Pre-Trip Information
Brazil: is a stable and friendly country and travel to Brazil is safe and enjoyable. The Brazilian currency is the Real (pronounces “Hay-eyes”, plural) and can be exchanged in the airports, banks, and hotels in Manaus. Our English-speaking staff will meet you upon your arrival in the Manaus Airport and see to your every need throughout your trip in Brazil.
Passport: A valid passport is required for travel to Brazil. Your passport must have an expiration date of at least 6 months past your return date from your trip to Brazil. If you do not already have a valid passport, you should obtain an application and begin the process as soon as possible. Normal processing time of a passport application is approximately 6-8 weeks. You may obtain a passport application through your local post office.
Brazil Tourist Visa: A Brazilian Visa is NOT required for travel to Brazil at this time.
Air Travel: When flying internationally, we recommend that you arrive at the departure airport at least 2-3 hours prior to your scheduled international departure to Manaus in order to have ample time to process your tickets and check your bags.
Please reconfirm your international flight times because these are subject to change without notice!
We recommend that you personally carry your bags from your U.S. flight to the ticket counter for your connecting flight to Brazil, and check them in instead of checking them from your home all the way to Manaus. On occasion, bags that were checked all the way through were late to arrive and customers have been forced to spend the week without their personal baggage.
Return Travel
We recommend that customers schedule a connecting flight home no sooner than 3 hours after landing back in the US following your return flight from Manaus. You will need to gather your baggage, clear customs, etc. Amazon River Adventures provides the usage of conventional bait casting and spinning rods and reels, line and hooks at no charge to you. This will save considerable time at Customs! If possible, we recommend reserving the night’s stay at a hotel in the US arrival city and flying home early the next morning. (Our travel affiliate will be happy to assist you with this should you desire.)
COVID-19 Testing and/or Innoculations: Please check with your domestic and international airline carrier regarding their specific and current requirments for departing from home airport / landing in / departing from Manaus, Brazil.
- Inoculations: We advise that you consult your physician or local Health Department’s Travel Clinic and follow their recommendations.
- Climate: Manaus, Brazil is located 200 miles south of the equator. The daylight remains at a constant 12 hours per day with sunrise and sunset at 6 AM and 6 PM, respectively. The temperature ranges from 60-80 degrees at night to 70-95 degrees during the day. Although you will be fishing tributaries of the Amazon River during the “dry season”, rain showers are common and some can even last for a full day or more. Be prepared for weather conditions from hot and dry to wet and windy.
Personal Baggage and Equipment
Fly Fishing Equipment
Rods – Fly rods should be from 8wt – 11wt, with either a 9wt or 10wt being the best weight if you are only bringing one rod.
Reels – Good quality with a strong drag and capacity for a lot of 30 lb. backing, designed for the weight rod you are bringing.
Line – Any good quality floating, weight forward, line will work best. I prefer to use a shooting head system because Peacock Bass are definitely not line shy. If you are bringing a second rod, I recommend a 5ft. #6 sinking-tip line for the second outfit.
Leaders – A very quick and easy method is to simply cut a 5-6 ft. section of 40, 50, or 60 lb. “hard mono” and tie it on as a straight-leader. If you are interested in fishing for line class records for Peacock Bass, you will need a leader with a heavy butt section, followed by your IGFA approved line class section between two Bimini twists, ending in a 20lb., 30lb., or 40lb. fluorocarbon tippet. Be sure to check on the current IGFA record for the line class that you are fishing, so you will know if a record breaking fish has been caught.
Flies – Peacock Bass flies should be tied on large sharp, 3/0-4/0 hooks. Peacock bass will hit top-water poppers, but large streamers will produce more strikes. All colors will attract peacocks to strike, especially combinations using yellow, green, red, olive, and blue. Smaller 3”-4” streamers are easier to cast and will produce a lot of strikes from fish in the 2-6 pound range. For really large Peacock Bass, you will need to fish with a streamer that is from 5”-8” in length.
