Shark Fishing in Lake Nicaragua

Fishing is not just a hobby for many enthusiasts; it is a way of life. Onceyou’ve been bitten, pun intended, it is very difficult to stop. As timegoes by you spend more and more money improving your kit and travelling toincreasingly exotic locations. The prize? That catch to end all catches, the one you tell your children about and in Lake Nicaragua I think I’ve found just that at least in fresh water terms that is!

If the significance of this article’s title hasn’t struck you yet, I’m talking about fishing for sharks, 32 metres up a mountain in fresh water.We’re also not talking about any old shark too, the catch concerned is the mighty bull shark and arguably the most dangerous shark there is. These phenomenal predators grow in excess of 8 feet and weigh hundreds of pounds. They’ve earned their name through their muscular, stout anatomy and their penchant for ramming their prey in an attack. They also hold the unique attribute of being able to tolerate both salt and fresh water, something no other shark can mimic. The generally accepted reason for their trips into freshwater is too give birth where rivers act as nurseries for their young. There are no large predators, apart from the sharks of course, so the water is teeming with them.

So how do these large marine predators make it 32 metres and 107 feet above sea level to the largest fresh water lake in Central America I hear you ask, they jump up the rapids like Salmon a sight which must be every bit as awe-inspiring as hooking one of the beasts in the lake. It’s probably best not to go fly fishing in these rapids otherwise you may well bite off more than you can chew, pun intended.

So if you fancy a unique fishing experience in one of the most beautiful places on earth, get yourself to Lake Nicaragua. You’ll need a strong rod and big boat; these sharks are fighters, but just imagine the look on people’s faces as you tell the story and they laugh at the notion of catching sharks in lakes, before you pull out the pictures of you holding that huge bull shark by the boat. Not to mention you get to sample Central America…happy days!

Rufus Elliott is an Event Organiser for Chillisauce. He also runs the travel blog community Epic Traveller