River Plate Outfitters
Manaus • Brazil

River Plate Anglers base  their operations out of Manaus, Brazil, affording them easy access to at least a dozen remote tributaries of the Rio Amazon and Rio Negro.

The location of these remote waters, in the heart of the Amazon Jungle, is more isolated than can be imagined. It is a rain forest setting with clear tributaries, monkeys, wild parrots, colorful toucans and, most importantly, fish that will bend a rod until it breaks. Peacock bass, pound for pound, without a doubt have to be the meanest, hardest hitting, hardest pulling fish, in the world. These fish are awesome and once experienced, will forever change your view of what a truly bad-boy fish is all about. Working for three years with the owner of the River Plate Anglers, Luis Brown, we've gained a thorough understanding of the seasons and the best times to target this gamefish. By crossing north and south of the equator between August and April, we are able to target waters when their levels are normally low and clear. It's when the floodwaters have retreated from the jungle interior after the rainy season, where huge populations of peacocks concentrate on shallow sandbars, rock outcroppings, and the entrances to creeks and tributaries. It's at this time when the peacocks are most aggressive, slamming brightly colored streamers and savagely striking top water flies and baits. Fishing for peacocks is combat fishing, not for the mild mannered!

The Fly-in Cabin Barges Program is a Peacock Bass safari on a grand scale, with the comfort and grandeur of its African counterpart. What sets it apart from other Amazon fishing programs is the use of modern aircraft to access the remote camps. In about an hour (180 miles), travelling in a brand new Cessna Caravan on floats, anglers will land at one of the mobile camps that would normally take a riverboat three to four days to reach. There is virtually no down time with River Plate Outfitters and after storing your gear and having a quick bite; you'll be on the water fishing with your guide.

The mobile camps are very spacious, featuring modern, well-equipped barges (10' x15') that serve as accommodations. Each barge features 24-hour electricity, a shower, portable toilet, sink and vanity, individual-oscillating fans, shelves to store equipment, and table and chairs. Exquisite meals, ice-cold beer, and fresh cotton bedding greet anglers at the end of each fish-weary day. Fly fishermen generally average two to four dozen fish a day. Guides are excellent, soft-spoken natives, and they are very helpful and knowledgeable. The mobile accommodations are a break through in being able to navigate the shallow river headwaters and pursue fish well above the fishing pressure, far away from the civilized world.

The River Plate package includes nearly seven full action-packed days of fishing. It includes everything except the round trip flight from Miami to Manaus, Brazil. Built into the package are the turbo-prop, 10 passenger aircraft that will take you from Manaus to the camp, the shallow-draft skiffs that transport anglers above commercial angling, along with every Coke, beer, and bottle of water. Cost of the eight-day trip ranges from $3,550 to $4,850 DBL. OCC.. Space is very limited (8 total anglers).The floatplane reduces travel time by half a day coming and going, adding a full day of fishing! A great value!

This angling safari is for anglers who appreciate nature, want to get away from it ALL and who look forward to the challenge of wild, tough, hard hitting, hook straightening peacock bass that are unequalled in strength and aggressiveness.

Species of Fish:  Peacock Bass a.k.a. "tucunare".

Lodging:  The mobile camps are very spacious, featuring modern, well-equipped barges (10' x15') that serve as accommodations. Each barge features 24-hour electricity, a shower, portable toilet, sink and vanity, individual-oscillating fans, shelves to store equipment, and table and chairs.

Travel Arrangements:  You will fly from Miami to Manaus, via Lloyd Aero Boliviano Airlines where you will be met by a lodge representative. From Manaus you will be flown by floatplane to the awaiting barges.

Length of Stay:  Arrive Manaus Thursday and Depart Manaus the following Thursday.

Season:  Mid-September through Mid-March

Occupancy:  River Plate is limited to 8 guests.

Inclusions:  The rate includes:
•  All charter flights
•  All necessary ground transfers
•  According to itinerary one hotel day - room on arrival and one hotel night on departure at Tropical Hotel.
•  Guided-operated 21 foot fully equipped shallow drafting bass boat per two anglers
•  Fishing license
•  All meals at fishing destination, including wine, beer, and hard liquor
•  Daily laundry and maid service at fishing destinations
•  Two Loomis quality rods and Shimano reels

Non-Inclusions:  
•  Interantional air fare ($1,000 Miami round trip to Manaus)
•  Brazilian visa
•  Suggested voluntary tips to camp staff ($150) and fishing guides ($150)
•  Food and beveraged in Manaus and private city tours
•  Specials transfers and hotel reservations when not arriving/departing with the party
•  Airport departure tax
•  Satellite phone calls ($5/minute)
•  Extra hotel overnights

Deposit:  A 50 percent deposit is due to secure a reservation.

Booking Your Trip:  Reserving your spot at any of our wonderful locations is easily done. You can call us on our dime at: 800-669-3474 or by sending us an email at: info@flyfishingtravel.com.

