Destination : River Plate Anglers – Brazil

Quick Facts

Species: Peacock Bass, Piranha & Paraya
Season: Jul-Mar
Capacity:  8 Anglers

2013 Rates (Double Occupancy per person):

7 nights / 6 days:                      $5,490
5 nights / 4 days:                      $3,690


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Location:   Fly-in Floating cabins fishing the remote reaches of Brazil’s savagely beautiful Amazon Basin originating in Manaus, Brazil

Closest Airport:  Manaus International Airport (MAO), Brazil

Local Time:  AMT (Amazon Time Zone) UTC – 4 hours

Currency:  The currency in Brazil is the Brazilian Real. While all major credit cards are accepted at the hotels and restaurants in Manaus, you will want to bring cash for all tips and incidentals on the boat and in camp.

Communications:  WI-FI is available at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus, but not on the river. There is a satellite phone on the boat that can be used by guests for a charge of $5.00 per minute

Water:  Limited Beer, wine, hard liquor, soda, mixers, and bottled water is available and included in your trip package.

Laundry:  Daily laundry and maid service are available on the boat at fishing destinations so Pack Light!

Health/Insects:  No Yellow Fever Shot necessary.  It’s a true blessing that the rivers we fish in have a high tannin concentration due to the forest’s leaf decay, and do not encourage the growth of insect eggs and larvae. Although we have never had an angler suffering from any tropical illness, there are occasional encounters with bugs. We suggest you contact your doctor regarding his or her recommendations, or you can call the IAMAT (International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers) at (716) 754.4883.

Documents Required:  Passport and a Brazilian visa is also required for all U.S. citizens.  It will take approximately 4 weeks to process the visa and guests will have to surrender their passport for processing. Your passport cannot expire within 6 months of entrance into Brazil).

Destination Overview

River Plate Anglers is a pioneer in Peacock Bass fishing since 1992.  River Plate is the only outfitter in Brazil that has legally obtained fishing permits to fish exclusive, Indian reserves in return for humanitarian aid and protection of the delicate eco-system according to the “zero footprint” principle. Guests lodge in highly mobile, deluxe, air-conditioned “Fly-in Floating Cabins, which can accommodate 8 anglers with unprecedented levels of services, facilities, comfort and safety.   The cabins draw only 4 inches of water and have the capability to bypass low water and natural barriers, which is key to untapped peacock bass fishing in the remote reaches of Brazil’s savagely beautiful, Amazon Basin.

Accommodations and Meals

River Plate’s six independent Fly-In Floating Cabins (I, II, III, IV, V, VI) are the ultimate solution for optimizing shallow drafting mobility, comfort and luxury.

 The arrival day float plane flight, plus the daily shallow drafting Cabin cruising, effectively replaces daily 3-5 hours fast bass boat traveling, or expensive daily Fly-Outs, from the main waterways to the secluded lagoons protected by shallow water entry barriers.

Although many well established land based lodges, including their ex-Shufari and Tapera Lodges, are situated past these natural barriers, they have no mobility to seek better water levels. More importantly, those areas become rapidly overfished, 2 to 3 hours upriver or downriver. Their cabins, however, move daily to un-fished river segments, spending the night along Caribbean-like beaches.

You will be able to walk in at any time from the nearby, secluded prehistoric-looking lagoons into the luxurious comfort of your 12’ X 15’ elegant and roomy cabin. Cabins have private full bathrooms; and are fully carpeted, tastefully decorated, and every detail has been carefully considered.

In their 12’ x 23’ dinning/sitting lounge, you will dine on linen table cloths enjoying our chef’s four course meals. An excellent variety of both continental and exciting regional dishes, make up the week’s menu. Fresh breads and pastries are baked daily and chilled wines, ice-cold beer, soft drinks, and Brazilian-style margaritas flow freely throughout your fishing trip.

Each of their six Floating Cabins operations are managed by a Brazilian “co-owner, who is not only a knowledgeable fisherman, but is also experienced in handling logistics inherent to the Amazon fishing operations. Since their groups are small, the manager, together with a bilingual host and a staff of 14, offer unique, personalized hands-on attention. Breakfast room service, laundry service and guest satellite phone are a few of the available amenities.

What you won’t find are many pesky bugs. The pristine rivers we fish have naturally-high tannin levels (from extensive leaf decay) which discourage the development of biting insects. Of the few bugs which might exist, our daily mobility eliminates any possibilities of concentrations.

 Please inform us of any dietary restrictions in advance, before departure

Fishing Information

Amazon fishing bass boats

With 12 years of experience under their belt, they have overcome the biggest barrier in order to reach remote unfished areas — the Amazon’s shallow sand bars. They have gone from using the attractive, but ineffective U.S. 120HP high-speed bass boat, to their newly designed, built and field-tested, all-welded aluminum shallow-draft tunnel boats. These boats are 20 feet long with a 40 HP outboard and all the standard bass boat features (trolling motor, high swivel seats, etc.), yet they are still sufficiently light to navigate the shallow sandbars.

Peacock bass fishing Guides

River Plates’ guides are undoubtedly the best in the business. River Plate’s carefully-trained guides are hard-core sport fishermen who are intimately familiar with the complexities of Amazon angling. Many have guided for River Plate for over 15 years. With thousands of fish boat trips for clients, they’ll put you onto big numbers of big fish like no one else in the Amazon.

