Amazon Adventures #5: Piranha Fishing!

Gadling has my latest entry posted on my adventures in the Amazon. Today I talk about our excursion into the backwaters to catch a few piranha, the little fish with big teeth.

As I mention in the article, the piranha's reputation is that of a killer, and while they can be very aggressive at times, Hollywood, and other works of fiction, have portrayed them as far more deadly than they actually are. Still, they do have teeth that can cause some serious damage, and they are very aggressive, and that aggressiveness makes them a lot of fun to fish for. They tend to hit your bait hard and fast, and with more strength than you would think out of something so small. They also have a nasty habit of cleaning your hook of bait altogether, and sneaking away without you even knowing they've been there.

We were luck to catch several piranha however, and I was fortunate enough to pull in three myself. We took our catch of the day back to our boat, where the crew grilled them up for us. Most of the other passengers elected to skip eating them, but I couldn't resist, and I can say without a doubt, they were very tasty. The only downside was that they are also quite bony, which resulted in a lot of work for a little meat. Still, definitely worth it, and if you ever head down to the Amazon, and find piranha on the menu, be sure to indulge. If nothing else, it makes a good story. ;)