Florida’s Exotic Freshwater Fish

Hanna and I got our first taste of South American exotics when we fished the Miami Airport canals in 2010 with guide Alan Zaremba and that’s what inspired us to make multiple trips to Brazil. If for any reason – cost, fear, logistics – you can’t make it to Brazil, Florida remains an amazing option for all kinds of illegally-introduced-but-fun-to-catch-species. You can hire a guide or chase them on foot, as you already probably have the tackle necessary to capture them all. Check out this chart from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

How many have you caught? I’ve landed butterfly peacocks, Oscars, and some kinds of tilapia. Plenty of reasons to return, although I’m not really down with the swamp eel.