Imagine waking up on your 165-foot by 34’ wide yacht listening to tribes of howler monkeys screaming at one another at first light. See the morning’s red sun climbing into the sky. You remember falling into a peaceful sleep as a muffled generator purred and as water lapped against your mother ship, all while you are resting in your air conditioned stateroom, deep in the remote Amazon rainforest. The shallow draft hull only needs 5’ of water, carries 2.5 weeks’ worth of food, handles 30 guest double occupancy (full size beds) or 15 guests on king size occupancy. There is even a residential suite, with a Jacuzzi and sauna!, All rooms have private baths and air conditioning . And a pool and a gym!
You rub your still aching arms – and finger the various line burns and line cuts on your hand, glorying in your memories of the day before! Time to rise and do it again you think – and you smile to yourself in anticipation. Now you had best go fortify yourself for the days fishing by enjoying a Chef prepared breakfast. And good grief – what food!
Such is life when you go in search of peacock bass in the jungles of South America. Parrots cartwheel overhead. Jaguars growl in the night. You may even see an anaconda sunning itself on a boulder, a tapir wading across a shallow riverbed, or capybaras scavenging along a lagoon bank. All this while resting in exquisite accommodations aboard your mother ship.
You will observe an extraordinary array of wildlife and plants and birds, all as exotic and interesting as any on earth. And as you wake up and walk to breakfast, you realize your luxury yacht has moved 75 miles to fresh fishing during the night while you slept.
The mighty Peacock Bass of Brazil’s Amazon has become one of the most sought after freshwater fish species in the world since this fishery was opened in the early 1990’s. This colorful hard fighting fish, which can weigh 25 lbs or better, is an aggressive feeder that will come out of 20 feet of water to demolish huge, noisy top water lures with a vengeance. Occasionally they will knock a big 7 inch Wood Chopper top water lure 5 to 6 feet in the air – on a missed strike. A Peacock Bass wants to crush anything invading his domain. They are out to kill that lure!
Visualize a 25 pound Smallmouth Bass having a bad hair day, and you will get an idea of what a Peacock Bass’ temperament and fighting ability are all about! Peacock Bass will readily strike jerk baits, spoons, jigs and flies, but that explosive top water strike on a big Woodchopper or Rip Roller is what people come to Brazil’s Amazon to experience.
You will also have an opportunity to catch 4 species of Peacock Bass with an average of 30 fish per day per boat, including both Royal (barred) and Speckled (Paca) Peacock Bass (weighing up to 25+ pounds); the smaller Butterfly species weighing up to 12 lbs and Popoca weighing up to 5 lbs. Looking at the IGFA record book, you will see that most of the existing World Record Peacock Bass have come from Brazil’s black water Rio Negro River systems and that is where you will fish. These fish are most commonly caught using bait casting and spinning equipment. However this area is quickly becoming the fly fisherman’s newest and hottest adventure. Ask us for our equipment lists for both fly fishing and conventional tackle ideas. There are literally hundreds of fish species here to catch including piranha!
Be very much aware that mobility is the key to success here, due to the varying water conditions prevailing in Brazil’s Amazon and its many tributaries. Your mother ship is a shallow draft yacht which allows anglers to fish different waters virtually every day. Fishing is done from new 17.5 foot carpeted bass boats with 2 anglers and a Brazilian guide per boat. The guides here average 12 years of experience guiding for Peacock Bass in Brazil’s Amazon.
You will be living aboard a 125 ft. yacht, which provides the most luxurious mobile accommodations of any Peacock Bass fishing operation in Brazil’s Amazon. Your luxury yacht accommodates up to 24 anglers per expedition (double occupancy) or 14 anglers (single occupancy). Guest lodging includes 14 staterooms: 1 king bed room, 2 queen bed rooms, and 11 side by side single beds. Each stateroom has a spacious private bathroom with hot water, its own independent air-conditioning system, and satellite TV.
The yacht is equipped with advanced navigation equipment and various shipboard amenities. These include satellite phone service ($10 per minute), satellite internet service ($10 per MB), digital radar and sonar equipment, a pressurized drinking water reservoir, daily laundry and maid service, emergency gear, a defibrillator and first aid supplies, an onboard DVD home theater system, and more. You fish in the lap of luxury.