 Fishing Tactics

* Like largemouth bass, peacocks often prefer “structure” of some sort. Rocks, fallen logs, points and sand bars are hiding places for baitfish, so this is where the peacocks will usually be lurking. Of course, you should always heed the guide’s recommendations on where to cast.

* Peacocks usually roam about in small schools searching for baitfish, often bursting into a feeding frenzy. When this situation is encountered, get your fly lure in front of the feeding fish as soon as possible. The sooner you cast them after they’ve been spotted, the better your chance of a hookup. Peacocks are greedy and highly competitive schooling fish. Always cast a free lure or fly right next to any hooked fish. Another peacock will almost always be close by (attracted by the commotion). If no strikes result, fish the surrounding area thoroughly.

* Novice peacock anglers tend to set the hook too fast when fishing top water lures or flies. Often peacocks will just slap at the lure to stunt it and then come back around and firmly grab it on the second pass. It’s hard to remember at first, but don’t set the hook on the strike. If you can’t see the plug or fly after about three seconds, drop your rod tip and set the hook as hard as you can. Big peacocks have very tough skin around their mouths and tend to grip the plug or fly firmly.

* If the fish doesn’t take the lure on the first strike, keep moving it. If you are patient, the fish will usually come up and hit the lure a second or third time. If he loses interest quickly, cast a diving (subsurface) lure or fly. This often elicits another strike.

* Never try and “horse” a big peacock, and don’t underestimate their power. If a big fish is headed for structure, apply side pressure to the rod trying to “steer” the fish in another direction. If you crank your drag down too tight, they’ll almost always snap the line, or pull off. If a fish does make it into cover, don’t give up. Always keep a high rod tip and a loose drag to absorb last minute runs.

* Lure or fly color doesn’t seem as important as lure shade. If it is bright, use a light-colored lure/fly. Dark shades are more productive in low light conditions.

Rates

7 nights / 6 days:                      $5,490
5 nights / 4 days:                      $3,690

  •  Double occupancy
  •  Two anglers per guide
  • No singles

Remember Fishermen’s Spot Travel services are always FREE to you!  You never pay more than what you would pay if you booked directly with the lodge.

What’s Included:

  • Charter flights to private landing strip + Express Fast Boat
  • All necessary ground transfers.
  • One night at the Hotel Tropical or Ceasar Hotel in Manaus, on arrival, Friday night.
  • Fishing licenses.
  • All meals at fishing destination, including wine, beer and hard liquor.
  • Daily laundry and maid service at fishing destinations

What’s Not Included:

  • Air transportation to and from Manaus International Airport
  • Brazilian visa
  • Satellite phone calls ($5/minute)
  • Extra hotel nights
  • Gratuities for guides and staff

Note:  This program does not accept single anglers. Groups of less than four may be cancelled by the outfitter. All logistics are based on double occupancy

How to get there

To get there we recommend that you fly to Miami then depart from Miami at 8:30 AM on FRIDAY to Manaus, Brazil arriving in Manaus at 1:30 PM in the afternoon. We suggest you arrange your flight to Miami to arrive with enough time to make the connecting flight to Manaus. After you pass through customs in Manaus, a representative from River Plate will meet you at the airport for a transfer to the domestic terminal. There you will board your private charter to the lodge at approximately 3:00 PM. The flight is one and half-hours over some of the Amazon’s most pristine rainforest. The plane will land at the lodge at approximately 4:30 PM on the same day that you leave Miami!

DEPARTURE

On your departure day, you will leave the lodge via private air charter at approximately 5:00 PM (after a full day of fishing) arriving back in Manaus at 6:30 PM. You will overnight in Manaus, and depart for the U.S. and your return flight to Miami at 3:10 PM the following afternoon (arriving in Miami at 8:20 PM). On the return trip, connecting flights home should be planned no sooner than 2 hours after arriving in Miami. Most likely, your flights home will not be available until the next morning, in which case you should plan to overnight in Miami.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

  • Plan your home location flights to arrive at Miami airport with plenty of time for check-in for your next flight
  • Departure from Miami to Manaus.
  • Arrive in Manaus, after you have cleared customs, their representative will take you to your overnight at a five star
  •  hotel (Ceasar Hotel).

Day 2

  • Starting at 6.30 a.m, departures to one of our six Fly-in Floating Cabin on charter flight + Express Boat.
  • If time allows, fish for a few hours in the afternoon.

Day 3 – Day 8

  • Six full fishing days
  • Breakfast is served at 7:00 a.m. and your guide will be ready to leave by 7:30 a.m. (see menu below).
  • We suggest you return to the camp for lunch and a nap, since you could be as close as 5-15 minutes away.

Day 9

  • * If time allows, fish during a few hours in the morning.
  • * Departure from Fly- In Floating Cabins on Express Boat + charter flight to Manaus.
  • * Afternoon / night departure back to the U.S.

Fishing Typical Day:

  • Once in Manaus, you will travel to a remote and secluded fishing area.
  • We try to personalize each day’s fishing schedule to better suit your preferences.
  • Each evening, the manager will discuss the following day plan with you.
  • You will typically be awakened at 6:30 a.m. by one of the members of our staff. Breakfast will be served by 7:00, and your guide will be ready to leave by 7:30.
  • You may start to fish in the adjoining lagoons while the Fly-in Floating Cabins navigate to unfished river segments.
  • At midday you may return for lunch and a nap on the fully air-conditioned Fly-in Floating Cabins, or you may take a packed lunch prepared by our cook and continue fishing until late in the afternoon.
  • Appetizers and dinner are served after all guests have returned.