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Conventional Tackle Equipment List
Peacock Bass are considered one of the hardest-hitting and most aggressive game fish in the world! Explosive top-water strikes are their “claim to fame”. Landing Peacock Bass will require using tough equipment. To give you the advantage, we are providing this “tried & true” equipment list for Peacock Bass fishing. If you wish to purchase, and carry, your own Peacock Bass fishing equipment, you may consider checking out our suggested list below.
Our complimentary professional rod/reel packages include 2 rods, 2 spooled reels, Line and Hooks!
Two fully spooled and well maintained casting rod outfits all specific for Peacock Bass and other Amazon species. NOTE: You may bring your own reels if you so desire.
*There may be a minimal fee for the cost of broken tackle.
Casting
3+ Medium/Heavy to Heavy Action 6’6” – 7’ rods. NOTE: Best Rods also have a long handle. When retrieving a large prop-bait, such as a Big Game Woodchopper, it is best to position your rod butt on your hip to gain leverage and assist in pulling the bait through the water. Short aggressive jerks allow the prop-bait to buzz louder, throw more water and attract more strikes!
Bait Casting Reels
Good quality, strong drag, fast retrieve ratio (6.0:1-6.3:1). We recommend:
- Top of the line: Shimano Curado, Chronarch, Calais or Abu Garcia.
- Less expensive, but still capable: Pfluger low profile Trion or Abu 6500 C4 in a 6.3 retrieve.
Spinning
You may fish for Peacock Bass with spinning equipment if that is what you are comfortable fishing with. Bring 7’ Medium-Heavy rods with you.
Spin Casting Reels
Choose good quality light-saltwater reels lined with 50-60 lb braided line. To be honest, the casting rod’s stiffness, cast-ability, accuracy, and balance make it a much better choice for Peacock Bass fishing. The Amazon is the perfect place to learn and master the bait casting techniques; the days are beautiful, the fishing is hot, and you will be rewarded for your efforts.
Line
Bait Casing Line: 60-80 lb braided fishing line made by Tuffline, Magibraid or Power-Pro.
Spin Casting Line: We suggest 50-60 lb. braided line by Power-Pro. (For Jigs – 40 lb. braid)
Large Prop-Baits
Large prop-baits were specifically designed for Peacock Bass and other species that really “turn-on” to a bait that causes a big top-water commotion. The large prop-baits are the best lures available for bringing big Peacock Bass to the surface.
The two main Choices of large prop-baits are:
- The Big Game Woodchopper
- The Amazon Ripper
The colors we prefer are Perch Fire Tiger and Black/Orange. In addition, the Clown and Red/White head will at times produce good strikes.
NOTE: Big Game Woodchoppers have a louder more aggressive sound, but Amazon Rippers are a little easier to retrieve.
In conclusion, bring 6-10 large prop-baits in a combination of models and colors, for example:
- 4- HighRoller/Monster Riprollers (colors Perch, Fire Tiger, Clown, Redhead, Halloween, )
- 1- Big Game Woodchopper in Clown or Red/White
- 2- Amazon Rippers in Black/Orange
- 1- Amazon Ripper in Fire Tiger
NOTE: There are several new companies producing lures of this type! Call our office for updates.
Small Prop-Baits
The smaller prop-baits (called the Peacock Special) will raise Peacock Bass and are easier to retrieve than the larger prop-baits. Bring one of each of them in Black & Orange, Blue and Fire Tiger.
Jerkbaits
2 – 3 large 7’ or medium 6’ Redfins (chrome with blue dorsal), also Bomber Long-A lures, 6”, 2 each, in white body with red hair or silver flash with blue/back.
Rat-L-Traps
2 Chrome/Blue black or Fire Tiger color in 3/4 or 1 oz. size.
Other
4 Bucktail jigs in 1/2 oz. – white color works best. These lures may be purchased online from either Bass Pro Shop or Cabelas.
You must bring your own softbaits i.e. jigs
Do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions regarding fishing tackle for Peacock Bass or any other aspect of your trip to Brazil!
