River X Peacock Bass 

Brazil

While some of our clients are slow to gravitate towards an Amazon fly fishing adventure, we encourage them to think of it as a stand-in for the ultimate saltwater fishing trip – warm, visual, remarkably consistent, and packed with some of the most voracious, hard fighting game fish imaginable. These trips have all the attributes of a saltwater fly fishing experience except they take place a few thousand miles inland and you will likely return more bruised and beaten from fighting fish than you would from a typical trip to the Caribbean.

The Vermillion’s latest venture, River X, has been built around the needs of hardcore fly anglers, especially those interested in sight fishing for peacock bass. The floating safari camp has tasteful cabin barges complete with air conditioning and private shower baths, a spacious dining barge, and a bilingual camp host. From this most unique base, anglers set out by jet boat to fish for three species of peacock bass as well as a dozen lesser known jungle species.

Location:
River X is located in the Amazonian jungle near Manaus, Brazil

Fishing Program:
Guides at the River X will be specifically trained to help with sight fishing and will focus the day to emphasize sight fishing if it is available. You will travel from the safari camp to nearby lagoons and river tributaries via 20 foot specially designed shallow-running aluminum boats, equipped with outboards, trolling motors, and comfortable swivel seats. They will accommodate either one or two people fishing at a time. When sight fishing, one fisherman can cast to the deeper shore with a sinking line and the other can cast to fish that you see. This is the best combination. If you are interested in fly fishing alone, please let us know.

It should be noted for anglers interested in quantity that the sight fishing will reduce catch numbers. This is largely due to the fact that over the course of a week anglers seem to focus on larger fish. You can’t do this blind casting. Also, as with bonefishing, water levels and good light are essential. Opportunities are dependent on light and water levels.

The guides are good boat handlers, very polite and understand fishing English. Bilingual cards will be sent to you prior to your departure to aid in communication.

Note: By regulation and for conservation purposes, like Agua Boa, River X is single barbless hook and catch and release only.

Fishing Tips: Peacock bass fishing is a complicated affair that requires some patience initially to catch and land the larger fish. Smaller fish are not nearly as difficult and will provide solace for those that seem to be losing their big fish. Below are a few fishing tips that we think will help you on your trip.

To understand peacock bass, you need to first consider their habitat. Most everything in the Amazon is being eaten, or is in the process of eating something else. As a general rule fish are built tough with razor sharp teeth or brutal strength. This makes for interesting fishing as some fish will cut you off and others will pull you straight into the structure and tangle you up.

Peacock bass habits vary to a large degree. Small to mid-size peacocks tend to congregate around structure for both food and protection. Large peacocks tend to feel a little more comfortable in not getting eaten. They roam in packs and are a pursuit predator. They will keep after their prey until it is either in their belly or on the shore. It is not uncommon to have large peacocks drive shoals of baitfish onto the shore. In other case we have seen peacocks fly out of the water in unsuccessful attempts to get small birds. Certainly it sounds ridiculous. After your trip, our guess is that you will believe it.

Fish everything…structure, shoreline, middle of the lagoon etc. Don’t get keyed into just casting at the bank. Also if your partner gets a strike, throw in the same area. Remember these fish are attracted to commotion. The most important tip we can give you is trust your guide’s instincts. The guides are experienced on the rivers we fish and will do their best to get you into fish. If you order them around, your fishing will probably suffer. That is not to say that if you are curious about an area, that suggestions aren’t welcome.

A good deal of the fishing on the River X is sight fishing. Stay alert and be ready to throw at likely targets. In the river in some cases you will be able to see the fish from a good distance. Remember that this is not dry fly fishing…just get it in there and get the fly moving. River fish can be spooky and certainly will see you if you false cast too much. If they are feeding, it is a different story. Peacocks on the feed are a sight to behold. They will run up onto shore and even bump into the boat in their pursuit of baitfish.

Fisheries:
The new river is located in one of the Amazon Rainforest’s last remaining tracts of uncut and uninhabited rainforest on a clear water peacock bass fishery. It is very similar to the Agua Boa in that it is a clear water/white sand fishery. This combination is perfect for sight fishing to roaming schools of peacocks on white sand.

The floating camp on River X is one of the few areas of the Amazon that you will likely not see another inhabitant during your entire stay. The river is small and flanked by a combination of upland forest, flood forest and savanna. This combination makes for scenic fishing and best of all clear water flowing over white sand.

Accommodations and Meals:
The air conditioned mobile tent camp will provide anglers with a level of comfort, friendly service, and proximity to remote fishing grounds that will put this trip and fishery in a class of its own.

The deluxe safari camp accommodations feature a spacious screen house lodge with separate dining and lounge areas. Pairs of anglers sleep in 10’x 15’ air-conditioned bungalows, each with separate portable toilet and sink area, oversized camp beds, table, chairs, fans and lights. Guests enjoy evening cocktails while watching sunsets over the river’s white sand beaches. The camp/yacht provides factory bottled water.

Sample Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart home.
Day 2: Arrive Manaus, Brazil and overnight.
Day 3: Take morning charter flight to lodge. Get settled in and go fish for 6-7 hours.
Days 4-9: Full days of guided fishing
Day 10: Depart lodge for Manaus.
Day 11: Depart Manaus for home.

Complete Trip Details