And I catch piranha.

But as blasé as I intend this to sound, I can’t deny the fact that fishing in the Amazon in the same manner as the locals takes the upmost skill, perseverance and patience. And I’ve only done it once, so maybe I should hold off on my newly self-proclaimed title until I have a few more bites on the line. (I’m just so proud!) Here’s a look at my first, and may I add successful, experience reeling in these bad boys.

Please note our tackle. No jigs and reels here. Just a good ol’ fashioned stick the length of my arm supporting an equally short line. To keeps things even more practical, we used the freshest catch as bait and cleaned as we caught.

I learned the secret is in the stealth. Can’t have the fish see or hear us from under the water. Also, a little bit of intensity goes a long way.

Like racks mounted on a living room wall, I boast my best catch with it’s defeated jaws.

A truly exceptional experience. Happy fishing!