by Mike Sabine 

Attention North American bass fisherman - want to meet a fish that strikes twice as hard and fights twice as fiercely as the largemouth? And you fish for them with the same tackle, same lures, and same strategies? Think bass fishing, and you’ll catch the guapote of Lake Nicaragua.

Commonly called the Rainbow bass by English speakers, the guapote is the largest and most aggressive member of the chiclid family. There are a number of subspecies identified, the one unique to Lake Nicaragua being the largest known according to researchers, growing to a length of 75 cm and a weight of 15 lbs. 

The many species of smaller chiclids are most commonly known as brightly-hued aquarium pets. But while the North American bass are kept in fish tanks with success, attempts to contain the guapote frequently meet with disaster. They will ram unsecured objects such as decorative rocks against the sides hard enough to break the glass, filtration and aeration systems are attacked and ripped out by mouth. Conventional glass lids are sent flying when the guapote decides to jump. It’s body shape and mouth type make it analogous to the largemouth, but this one is an attitude case on steroids