The Vampire Slayer
Payara, often called Vampire Fish, are a unique species found almost exclusively in the Orinoco River Basin, and her tributaries. This comprises the northern most part of the Amazon jungle, primarily Columbia, Venezuela, and parts of Northern Brazil and Guayana. Prior to my first encounter I had no idea what to expect from Payara and tried to tie flies with little information while also purchasing flies from other tyers. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Payara hit with such power and ferocity and I was missing way too many hits. After that first trip I set out to design the best possible fly for Payara. Over the years the Vampire Slayer has slowly evolved and become the best Payara fly on the market!
What are the Unique Points of Differentiation on the Vampire Slayer?
Vampire Slayer- Blue Bomber
I’ve spared no expense in experimentation of hooks and materials but the final results speak for themselves! With a 90lb wire line connecting two burley 5/0 Umpqua Beast hooks, this fly comes in at 10+ inches but casts surprisingly easily. The extended trailer hook placement is absolutely key to increase hook-up rates. The beads act not only as volume and color placement but also as a rattle affect! Shake and find out. For a couple extra bucks, extra weight can be added however this makes the fly harder to cast. I recommend a 10/11wt rod for the regular Vampire Slayer and an 11/12wt rod with the extra weight.
So much thought has gone into this fly. Everything from profile, movement, color schemes, weight, materials, and quality. But the key is maximum tail movement with optimum trailer hook placement. Making them extra durable has been a challenge given Payara’s gnarly teeth but most of my flies should last between 3-5 Payara, and often longer. Payara have a tendency to chew through flies….
Note that I strongly recommend bringing a brush/comb to increase durability and fly movement. Payara slime is real and needs to get removed asap after catching a fish.
But the Vampire Slayer comes in 6 well rounded and proven colors so get out there and catch with confidence!
See my post on rigging and fishing style for more info here.
30 lbs! 40+ inches. My largest ever…..