Amazon Fishing Expedition 2011 - Part 2 of 2

The weather was getting better (and hotter). The rain finally gave us a break. The next spot that we went seems to have been taken from a Spielberg movie. After crossing fallen trees and a labyrinth of channels, the guide found a lake that was full of life everywhere. There were some nice crocodiles, freshwater dolphins and plenty of birds. While we were fishing a small school of Butterflies Peacocks (Tucunaré Borboleta), we could hear a huge Peacock Bass exploding on bait fish not far from us. I was with the fly rod and I promptly cast, right on the tree (LOL) and my fly got stucked there. Now was my friend who cast his jerkbait but he couldn’t put exactly where the fish seemed to be, so I cast a big topwater right where the fish was feeding before. He exploded over the lure and went direct under the log. There was a mess between my fly line, the fish and the log, but I finally managed to land it. ..


A 13 lbs plus Tucunaré Açu!



That’s what I am talking about!





I don’t remember exactly the order of the factors after this fish.. All that I know is that we both had more 2 lunkers that we didn’t land and we still caught many other smaller fish during this day and, of course, we got into more beers! Let the good times roll!









Skol is my preferred beer! They should sell it here in Toronto...



Poppers are deadly flies for “Tucunaré Borboleta”


A nice predator cruising the Rio Negro mainstream




The day was also good for the other members of the group. Everybody caught Tucunaré Açu. The word Açu (spells Assú) means big, gigantic, in native language. My friend from south Brazil told me that he couldn’t express his emotion when he caught his first Açu. He remembered of his son that is still too young to come but it is starting to make his first casts and he asked for the "Daddy" to catch a nice Açu! He told me that next year he will bring his kid because he will be more prepared. He was also training bait casting for this trip to Amazon, every day, for three consecutive months, because he had just learned bait casting techniques.

Way to go, Gelson, good fish buddy!


His partner, an experienced propeller caster caught this big boy here


Some Peacocks get stucked under the logs and the guides need to go there to help landing them.




Simone, again, catching some genuine "Açu" strain!





********************************************************

Everything seems to make sense in fishing, as if the nature knows when is the correct time to give and to take. I was kind of relieved, I mean, more relaxed. My ankle wasn’t hurting anymore, the fish getting more active, the weather better and so on. I remember that on the day of my birthday, Oct 27nd, I asked the guide to stop on a beautiful white sandy beach and my buddy and I fished there for a little while. That was one of the best feeling that I ever had while walk and wading on this beach or just drifting the boat on the current and catching many Rio Negro “Pacas” on the fly! They were all averaging 6 lbs.

That’s the reason why they call this fly SEADUCER







A well deserved dive in the Rio Negro (don’t try this "at home" LOL)




Sorry, I forgot to wear my pants back LOL


For dinner, there was always some nice local meals and deserts. I especially enjoyed the freshwater Peacock Bass Sushi Sashimi that the operator carefully prepared to us. But there was always some options for those who don’t like exotic food. One day before coming back to Barcelos, the staff prepared to us a nice barbecue on the beach and we all have fun remembering the good times that we just had. We still fished on the next morning on the way back to Barcelos and we all caught a few more fish.

The lady and the man behind her were from the South Brazil group, they fish in Amazon every year


The staff preparing the barbecue






Much has been said and discussed about the Rio Negro fishery, that a fishing day there to be considered good must have many fish over so many pounds with certain type of lure or modality and so on. There is even clubs where they keep comparing fish between its members. I don’t like that crap and I don’t want it in my group. It bothers me the culture of competition and IGFA trophy mentality that many anglers and operators use to promote themselves in a place that I consider almost sacred. It amazed me how my boat partner, who is still a beginner fisherman, could see details that I, "an avid angler", couldn’t. We should create our own goals, but not the goals that other have created to us. We must respect the nature. The joy of fishing in the Amazon lies in the fact that a fishing trip there goes far beyond just fishing. It is a deep encounter with an imposing nature, with its inhabitants, and above all, an encounter with yourself...