(A recent letter about a client's trip to River Plate Outfitters)

Dear Pat:

The River Plate peacock fishing trip was a blast. But I guess you already know that. Alejandro said that during your week in camp you landed a 13-pounder on fly tackle. That's pretty amazing. Overall we had good numbers. Our camp consisted of 6 anglers (all bait and spin casting) and through the 6 fishing days we landed 723 of the insane psychedelic red-eyed savage jungle critters. Four of us landed 13-pounders with the rest of the fish ranging from 3 pounds and up with lots of fish in the 5 - 6 pound range.

If I could rewind the trip and start over, I would have tried to bring some type of castable bulletproof steel or titanium leader, probably about 9 feet in length. I had 7 break offs in the rocks on both 30 lb. mono and 80 lb. braid. I hated losing the fish and the lures......

The jungle experience was a trip, too. Everyone's got plenty of alligator and piranhas stories. My fishing partner and I got to see a jaguar swimming across the river and the guide raced us over to within about 10 feet of the cat. I hope the pictures come out!!

By the way, heading out of the jungle on Thursday, Alejandro proudly wore a "Fly Shop" fishing shirt. Looked good!! Thanks - Tom Berry

Itinerary for the River Plate SAMPLE Peacock Bass Adventure

Thursday Night: Anglers depart Miami via TAM (Transport Airline of the Meridian) flight JJ8075 in the evening arriving into Manaus, Brazil late that night, approximately 11:20 p.m. A Brazilian Visitors Visa with valid passport is mandatory for entry into Brazil. More information on the Visa will accompany your deposit receipt.

After arriving in Manaus, Brazil and clearing immigrations and customs, guests will be met by the Rio Plate ground agent “Brahma” and transferred to the Hotel Tropical for the evening. We suggest you bring a few personal items in your carry on for this quick overnight. The rest of your luggage will remain in the transfer vans until departure time for your flight to camp, approximately 5:30 a.m. the following morning. Occasionally, due to aircraft availability and scheduling, the flight from Manaus to Camp may depart as late as 3:00 p.m. This late departure is not the norm.

(Arrival Day): Departure to Camp: The flight to your camp for the angling week takes about an hour and will take you directly to the barge complex, situated well above the point where boat traffic becomes difficult and commercial angling and netting is no longer legal or practical.

Note: Although it is rare, weather conditions and/or availability of aircraft may warrant departing Manaus for the barge complex on Saturday morning instead of Friday. You will not lose any fishing time, as your departure from the angling waters will be adjusted to the following Saturday. If this happens, Rio Plate Anglers will take care of your hotel accommodation at the Hotel Tropical on arrival, Friday night.

The barge caravan consists of nine barges. Each of the five smaller barges carries a spacious bedroom, which accommodates two anglers. The caravan is accessed by Rio Plate Anglers' ten-passenger Cessna-Caravan turbo-prop floatplane. The barges are constantly on the move, shortening daily travel times to unfished lagoons and each afternoon they park on one of the white sand beaches that border the river edges. After arriving in camp, anglers have a chance to relax, have some lunch and refreshments, stow and organize gear, and enjoy the fishing that afternoon and evening.

Saturday -Thursday: Anglers experience six full fishing days. The schedule normally begins with a 6:30 a.m. wake-up call and breakfast at 7:00 a.m. The knowledgeable native guides are ready to depart as early as 7:30 a.m., although fishermen are welcome to remain in camp and depart at their leisure. Typically, anglers have lunch in the field, often meeting at a rendezvous to compare notes and effective techniques. Hammocks are hung in the trees for an often-needed siesta. Some fishermen may prefer to return to camp for lunch and a mid-day siesta. Anglers fishing more distant waters may spend the entire day searching and fighting fish, returning to camp in the evening. Dinner is usually served after all guests have returned to camp.

(Departure Day): Normally, fishermen depart the barge complex and return to Manaus mid to late afternoon or early evening on Friday. However, in some cases, due to flight scheduling and aircraft availability, you may depart the barge complex on Saturday morning in which case you will transfer directly to the airport in Manaus to catch your TAM flight back to Miami.

If you depart the barge complex on Friday you, will be transferred to the Hotel Tropical for the night and transferred the following day to the airport to catch your TAM flight back to Miami. The transfers and Hotel Tropical accommodations will be paid for by Rio Plate. Dinner is on your own.

Saturday: The TAM (Transport Airline of the Meridian) flight JJ8074 departs Manaus @ 11:50 AM, arriving into Miami @ 4:00 PM.

Itinerary and schedule outlined above is subject to change

The City of Manaus: Manaus is a rather large city, situated on the banks of the Rio Negro and is the supply center and hub for outlying communities in the Amazon Jungle. Most of the eco-tourism and sportfishing operations, as well as scientific expeditions, are based out of Manaus. The city has a wonderful opera house that was built by rubber barons in the early 1900's, a fascinating open market, a national zoo, museum of natural history, and some pretty good restaurants. Tours to all of these attractions can be arranged for a very reasonable cost with Brahma, your host and transfer agent while in Manaus.