Tocantins, Trombetas).
Habitat: Clear rivers with rapids and rocks in Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Amapá and the lower tributaries of the Amazon (Xingu, Tapajós, Tocantins, Trombetas).
Depth: 3–15 ft.
Fishing depth: Eddies and pools behind rocks, 3–10 ft.
Best season: Dry season, low and clear water.
Best time: Dusk and night.
Best tides: No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.
Best weather / conditions: Stable weather and clear water.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Clear rivers with rapids and rocks in Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Amapá and the lower tributaries of the Amazon (Xingu, Tapajós, Tocantins, Trombetas).
Rig up: Heavy baitcasting rod; 9–10 weight fly rod. Wire or 80–100 lb fluorocarbon — the teeth cut lighter line.
Pick your bait: Live or cut fish. Lures: Big topwaters, jerkbaits, spoons and large flies.
Fish it: Cast into eddies behind rocks and the slack edges of rapids at dusk; when it hits, pull it away from the rocks fast.
Time it: Dusk and night. No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.

Fishing techniques: Cast into eddies behind rocks and the slack edges of rapids at dusk; when it hits, pull it away from the rocks fast.
BigJoe's tip: It often follows the lure right to the boat — keep it moving and be ready.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: White meat with some bones; eaten locally, grilled or fried.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Long, razor-sharp fangs and a strong bite — always use long pliers and a lip grip, never your hands.
Regulations: Many lodges and parks in the Guianas and Brazil are catch-and-release; check local rules. Every country requires a fishing license (in Brazil, the Licença de Pesca Amadora), each Argentine province and Brazilian state adds its own rules, and most rivers close during the spawning season. Indigenous lands and strict reserves are closed to outside anglers without permits.
Conservation: Big fish are slow to replace; release the trophies.

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Sources & photo credits