Piranhas

[sambrochill]

So I woke up today and turned on the TV to the History Channel and the show Monster Quest was on. This episode titled "Piranha Invasion" was saying that piranhas have been introduced into lakes here in the United States. People have been catching them in the Potomak and also in the Lake of the Ozarcs in Missouri. Most scientists say that since they are native to waters in South America that stay warm all year around, they will die off in the winter because the water would get to cold and the piranhas wouldn't be able to live. In the Lake of the Ozarcs a fishing guide has said that people have reported catching these piranhas for three years in a row so either someone keeps putting more piranhas in the lake or they keep breeding and actually find a way to live in the cold conditions of winter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piranha#Distribution)

On the show Monster Quest, they had a guide help them find the piranhas so i checked his website to see what he said and he said that during the shooting of the show they did not find a single piranha. if you're interested you can check his website here http://www.fishinglakeoftheozarks.com/Fishing%20Report.htm

but i just wanna know if you guys have heard anything about piranhas in lakes or bodies of water or if you think that our waters could potentially be infested with piranha some time in the future.

[Grey Wolf]

Mother Nature adapts.

[Nice_Bass]

Lake of the Ozarks does not have any of these...they do have WAY too many goggle eyes though.  They taste good, but love plastic worms more than the bass some days.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I saw that show the other day too.  There was a Pacu caught out of Cave Run in Morehead a few years ago, not exactly a piranha but same family.  They said someone probably had it as a pet and released it in the lake.  I think I'd be more worried about the fresh water barracudas in that lake instead of a bluegill with teeth.  I have also heard about a few being in a lake back home but I think that it's either a just a rumor or they were all caught or died out....gets to cold for them in the winter

[bass or bass ?]

Other than extremely southern waters, the winter temperatures will kill them if they are there at all. It's been illegal to import piranha for decades.

[joleree]

could definitely see it happening in Miami

[Missouribassman95]

I've fished Lake of the Ozarks many times, and never heard of, or caught a piranha.

[Bass Fisher55]

Mother Nature adapts.

That's for sure, dam Asian carps will probably be in the Great Lakes in no time.

I saw that show too though, was very interesting. But I never heard of anyone catching a Piranha in my area.

I'm sure as more people watch the movie Piranha 3d, they'll be on the number 2 list with Great Whites.

[Bassn Blvd]

One was caught in the St. Johns River.