River Plate Outfitters -
Equipment and Flies

FLY RODS: Multi-piece 9 or 10 wt. fly rods, 9 ft length are the best choices. We like fast tapered saltwater rods with plenty of butt strength and the ability to cast wind-resistant flies. Nine weight fly rods seem to be the perfect match, but don’t be afraid to bring along the 10 weight. Good models to choose from include; Winston’s BIIX 4-piece, Sage RPLXI-II, G. Loomis Cross Current, and Scott Saltwater Heliply series, all in three, four, or five piece, for easy traveling. We highly recommend bringing a backup rod.

FLY REELS: (minimum 150 yards of 30 lb. or larger high-visibility backing) Reels specifically designed for saltwater fly fishing are the ticket. Smooth disk drags, plenty of backing capacity, and sturdy, machined aluminum anodized frames are features to look for in a reel. Models to consider are: Tibor, Abel, Galvin Torque Series, and Ross.

LEADERS: Peacocks are not the least bit leader shy. Most fly anglers use a straight shot (approx 6 ft) of 20-50 lb. monofilament leader material. Anything lighter will be snapped off like sewing thread when that 15 'pounder' runs you into a tree or rock pile. You’ll go through a lot of leader material, because of the peacock's extremely abrasive teeth. Stiff leader material is the way to go, brands to consider are Maxima, Ande, Mason Rio I.G.F.A or Seaguar Fluorocarbon.

We like to run 6 feet of 40 – 50 mono or Fluorocarbon right off our fly line, tied directly to the fly with a loop knot.

NOTE: A Small Cotton Minnow Seine, or a stripping basket, is a must to keep your fly line from tangling in the boat's seats, floorboards, rods etc.

FLY LINES: You should bring three fly lines:
1) Weight-forward tropical saltwater floater (bonefish or tarpon taper)
2) 24’ 200 or 300 grain sink-tip
3) Intermediate tropical saltwater line(Bonefish or Tarpon Taper)
A couple spare fly lines are highly recommended.

STREAMERS: In general, peacock bass are completely piscivorous, so your fly selection should thoroughly represent LARGE, flashy, baitfish. Some kind of flashy material (Flash-A-Bou or Krystal Flash) should be incorporated in your flies. To choose the proper fly in any given condition, fly fisherman should follow similar guidelines as outlined for the conventional fisherman. Don’t be afraid of big flies -- up to 6 inches in length, with LARGE/WIDE profiles. Flies of this size are representative of the natural baitfish peacocks feed on. It is not uncommon for a 5 lb bass to eat a 15 inch baitfish.

COLORS: The general rule for color selection is normal. If it is bright outside and the water is clear, than a bright fly should be used. When the water is calm, and visibility not too cloudy, than a subtle color fly with little flash should be used. If it is dark outside, low light conditions, or if you are fishing over a dark bottom, than a dark fly should be used. Combinations of green/yellow/red and blue/white red work very well. Flies with BIG eyes are a must!

FISHING STREAMERS: Streamer fishing is an important and major component of Peacock Bass fishing. As a general rule, if the water is clear, the fly should be stripped quickly and aggressively. On the other hand, if the water you are fishing is murky or stained, slow down your retrieve and use the brightest, flashiest fly in your box.

FLIES: (Sizes 3/0 & 4/0 hooks – very sharp!)
• Tropical Punch (2/0)
• BIG Clousers (2/0)
• Puglisi Tinker Mackerel (3/0)
• Cabra Streamer (2/0) Sardine, blue/white, red/yellow
• Peters Poly-fly (see article)
• CF Baitfish Fire Tiger
• Lefty’s Deceiver - blue, green, red, yellow (3/0)
• Peacock Agitator (1/0)
• Lefty’s Shark & Cuda Fly
• Blue Horizon Tarpon Clouser (3/0)
• Flashtail Whistlers (3/0)
• Alf Baitfish (3/0

TOPWATER FLIES: No strike is as savage and exhilarating as a peacock bass hitting a top-water fly. It has to be experienced to be believed! The slurping, popping, chugging, gurgling action of a popper aggressively stripped along the surface closely imitates the action of a wounded or struggling baitfish and something most peacocks find irresistible. Standard saltwater poppers with stout hooks are a perfect choice. Top-water flies should be cast long and stripped aggressively, crating the maximum amount of noise and action possible. Keeping the rod tip low to the water for maximum line control and hook setting attitude is critical.

FLIES:
• Enrico’s Flex Popper
• Tiger Poppers (2/0)
• Snook-A-Roo- red/white or yellow (3/0)
• Swimming Baitfish - redhead, yellow, or shad (1/0)
• Gaines saltwater poppers - assorted colors (2/0)


Conventional Tackle and Lures
30-pound MONOFILAMENT has proven most reliable under stressful situations. All monofilament stretches to some degree, which makes top-water angling a little more tedious (but weak spots are easy to detect). Braided lines are great for fishing big top-water baits, but many anglers are frustrated with them because they cut into themselves and bury into the spool. Frays and weak spots are difficult to detect (break-offs often occur because of this). Your safest bet is to go with monofilament but braided lines are a lot less effort to fish with. IGFA does NOT accept braided lines for LINE-CLASS records.

