ARAPAIMA PARADISE LODGE - Bolivia In Search of River Monsters - Giant Arapaima and Catfish Our brand-new Bolivian Fishing Adventure Trip at our Arapaima Paradise Lodge offers solo anglers, couples, fishing partners and families (with kids of 12yrs and above) the chance to catch real wild Giant Amazon River Monsters in virgin waters. We have over 100 lakes and lagoons, filled to the brim with massive Arapaima gigas in a private Hacienda and in an Indian reservation, covering thousands of hectares in Bolivia’s Amazon jungle. And not only did we find huge Arapaima but we also delved deep into the river system and located many large holes that have the largest Jau Cats we have ever seen, Surubim, Dorada Cats and much more. Our new Arapaima Paradise Lodge is being build at the privately-owned Hacienda to accommodate a max. 8 anglers. Four twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms, a dining room, fully stocked kitchen and bar and a large lounge area will find our anglers in complete comfort during their stay.
Cold beers, local spirits/liquor and soft drinks/water, all meals at the lodge, daily laundry etc. are all included in the package, with transfers on arrival and one night in hotel in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, return national flights from Santa Cruz onto Riberalta and onwards private flight to the Hacienda. We will have a large comfortable boat for transfers to the lagoons along the river each morning and anglers will fish from local canoes made especially for Arapaima fishing that will be in the lakes waiting and ready. There will also be boats for Catfishing.
ARAPAIMA gigas ….. The Holy Grail of all Amazon fish on fly, lures and bait. This mighty leviathan is the one Amazonian fish that every angler wants to catch and lurks in the many ponds, lagoons and lakes here. This fish is prehistoric in every sense, it’s an air breather, but it’s an incredibly delicate fish for its size at the same time. We have many lake systems to fish for these huge Giants of the Amazon. Arapaimas ‘roll’ on the surface to gulp air and they easily give their presence away. With our strict catch and release policy, ALL Arapaima are not harmed in any way. They are revived carefully and released quickly to fight another day. These incredible river monsters grow in excess of 4.5m and reach over 500lbs! The areas where we fish have many Arapaima and we target them using big flies and lures or with live, cut or whole dead baits. To catch an Arapaima on a fly must be up there with the ultimate fishing experience to be had by any angler in the world! Heavy 10-12wt. outfits and big flies are a must here. We also fish ‘lighter’ outfits with medium-sized lures to trigger amazingly strong and aggressive strikes from big Arapaima. A heavy or medium-heavy set-up with 65lbs braid provides some of the best sport fishing for these leviathans.
BIG Cats ….. even more Amazon River Monsters Huge Cats, from the unusual up to big bruising bullies are found in the deep holes of the river system proper. All can be caught on cutbait, livebait or whole dead fish. Two species of Surubim or Shovel-nosed Tiger Cats (incuding the easilycaught and very odd, elongated ‘Paleta’ or Firewood Shovel-nose)are both fast, sleek and strike hard. These hieroglyphically-marked predators are also caught on lures. Growing to over 50lbs, they are powerful fish to catch. The Flat-whiskered Cat is a dynamite of a fish for its size. Averaging 15lbs, they max out at about 25lbs and are the tastiest fish in the Amazon. The express train Redtail Cats must be rated as the hardest-fighting Cats in the whole Amazon for their size. An 80lb Redtail will take you all over the river and strip line in reel-smoking, screaming runs. Monster ‘Amarillo’ or Jau Cats to over 180lbs are the Rottweilers of the river dwell in the rocks and fast water and will take you deep in their caves! Brute force is needed to land these giants. The World record currently stands at 109lbs. We’ve caught them to over 175lbs! The big Dorada Golden Catfish grows to over 150lbs and when hooked, roars off at 100 miles an hour. A great adversary by any standards.
TRANSFERS, SCHEDULES AND COSTS …..
Day 1: Arrive at the Santa Cruz International Airport in Bolivia, transfer to hotel and overnight. Day 2: Transfer early-morning for scheduled flight to Riberalta Airport and onwards private flight to the private Hacienda airstrip and lodge. Day 3-8: Six (6) days guided fishing, overnight at lodge. Day 9: Depart lodge early morning by charter plane back to Riberalta and scheduled flight back to Santa Cruz. Onwards journey home.
COSTS pp for six full fishing days and 8 nights …………… $4500 Included: 8 nights, with one night at hotel on 1st day of arrival in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, return flights Santa Cruz/Riberalta/Hacienda, seven nights at lodge with six full days guided Arapaima and Cat fishing, daily laundry, local transfers, all meals, water, soft drinks, beer and local spirits/liquor.
Not included: International airfares, tipping (suggested USD $250 per person to be divided between guides and lodge staff), meals and drinks other than in lodge or when fishing, liquor or other drinks other than above, costs associated with medical advice and medications for your trip, lures, fishing tackle etc. Terms and conditions of payments: 50% as deposit on reservation, 50% due 90 days before arrival in Santa Cruz.
*A COMPLETE AND COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF GEAR, CLOTHING AND TACKLE SUGGESTIONS WILL BE PROVIDED ONCE RESERVATION PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
WORLDWIDE FISHING ADVENTURES LIMITED, Suite 205A, Saffrey Square, Bank Lane & Bay Street, P.O. Box N-4244, Nassau, Bahamas. www.amazon-angler.com / info@amazon-angler.com Tel: US and Canada toll free (9am – 5pm) ET 1 800 262 7671 / Europe & rest of the world +351 917812328