Intrepid Brazil

Join Intrepid Fly and local Brazilian guides as we explore the Amazon jungle in search of enormous peacock bass – also knows as tucanare. This is considered one of the most aggressive fresh water fish in the world … competing with the golden dorado of South America and the tiger fish of southern Africa. Our guides have fished all 3 and have not made up their mind which is top of the food chain! Also compared with giant trevally, you will have to make up your own minds.

The intrepid expedition will involve fishing back waters and lagoon systems that are largely untouched from a comfortable lodge and alternate overnight camps. For the more adventurous, access to unique floating camps offering the very best in peacock bass fishing. The outfitter is the only operator in the area with access to these exclusive fisheries and will no doubt provide you with the ultimate rustic experience and the chance to land a trophy peacock bass as well as other species.

This unique fishing trip will give anglers the chance to target various Amazonian rivers and deep water lagoon. Intrepid Fly offers various forms of accommodation that make this trip of a life time. Depending on your personal preference, you can choose a lodge, house boat or floating camp. Anglers will encounter plenty of different water types, fish species, and exhilarating surface takes. Species include pacu, matrinxa, payara and catfish to name a few. One can expect to see a variety of animals like sloth’s, howler monkey, capybaras, fresh water dolphin, giant otters as well as exotic bird species and parrots.

The Fishery

The fishing in this area is not easily compared to any previous fishing experience you may have had. The black water rivers and lagoons are a result of the tannin produced from the decaying foliage providing nutrients and home to over 3000 fish species. Due to the exclusivity of these trips, only the clients can fish these areas, seldom seeing each other during the day. The 18 -  20 ft cutom built peacock bass boats have outboard motors to get you up and down the river quickly and electric bass motors to stalk the fish. They provide comfortable swivel seats and dry storage areas, along with a cooler where a variety of drinks and food are kept cold. Two anglers per boat give you ample room to practice whatever fishing technique you select.

The guides are locals with incredible knowledge about the local fish, fish habits and fishing techniques. They are certain to help you with fly and lure selection, as well as demonstrate some alternate fishing techniques. They speak very little English, mostly fishing terms, but communication generally comes as you get used to each other. This is where a Portuguese phrase book or picture book comes in handy.

You will mostly be fishing from the boat, so it is not a problem to bring a tackle bag, lure boxes, extra rods, etc. Occasionally you may get out of the boat to enjoy wading in the rapids or faster water where you can catch some very nice Pacu. Some days you will fish all day and take lunch with you, other days you will return to the lodge or floating camp for lunch and enjoy a mid-afternoon siesta. You will want to make sure you pack rain gear, insect clothing and repellant, and lots of sunscreen.

This angling is only part of your fishing adventure. Your guide can also take you for an overnight adventure to one of three more rustic camps on the river Cururu. This river was fished only by the local indigenous trip until about a year ago. At this point, they allowed the lodge to come and fish, catch and release only. This is a virgin river with fantastic fishing opportunities. You will spend the night in the tented camp, which is a bit more rustic than the lodge. The camp provides wall tents, all with private bathrooms and hot showers. You will enjoy the food which is similar to the meals served at the lodge.

Getting there

To The São Benedito Lodge: You will normally fly into San Paulo, where you will want to arrange your travel to Cuiaba, Brazil. You will spend the night in Cuiaba and catch your flight to Alta Floresta the next morning. Upon arrival, you will be met by one of the owners. From there you will be transferred to the lodge by air taxi. The air taxi offers you a bird's eye view of the Amazon rainforest and rivers.
To The Floating Camp: You will fly into Manaus from San Paulo / Rio de Janeiro or Miami. Here you will spend a night is a 5 star hotel recovering from your journey and acclimatizing. The following day you will fly in a float plane for 1.5 hours over the forest canopy. You will land on the river a few hundred meters from the floating camp. The return trip will also include another night in Manaus at the same hotel.

The São Benedito Lodge
This dedicated sport fishing lodge nestled in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon basin. You will be greeted by your guide and lodge manager who will help you get situated into your room. The lodge itself provides comfort and service not easily found in these remote areas. Located on the river São Benedito, the lodge offers you all the comforts necessary for a fantastic stay. It has double rooms with private bathrooms, hot showers, air conditioner. It is amongst a self-sufficient resort with agriculture, cattle, honey bees, and a generator that powers the whole complex.
Three complete meals are served daily, offering fantastic food and in large quantities. The 3 course meals generally consists of soup, fish, beef or chicken, vegetables, fruit, bread, and, of course, rice and beans. A variety of drinks are offered, including soft drinks, beer, and plenty of mineral water.

The Floating Camp
This is no ordinary floating lodge. Images of house boats and live-aboards should be discarded and replaced with a floating tented camp comprising of several pontoons moored up on the sand bank, that are relocated on a daily basis across this vast lagoon system. The floating camp accommodates 8 anglers in pontoon style cabins. Each 24 foot cabin has 2 single beds, shelves, shower, basin, toilet, as well as air-conditioning and electricity. The camp is supported with a staff contingent that prepare and serve all your meals, while doing laundry on a daily basis. The mobility of these camps is undoubtedly the best way to target more and larger peacock bass, as you are constantly fishing “virgin” waters and seldom seeing another angler from your own party. No lagoon is fished twice.

Breakfast and dinner are served from the camp, while the guests are encouraged to take a pack lunch that will be enjoyed from a hammock in the forest out of the midday sun. The 3 course meals generally consists of soup, fish, beef or chicken, vegetables, fruit, bread, and, of course, rice and beans. A variety of drinks are offered, including soft drinks, beer, and plenty of mineral water.

Season

São Benedito Lodge: The dry season is the fishing season which runs from March through October. The lower water levels May through September make the fishing spectacular due to the accumulation of the fish. March, April, Oct, Nov are considered the shoulder season and fishing can still be great depending on rainfall. December through February is the rainy season, and we do not recommend a fishing trip during this time.

The Floating Lodge: The nature of this set up allows anglers to the south of Manaus from June to October. From October to April the floating camps work their way north. Due to the nature of this operation, anglers can expect to fish almost all year round as they can access shallow rivers and tributaries that lead into deep water lagoon systems.

Tackle

Flies

The Amazon fish will attack your flies and lures voraciously. Many will be lost or destroyed so make sure you bring plenty. We bring far more than we think we’ll use, and we always use everything!

• Pacu—Flies: poppers sizes 4-8, in chartreuse or orange (imitating the fruit food sources.) They will occasionally take streamers sizes 1/0- 2/0, all with white belly and silver flash in yellow, red, blue or green.
• Peacock Bass—Flies: poppers sizes 2/0-4/0 in red/white, blue/white and green/white. Also, 6 – 8 inch streamers sizes 2/0-4/0, all with a white belly and plenty of silver flash in red, blue or green.
• Matrinxa—Flies: streamers similar to those for Peacocks work well in sizes 2 - 2/0. Also 4“ grasshoppers in bright green with orange or yellow under body.
• Piranha—Flies: streamers in sizes 2 – 2/0 in blue or green with heavy silver flash.
• Payara—Flies: streamers the same as for Peacocks, with wire leader and very sharp hooks.
• Traira—Flies: streamers in sizes 1/0 – 4/0 with wire leaders in same colours as for Peacocks.
• Catfish—Bait is by far the best way to catch the catfish. Hooks in sizes 4/0 – 10/0 are required for the different species, with wire leaders and sliding sinkers from 1-3 oz.

For all your fishing requirements, please contact us so that we can assist you in your selection. Intrepid Fly can source all equipment at a competitive price, or call us to arrange for you to visit a shop we recommend close to you (SA only).

General Information