LINES: Clear, fresh, premium monofilament, (30 lb. line class). Brands to consider: Ande, Maxima, Berkley Trilene- Big Game, Stren. Fluorocarbon (the best choice) Seaguar
Braided: PowerPro 50 pound
SNAP SWIVELS: 60-lb. test cross-lock Sampo ball bearing swivels snapped directly to the top-water bait. Plan on bringing at least one dozen.

SPLIT RINGS: Sampo Stainless Steel Split Rings

HOOKS: Gamakatsu Treble Hooks: size 1, 2, 4, 6, 1/0, 2/0

WIRE LEADERS: Under some circumstances, you’ll be fishing Peacocks in the main channel of the river where piranhas can be a problem. So, wire leaders are a handy item to have! A dozen Sampo Black Beauty Leaders, 30 lb. 12” leaders will do the job.

Make sure to bring AT LEAST the minimum number of recommended lures listed in front of each lure type - in a mixture of BOTH light and dark colors/shades (i.e. 10 of the 'propeller-type' top water, 8 of the minnow/jerk bait, etc.) Angling conditions will have you going through a lot of tackle. In many cases, there are several brands of lures listed under each classification. Those listed first are the most popular, although the order could be a topic of serious dispute among Peacock 'veterans'.

TOPWATER LURES:
• 4 - Luhr Jensen Big Game Woodchopper 6-3/4” Colors: Frog and silver/black
• 2 - Jerk’N-Sams, size 100 & 300 Colors: Yellow/red, polka dot, silver/black, silver/blue, black/gold, orange belly cut-throat
• 2 - Zara 2- Spooks, 4-1/2”, 3/4oz. Colors: Assorted
• 2- Jumpin Minnow size: T-20 Colors: Hot orange, black silver, old bass
• 4- Cotton Cordell Red Fin 4 1 /2” - 1 1/2 oz.
• 4- Luhr Jensen Peacock Bass Lure 4” -3/4 oz.
• 2- Rebel Super Pop “R” 3 3/4” - 7/16 oz.


SUBSURFACE LURES:
• 2 - Jerk & Husky by Normark size: H14 Colors: Clown and silver & black
• 2 - Bomber A’s 16 & 16 J’s (jointed - not deep river), 6” 1 oz. Colors: Black/silver
• 8 - Magnum Rat-L-Traps, 3/4 oz. Colors: Black/silver
• 4 - Johnson Silver Minnows, 3”, 3/4 oz.
• 6 - Blackmore Road Runner 4” - 1/2 oz.
• 8 - Mister Twister Striper Jig 4” - 1/2 oz.
• 2 - Tony Acceta Pet Spoon 5 1/2” - 1 1/8 oz

Temperatures in Amazonia can range from 80° - 100°+ Fahrenheit during fishing season, with varying degrees of humidity. Protection from the sun's rays is very important. You can expect some wind and should be prepared in the event it rains. The following list of clothing and equipment should make for an enjoyable trip:

We recommend wearing loose fitting, lightweight, light-colored cottons or synthetics (Tarpon Wear, Patagonia, etc.). Some fabrics allow passage of UV rays, so don’t just bring any old shirt – we’ve seen people severely sunburned right through their clothes! Long pants and sleeves are best to protect from sunburn.
Personal Items Equipment
• Passport and xerox of photo page
• Airline tickets
• Personal medications
• Four long-sleeved tropical shirts
• Two tropical-weight pants
• Swimsuit or shorts
• Sneakers or deck shoes
• Casual travel clothes
• Fishing hat
• Quality lightweight raincoat/pants
• Lightweight cotton gloves
• Sunscreen
• Chapstick
• Water-resistant bug repellent/DEET
• Small flashlight
• Camera and batteries
• Spare film
• Waterproof pack or gear bag
• Cash for tipping
We furnish, free-of-charge, quality baitcasting rods and reels with braided line.
• Scale (if you are trying for a world record, you should bring a certified scale)
• Tape measure
• Hook sharpener
• Replacement hooks and o-rings
• Extra line
• Fishing pliers, pocket knife, clippers
• Reel lubricant
• Lure box
• Rod Case
• Polarized sunglasses
• 6” – 8” steel leaders (for piranha)
• 40 – 50 lb. Leader material (fly-fishermen)
• Optional stripping basket (fly-fishermen)
• Optional stripping finger sock (fly-fishermen) or adhesive tape

The above list of suggested clothing and equipment is only limited by one’s personal needs and imagination. Please feel free to add or delete as you see fit. We strongly suggest using soft luggage, (duffel bags) as it is easier to pack and store. Please be sure that all of your luggage is marked appropriately (luggage tags). Business cards are perfect and can be inserted into most luggage tags; use your business phone, NOT your home phone. Before leaving home, double check that you have a valid passport and visitors visa for Brazil with you. Have a terrific trip! Thank you.


Health / Insects

It's truly a blessing that the rivers we fish have a high tannin concentration due to the forest’s leaf decay, and do not encourage the growth of insect eggs and larvae. Although we have never had an angler with a tropical illness, there are occasional encounters with bugs. We suggest you contact your doctor regarding his or her recommendations, or you can call the IAMAT (International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers) at (716) 754.4883.