Clothing
Please be aware that there is a 35-pound weight restriction p/person (limit of 2 checked bags) on luggage per person due to a limited weight capacity on the charter planes that take you from Manaus to the boat. NOTE: IF you are fishing a Safari Camp, or Rio Travessao, you will flying into the remote river via float plane. Your weight restriction for this float plane is 33 lbs. p/person and 1 checked bag limit – the smaller the piece of non-hard luggage the better! The following is a recommended clothing list for your fishing trip to Brazil. Aboard the yacht, dinner attire is casual and there is free daily laundry service.
- Hats: (2) baseball-style and/or (1) large-brim fishing hat
- Raingear: (1) quality breathable rain jacket (rain pants are optional)
- Jacket: (1) light weight fishing jacket, pile pullover, or sweater
- Shirts: (2) long or short sleeve dress shirts (if you think that you might go out for dinner at a nice restaurant in Manaus) (2-3) T-shirts (1 being long sleeve) (2) flats wear fishing shirts (1 short & 1 long sleeve)
- Pants: (2) pair long pants (2) pair fishing or swim-style shorts
- Shoes: (1-2) pair sneakers, boat shoes, and/or sandals
- Repellent: On the Rio Negro there are not many mosquitos you may encounter some during your jungle walks, wasps, bees, salt flies, and other small flying insects that are more annoying at times.
- Sun- Block: Sun block SPF-45+.
- Optional: (1-2) bandanas to cover your neck from the sun, BUFF to protect face, neck and ears are very useful, fingerless sun-gloves to protect top of your hand while fishing, ear plugs for small plane ride.
Personal
- Travel Guides: The national language in Brazil is Portuguese. Your trip to Brazil will be most enjoyable if you will buy a travel Guide for Brazil and/or a Portuguese (Brazilian dialect) language tape and take the time to learn something of the country before your trip.
- Glasses: (2) pair prescription glasses (1 as a back-up) (2) pairs of sun glasses with keeper straps
- Photography: All the Santana yachts’ have 110 voltage, the same as in the U.S., so bring your camera and/or video equipment.
- Medications: Bring those medications that you normally need, i.e. aspirin, Allergy Medication, Band-Aids, suntan lotion (SPF 45+), your prescription drugs, etc. in your carry-on luggage. The Santana yachts all have a well- maintained first-aid kit for everything from sunburn to hook removal.
- Allergies: If you know to be allergic to insect sting such as bees/wasp you should carry with you an EPI-Pen for strong allergic reactions to insect stings.
- Gratuities: The Guide Service Fee is recommended for each guest at approx. $42 per Guide per day and normally paid by the week after fishing. Recommended yacht staff service fee is a minimum of $250 per guest for the week and divided amongst the entire non-Guide personnel (yacht crew including Captain, housekeeping, cooks, waiters, etc). If you feel a particular staff or Guide member has provided exemplary service to you, and you wish to provide an additional gratuity, please feel free to offer it to them personally. In addition to gratuities, you will need to bring travel money for first day in Manaus, as well as for souvenirs and gifts.
Communication
If anyone needs to get in touch with you while you are traveling with us in Brazil, they can call our office at 1-800-398-5837. Our office is in contact with the yacht with evening check-ins and we can relay any message to you in Brazil very quickly. If you need to contact someone while you are in Brazil, we have a satellite phone on the boat for customer use. Our Boat Manager can assist you with using this phone and can also inform you of the current usage rate; however, due to high per minute rates, we recommend renting a satellite phone and bringing this with you if you plan to use the phone often.
Final Payment
If you have not already sent in your trip deposit of $2,500 to reserve your fishing trip, please do so at this time. No verbal reservations will be held for over fifteen (15) days. The final payment is due no later than 90 days prior to the departure date of your trip.
If there is anything we can do to assist you in the preparation of your trip to Brazil, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-398-5837. Enjoy your Peacock Bass fishing trip sailing the “best Liveaboards in the Amazon, Brazil”!