TUCUNARÉ LODGE, RIO VICHADA AND RIO ORINOCO, COLOMBIA The Rio Vichada is one of the few under-fished rivers in Colombia and monster Peacock Bass over 26 pounds have been caught here. The owners of the Tucunaré Lodge have made an agreement with the indigenous communities and have been granted special permission to operate in the river and lagoons that have never before fished. For this very reason, to keep the area as untouched as possible, we will host groups with a maximum of 8 anglers per week. There are four double cabins with private bathroom for each cabin, and there are fans in the rooms if clients require, even though the surrounding area is cool overnight. All beds will have fresh sheets each day and laundry is done daily. We have designed a fishing trip over 6 days with 4 days’ fishing for giant peacock bass and other species on the Rio Vichada and its many lagoons, followed by 2 full days’ fishing on the famous Rio Orinoco for big Payara/Vampire Fish, Golden Sardinata, Catfish and other species. Being near the lagoon system of the Rio Vichada with all the comforts of a lodge , we contrast the other operators in the area, so you can fish from 6 am to 6 pm and part of the night, besides being in places with less fishing pressure.
THE FISHING There is excellent topwater action to be had with Giant Three-Barred and Speckled, Royal, Popoca/Monoculus and Butterfly Peacock Bass using surface Prop baits, poppers and stick baits/Super Spooks in the many lagoons, against the submerged trees, off points and along the banks. Excellent subsurface action can also be had using minnow baits, bucktail jigs with extended tails and other lures and flies. In the river as well as a myriad of Cats to stretch your string, there is an abundance of many other predators including Payara, Bicuda, Bocon, Sardinata and Morocoto
Fly fishing is a wonderful way not only to target Peacock Bass, but also to search out other species with amazing results, especially on the Orinoco. Most of the faster species found in or near rapids and fast water, like Bicuda, Pirapitinga/Morocoto and Payara, will rip line off your reel at a blistering pace and stripping gloves should be worn to avoid cuts and burns. Pirapitinga/Morocoto are predominantly nut and fruit foragers but will take jigs, spoons, lures and flies with abandon when the river is low and fruits are unavailable. These fish can grow huge! SEASONS: October – April/May October – December the waters, levels drop and the river starts to recede out of the flooded jungle. From January to April/May, the levels remain within the river banks. Peacock Bass are easier to target and while most Cats and other predators can be found all season, the latter end is much better due to lower water levels and ease of finding them.
OTHER SPECIES On lures, jigs and flies, anglers can also catch a whole bunch of different species, from Matrinchรก/Bocon, Piranhas, Monkey Fish/Arowana, Dogfish/Cachorro, the pretty Red Spot/Jacunda and the downright ugly Crocodile perch/Traira.
CATFISH Incredibly strong Surubim or Shovel-nosed Tiger Cats are fast, sleek and strike hard. These predators are also caught on minnowbaits, jerkbaits and jigs and cutbait and reach over 40lbs.
The express train Redtail/Pirarรกra Cats must be rated as the hardestfighting Cat in the whole Amazon for its size, growing to over 100lbs Jau and the golden Dourada Cats to over 80lbs are present here also and will fight to the very end The Giant Freshwater Shark/Piraiba is a monster of a Catfish, growing to over 400lbs and as its name implies, roars off at 100 miles an hour like a hooked shark.
TACKLE TALK We suggest the following gear for our Amazon Headwaters Exploratory trips:
RODS AND REELS 2 x Medium-Heavy and 1 x Heavy 6’6”-7’6” bait casting or spinning rods with bait casting or spinning reels with capacity of min. 120m of 50-65lb braid. These outfits will handle casting and using Rippers, Spooks and subsurface lures like minnow baits and jerk baits and the bigger prop baits respectively. 1 x Medium or Medium/Light 6’6”-7’6” spinning rod matched spinning reel with capacity for min.120m of 30lb braid. This much lighter outfit will give your arms and wrists a rest and will allow you to easily use jigs and smaller minnow baits. For fly fishermen, 7-9 wt fly rods should be matched with good, smooth drag system reels and loaded with a tropical, fast-sinking 300-400 grain, tropical intermediate and tropical floating fly lines, all with at least 100m of 30lb backing. 1.5m-2m of 30-50lb straight nylon tied directly to the fly line can be used for leaders. We advise a good pair of stripping gloves unless you want another lifeline burnt into your palm!! CATFISH RIGS Simple rigs with a heavier Peacock Bass bait casting set-up or a more traditional heavier Cat Fish rod and reel, matched with 6-80lb braided line, a 2-4 oz egg sinker, 1 ½ ft of stiff wire leader (against the Piranhas!) attached to a strong swivel at one end and a 8/0 - 10/0 circle or ‘J’ hook on the other is all that is needed. The hook is baited with fish cut bait and lobbed out into a deep hole. You don’t need to strike when using circle hook rigs as the Cat will hook itself when running with the bait, with a 100% hook up rate in the corner of the mouth. Just raise the rod slowly while tightening the line, not striking, for a good hook set!
