View from the Lodge
Big pacu branco
Xingu River, Brasil
I knew of the fly fishing opportunities in Brasil, from reading articles in the fishing press. But I read them in a rather day dreaming sort of way. I never planned or imagined I would ever fish on the Amazon. But then I had a job in Brasil. It would be insane to not fish after the work was complete – so went the internal argument. As ever, poor old conscience lost and fishing fever won. So I researched where might be good to fish in late July.
The Amazon basin is immense; so large that it has 2 distinct climates. The southern tributaries receive their rain and 'flood' at a different time of year from the northern ones. The northern rivers, particularly the Rio Negro receive most visiting anglers, but they are definitely flooded in the northern hemisphere summer. So I looked south and found a fishing lodge on the Xingu. They were pleasant and helpful when I enquired about fishing. They didn't get many foreign fishers, never mind fly fishers, didn't speak engish but they were game and so was I so.
So I caught a 'local' flight over the Amazon and then drove 3 hours up a badly rutted road to arrive at the lodge. The next morning I met my boatman, called Nelson, so as I Brit I felt in good hands (or should that be hand?). Nelson had a very low opening of fluff chuckers, but once we started catching lots of fish he became happier and happier and by the end of the week even smiled. Other highlights were hundreds of fish caught of many different and wondrous species and flocks of macaws flying overhead. If anyone is thinking of going to fish the Amazon, let me know and I'll give you the name of this fine location and lodge.
View from the Lodge
Big pacu branco