The onboard Executive Chef serves delicious regional and international cuisine and you have a choice of selected wines at every meal. The cocktail area offers an open bar with Brazilian and International drinks, premium liquors and the top red and white wine selections all at no additional cost.
WATER CONDITIONS GREATLY AFFECT FISHING: In 2017 exceptionally unseasonal rains were the case all over Brazil with many parts of the country flooding. It was a total unexpected mess in the entire country, consequently affecting the quality of the fishing grounds in Amazon as well.
What THE OUTFITTER did, however, was to suggest to all of guests that they reschedule their trips. Let me state again, though, that this was a recommendation. We were informing them of the realities of Brazil’s Amazon that we cannot control nor predict at that time, which never happened that way before: the water level was very high, the fishing was very poor, and unseasonal rains occurred on a daily basis.
Outfitter gladly offered the guests other available weeks for a better fishing experience and, of course, at no extra cost. That is how much they appreciate our guests’ business!
2024 PRICING AND PACKAGES:
SEASON package
8-night trip, 5 full days of fishing onboard Rio Negro Queen
World class peacock bass fishing, and other species.
USD 9,450 per person
– Double occupancy- Two (2) guests required
PREMIUM package
6 guests, double occupancy- $1000 off per Guest from Season Package
$9,500 per guest (each MASTER SUITE)
$10,500 per guest (one PRESIDENTIAL SUITE)
YOUR PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• Full airport assistance and transfers – in/out of Manaus, Brazil;
• Special check-in at the airport in Manaus, Brazil;
• English-speaking hosts at the airport in Manaus as well as on board yacht – FULL TIME;
• Two nights in Manaus at the deluxe Radisson Hotel (double occupancy, w/deluxe rooms) or single occupancy for an additional fee;
• Charters to the location of the mother ship in Brazil (multi-engine turbo-prop) – Barcelos or Santa Isabel;• New fully equipped Bass Tracker boats – 2 anglers per boat with a fishing guide
• Air conditioned state room w/ private bath aboard yacht (double occupancy) or single occupancy for an additional fee;
• All meals & premium beverages aboard yacht, including top red/white wine selections;
• Daily laundry and maid service – no need to overpack;
• Complementary use of TFO bait casting and spinning rods equipped with Shimano Curado high speed bait casting reels and Sahara 400 spinning reels;
• Power Pro Braided Kevlar line;
• Your fishing license.
TRAVEL: You can reach Manaus, Amazon – Brazil on the same day while departing from any USA airport. You will fly on brand new American Airlines 737-800s aircrafts. You also can get connections with American Airlines flights out of EUROPE as well. The outfitter has travel agents who will literally book all flights, and usually with a special discount!
NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE:
R/T airfare to Manaus, Brazil; gratuities to guides and boat staff (optional); international departure taxes if necessary; meals and drinks while in Manaus; extra day(s) in town; fees associated with obtaining passport and visa; international calls from the boat ($10 per minute); internet access from the boat ($10 per MB), and any other extras that are not mentioned in the PACKAGE INCLUDES above..
DEPOSITS: To reserve space on any trip, the outfitter requires a nonrefundable 50% deposit. Early reservations are essential to guarantee your accommodations on the date you wish to travel. Reservations made within 60 days of the departure require full payment, plus any additional charges for expenses incurred due to special mailing, fax charges, etc. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. If this final installment is not paid when due, the outfitter reserves the right to treat the reservation as canceled. Payment is via check, money order, or bank transfer.
• All prices are accurate at the time of this writing. Prices do not include air fare to Brazil.
• Until full payment is received from Purchaser, prices are subject to change, due to fluctuations in tariffs, exchange rates and other factors beyond the outfitters control. If the bookings for a given date fall below the minimum passenger requirement, the trip is subject to cancellation or re-pricing.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Trip deposits and balances paid are nonrefundable unless a replacement angler can be found to pay the trip costs. Outfitter strongly advises you to purchase trip insurance immediately after booking a trip. In the event that you must cancel your trip due to illness, family crisis or other emergency, this insurance allegedly reimburses you for non-refundable trip costs. This insurance also provides for limited accident and baggage coverage. You may purchase trip insurance through your travel agent or see Travel Gard on line.
