Brazil Special Safari Offer

River Plate opened Brazil’s Peacock Bass fishing to the public in 1992 and has been providing the finest Peacock Bass fishing trips available since then. Whilst some would look to sites like Zegrahm to plan a safari holiday, more and more people are realizing that there are some options close to home for those more fishing-focused. As late as 2000 there were fewer than a handful of operators offering trips for this hard fighting member of the “African Cichlid family of fish. Since then the interest in Peacock Bass fishing has exploded and today there are several fixed lodges operating on the upper Rio Negro watershed and upwards of 30 mother boats handling 24 fishermen or more per day, each plying the Rio Negro out of Barcelos, the hub of the modern day Peacock Bass fishing industry. As these mother boats draw 4 – 8 feet of water, they are relegated primarily to the main Rio Negro Channels within 100 mile radius of Barcelos. This means there can be as many as 100 – 150 bass boats on these waters in a given day during the fishing season. Some of these operators have tried to compensate for the limited mobility of their mother boats by equipping their guides with heavy, large high powered bass boats which allow them to run 30 – 60 minutes from the mother boats to reach their prime fishing areas. This limits fishing time plus the ability to get into select backwater lakes and lagoons.

At a Glance:

• Target Fish: Peacock Bass (4 species), Arowana, Giant Catfish, Red Tailed Catfish, Wolf Fish and others…

• Location: Northern Brazil

• Seasons:

  • Dry Zone 1, located south of Manaus, usually experiences ideal water conditions from the middle of July through the middle of August each year. This is the Rio Marmelos fishery, encompassing over 100 miles of black water in the Tineray Indian Reservation. Only 60 anglers a year are allowed to fish this river!

  • Dry Zone 2, also located south and west of Manaus, usually experiences ideal water conditions between the middle of August and the middle of October. During the La Nina influenced fishing season of 2015 & 2016, the lower than normal water levels produced excellent fishing conditions nearly all season. Dry Zone 2 is the Rio Igapo and the Rio Matupiri fisheries in the Mahura Indian Reservation.

  • Dry Zone 3, is located on the south side of the upper Rio Negro upriver from Barcelos and usually begins to experience good water levels in late October thru late December or early January. This is our lower Rio Xeriuni and lower Rio Jufari fisheries.

  • Dry Zone 4, located on the northern side of the upper Rio Negro and the tributaries of the Rio Banco, in the southern region of the state of Rohima and usually experiences ideal water levels from January thru early March. Dry Zone 4 encompasses the headwaters of the Rio Xeriuni & the Rio Jufari, the Rio Kabori, Rio Itapara and the Omero Lakes.

• Lodge Capacity: Six anglers single occupancy or 12 anglers double occupancy

• Nearest Airport: Manaus (international).

• Documents Needed: US Passport & Brazilian Tourist Visa. An application for a visa can take as much as three months to process so it’s important to plan ahead. Visas will not be issued to those who’s passports will expire within six months of the trip.

Fishing Program

Peacock Bass fishing is fast becoming the top item on the fly fishing junky’s bucket list. Although fishing for this hard fighting fish is usually associated with big top water lures, heavy bait casting rods and reels loaded with 80 lb test braided Kevlar line, Peacocks are the perfect target for the fly fishermen as well. Aggressive, hard fighting and always willing to do battle make for a fly fisherman’s dream fish.

Finesse in the presentation of bait is key to an angler’s success; trying out techniques like the tokyo rig, the drop shot, the Texas rig, or the many others allow an angler to lure the fish with different methods. But no other type of fishing can offer the lifelike presentation a fly fisherman can. The Peacock Bass exhibits power usually found in few salt water fish and has the ability to turn itself “inside out” when you have its head coming your direction to make another powerful run. As members of the predatory African Cichlid family of fish, these fish are structure oriented and once stuck with the hook, they are hell bent to get back into cover. The fisherman’s first priority in the first few seconds of the fight is to hang on and then to get the fish into open water where the Peacock has nothing to hang up on and break off. Braided or furloughed leaders in the 25 – 40 lb class are the order of the day along with 9 & 10 wt rods and fly reels with smooth, strong drags. The majority of Peacock you will catch on the fly rod will be in the 2 – 8 lb class, but don’t let your guard down as fish in the high teens and 20 lb class are not unusual. Fly fishing great Lefty Kreh has stated that Peacock Bass were one of the greatest game fish he had ever enjoyed fishing for! The majority of the rivers you will fish in Brazil’s Amazon watershed will be heavily tannin stained & thus most of your fishing will be blind casting to structure and points. A few of the tributaries will be gin clear which allow sight fishing, but these will be the exception rather than the rule while fishing in Brazil’s Amazon.

Best Fly Fishing seasons:

Dry Zone 1, located south of Manaus, usually experiences ideal water conditions from the middle of July through the middle of August each year.

Dry Zone 2, also located south and west of Manaus, usually experiences ideal water conditions between the middle of August and the middle of October.

Dry Zone 3, is located on the south side of the upper Rio Negro upriver from Barcelos and usually begins to experience good water levels in late October thru late December or early January.

Dry Zone 4, located on the northern side of the upper Rio Negro and the tributaries of the Rio Banco, in the southern region of the state of Rohima and usually experiences ideal water levels from January thru early March.

Accommodations

River Plate’s New for 2016 luxury camp offers the only single-occupancy cabins with queen-size beds in the peacock bass fishing industry. Perfect for couples or singles, guests enjoy the comfort of a private 270 square foot air conditioned cabin complete with restroom and shower.

After a day of fishing in the remote Amazon Rainforest, enjoy the upscale food, wine and hospitality offered by our onsite chef and staff while relaxing on a hurt-your-eyes-white sandbar. Or take advantage of a massage and a famous Brazilian Caipirinha on the beach. Our upscale camp caters to small private groups with three or four couples or six individuals with unparalleled amenities and service including all rods, reels and lures.

On Site Amenities and Activities include:

• Single-occupancy cabins with queen-size beds

• 270 square foot air conditioned cabin

• Restroom and shower

• upscale food, offered by our onsite chef and staff

• massage and a famous Brazilian Caipirinha on t