Let's Talk Bait

This is the tuvira or banded knife fish and is the best known bait for dorado and the large catfish of the Pantanal. It is a type of eel that emits a small electrical charge that attracts sport fish.

It has yet to successfully be raised in captivity. All tuvira used as bait are captured and then sold to fisherman. For this reason they are extremely expensive but don't worry. We supply our travellers with plenty to ensure they hook something like this:

or maybe this:

The best technique is to use a small weight and cast near the banks, allowing your boat to drift as your bait moves along the banks. Generally you won't have to wait long before you are caught up in the adrenaline rush of one of these badboys leaping out of the water and trying to rip your rod right out of your hands.

Dorado and some of the giant catfish also hit on lures and artificial bait. Over the next couple of days I'll be talking about that as well as flyfishing for dorado in the Pantanal.