Next weekend sport fishing fanatics will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an adventure of a lifetime as they set out to catch river monsters from the Essequibo.
Close to 30 participants have already signed up to be part of the Guyana inaugural Fishing Festival, which is among the activities earmarked to observe Tourism month. The Fishing Festival will be hosted at Piraiba Lodge, Upper Essequibo River.
The objective is to showcase the country’s potential to become a recreational fishing destination and attract international participants in the years to come.
Coordinator of the festival and Proprietor of Piraiba Lodge Navin Roopnarine said participants will fish in a tranquil environment and be awed at the wide variety of sweetwater fish there is to catch.
While this inaugural festival was planned in a matter of months, he explained that they will have a few international fishers from the expat community here.
“We did not get to send out invites to international participants, but we thought it was best and a great opportunity for persons from the diplomatic community and the oil and gas sector to be invited to participate,” he explained.
Roopnarine, who is also a sport fisher, said he first shared the idea with former head of the Guyana Tourism Authority Brian Mullis, but in midst of the preparation, the global pandemic hit and plans were shelved.
The four days of activities commence with an opening ceremony and participants’ meet and greet.
“On the 26th and 27th, it will be all about fishing. The participants will load up their boats and go with their guides and judges to a different location to catch their fish. We will be using a catch-and-release method of fishing throughout the festival,” he stated. With prizes being awarded for the largest catch of approximately ten species of fish, each participant will have to weigh and record their catch and also take a photograph for evidence. The species available are Peacock bass, Payara (Vampire Fish), Traira (Hymara, Wolf Fish), Arrawana, Pacu, Jandia (Leopard Catfish), Surubim (Tiger Shovelnose Catfish), Amazon Red Tail Catfish, Jau Catfish and the famous Goliath Catfish.
“So we will assign one person to each boat to take the picture and accurately weigh the catch. This is to prevent any tampering with information. At the end of the two days fishing expedition, we will tally up and determine the winners,” he added.
A prize-giving ceremony will be held on November 28. Apart from fishing, participants will have the opportunity to interact and partake in local cuisine from nearby villages or Fairfield and Rewa.
Some participants will be accommodated in rooms, others can opt to camp out under the stars on the first night. During the fishing days, participants will set up camps along the bank of the river and immerse themselves in an experience of a lifetime.
According to the website, Piraiba (Lau Lau) Lodge, is situated on the eastern bank of the Essequibo River, approximately 20 miles (32 km), south of Iwokrama River Lodge, deep in the jungle. It is named after the largest freshwater catfish species in South America, the Goliath Catfish, Piraiba or Lau Lau. The lodge is constructed primarily from Green Heart and is powered by a photovoltaic (solar) system. There are ten rooms, which are spacious and self-contained, and four with shared baths, which provide a mixture of comfort and rusticity, surrounded by pristine rainforest, full of wildlife.
Each participant is expected to pay a registration fee of $15,000 and take along with their grocery items. Meals will be prepared by local chefs.