LURES 5-6 x mixed prop baits like the 4.25”-6.25” KLures Props and 4-6” High Roller Rip Rollers than can be ripped across the surface in a steady cadence, ‘rip, pause, rip, pause’, all the way back to the boat. 5-6 x medium and saltwater Super Spooks and other small-medium cigarshaped stick baits like Rapala X Walks are used with a walk-the-dog, side to side, swishing action that ‘sways’ the lure like a snake across the water. This is a more subtle, quieter lure used when Peacocks are being less aggressive 2-3 x medium Poppers can also work well and if used properly, they catch a good number of big fish. They should spit and gurgle and spray water in front, rather than ‘bloop’ or ‘pop’ and the best we have found is the Skitter Pop or the Saltwater Chug Bug skimmed along the surface or quickly popped.
5-6 x small minnow, crank and jerk baits will always work well in most situations and our choices are shallow running 4-6” Rapala X Raps, X Rap Sub Walk, Rattle Traps, Cotton Cordell Redfins and Yozuri Crystal minnows and Tobimarus. 25-30 x Stevie Stinger or similar bucktail jigs with extended tails. They are cast and fast-stripped back to the boat (not jigged on the bottom) and they can also be troll-jigged on the way back out of a long lagoon. Jigs are the most productive weapons in any tackle box for Peacock Bass and our #1 go-to lure. 5-6 deep diving lures to get into shoals of marauding Payaras and Corvinas.
FLIES There are many species that can be caught with flies, including Peacock Bass, Payara, Bicuda, Arowana, Cachorro, Traira, Jacunda, Morocoto, Pacu, Matrinchá/Bocón and more. Fly patterns for most of these Amazonian predators, in general are either tied in 4-6” long-profile streamer flies with lots of flash, with or without weighted eyes, or popper-type surface flies that provide plenty of noise and action.
Usually a fast strip is used on streamer flies and a series of gentle, constant ‘spits’ for surface flies. Don’t waste too much time on over-elaborate fly patterns as Piranhas will eat plenty!! Go simple!
CLOTHES There is a strict weight limit of 15kgs (33lbs) per angler for all charter planes and floatplanes. We recommend clients follow the list of items below to keep it simple. Laundry is done daily, so only one or two changes of clothes are needed at camp. Clothes for the jungle are shorts or long pants, a shirt and a hat!! One change of clothes can be used for travelling. For travelling: 1 x pair lightweight shoes, socks, underwear, light jacket, 1 x light shirt and long cargo pants with pockets for documents, money, passport etc. This outfit can also serve as fishing clothes to save on additional weight.
For fishing: 1 x wide brimmed hat or fishing cap with neck cape, 2 x lightweight tropical shorts or long tropical pants (zip-offs are a good idea and can also be used as travel pants), 2 x tropical long or short-sleeved shirts with pockets (can also be used as travel shirt), 1 x pair of either CROCS, sandals or similar comfortable boat shoes, 1 x lightweight rain suit/jacket and 2 x pairs of polarised sunglasses (in case you lose a pair).
And YES! Peacock Bass bite in the rain too!!
OTHER RECOMMENDED GEAR It gets hot out there in the full sun, often over 90ᵒF, so come well protected with good-quality sun-block with at least 50-75 SPF. Lip cream is essential. In general, due to the black water we fish, generally we have little or no insect problems, but just in case, bring some repellent with DEET. Bring any personal medications and allow for headaches, stomach upsets, fevers, infections, allergies etc. And also personal toiletries, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving gear etc. A small amount of talcum powder is a good asset in the jungle for those hidden, sweaty areas!
Reading books/magazines/Kindle, pen and paper for notes. Small torch/headlight and spare batteries Lightweight digital camera. Satellite phone can be rented quite cheaply in your home country for anyone wanting to keep ‘in touch’ with family or the office while away, although there will be one for clients to use in camp at a cost of $10 per minute. Calls and messages can be received at no extra charge - the number and how-to-message details will be provided before trip commences. Multi-tool
TRANSFERS, SCHEDULES AND COSTS:
Day 1 Thursday: arrival in the city of Bogota and transfer to the hotel Dorado or similar, overnight. Day 2 Friday: fly from Bogota to Puerto Inirida (included) and boat transfer to the lodge 3.45h Day 3-6 Saturday - Tuesday: full days of fishing on the Rio Vichada Day 7-8 Wednesday - Thursday: 2 full days of fishing at the Rio Orinoco Day 9 Friday: travel back to Puerto Inirida, fly to Bogota and onwards journey home.
COST ………………………… US$3250
Included: All transfers on arrival and when leaving, overnight at hotel in Manaus on arrival, return flight into jungle, all food and beverages while in camp and while fishing, daily laundry and 6+ days guided fishing, based on double occupancy. Not included: International flights to and from Manaus, visas, meals and drinks while in Manaus, any tips, hard liquor, wine, lures, jigs etc. Terms and conditions of payments: 50% as deposit on reservation, 50% due 90 days before arrival in Manaus. This trip will have a max. 4 anglers and reservations will be on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
* No visas are required for entry into Colombia
www.amazon-angler.com steve@amazon-angler.com US toll free: (9am – 5pm ET) 1 866 920 2814 Europe: +351 917812328