Why trust Anglers All with your travel plans? We’ve actually been there. When talking about remote destinations like Brazil, there’s no replacement for first-hand experience.
It’s cold here in the Denver area this week. And that’s got us thinking about our warm-weather travel plans for 2020. We are stoked about two very different destinations on our agenda this year.
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RIO MARIÉ, BRAZIL
We’ve been here and experienced it. And we’re here to report that IT. IS. AWESOME.
Travel coordinator, Andrew Pulford, recently spent some time with the folks at Rio Marié in the heart of the Amazon. If you consider yourself a high-adventure angler, put this one on your list!
“This is for sure one of the wildest and most untamed trips we’ve done here at Anglers All,” Andrew told us. “If you’re an angler that enjoys searching for fish in far-flung destinations and you’re on the hunt for the next great adventure, give this trip some serious consideration.”
The adventure begins in Manaus, a jungle port city that made its money during the rubber boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Located on the banks of the Amazon River, this isolated city has a lot to offer. Visitors should take some time to explore the town, soaking up the sights and sounds of the Amazon jungle interior.
“My fishing buddy met me in Manaus with 8, 9, and 10-weight fly rods in hand,” Andrew recalled. “Armed with 5-7 inch long streamers and sinking lines, we boarded our bush plane and set off on a three-hour flight into the depths of the Amazon Jungle.”
“Our float plane came to a smooth landing on the Marié River, a tributary of the Amazon,” Andrew continued. “Our live-aboard boat and staff were awaiting our arrival. It’s like no other place I’ve seen. It’s easily the most untouched piece of Earth I’ve come across in my life. There’s no trash, no noise and no outside influences. It’s just the jungle and you. And below the surface of the tea-colored water, there are monster peacock bass, un-pressured, and unaware of what the business end of a 9-weight feels like.”
In casual fly shop conversations about peacock bass fishing in the Amazon, you might have heard stories of 25-pound bass behind every mangrove. Of course in reality, this is not the case. Instead, anglers can expect to throw 10-weight fly rods all day as if they were trout rods. It takes patience and persistence.
On this trip, anglers will have a dedicated fishing guide, plus a native guide from the area in order to find the best opportunities to land monster peacock bass on the fly. Days on the water are long and you can expect a combination of sight fishing and blind casting. These fish love noise and commotion, so popper patterns are productive, in addition to large, sub-surface streamer-patterns. There’s nothing like watching a giant peacock explode out of the water to annihilate your fly!
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“The live-aboard vessel is extraordinary,” Andrew explained. “It was built in 2015 and is very well-maintained. It’s eco friendly, fully staffed, and will cover over 100 miles of water a week, giving you opportunities to fish new water daily. With a full-time chef, a masseuse and Jacuzzis on board, you will be pleasantly exhausted after your time on the water.”
Consider the following dates for your Rio Marié adventure:
· Sept 3 -10
· Sept 10-17
· Oct 8-15
· Nov 26-Dec 3
· Dec 10-17
This trip is priced at $7,325.00, plus a $670.00 Indian Territory entry tax which is paid upon arrival. No visa is required for U.S. Citizens and flights into Manaus are available from many U.S based carriers. The price includes your bush plane flight from Manaus to the live-aboard boat.
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TURNEFFE FLATS, BELIZE
“With so many locations throughout Belize its hard to know where to start,” Andrew commented. “Many of our employees and customers have had the opportunity to fish throughout Belize. Yet time and time again, we find ourselves booking flights and heading to Turneffe Flats.”
“I recently had the opportunity to spend time at Turneffe and again, it did not disappoint,” he continued. “With a bit of tough weather we were still able to get quality shots at permit, with dozens of bonefish landed daily, some resident tarpon, and snook to hand as well.”
Craig and Karen, owners of Turneffe Flats Lodge, have recently continued making upgrades throughout the lodge. The staff at Turneffe Flats makes the difference as well. Some of their guides have more than 30 years of experience on the Turneffe Atoll alone. They always know how to work with the weather and tides to find your dream species on the fly.
What’s more, the future looks bright for the fishery at Turneffe Flats. Thanks to the hard work of the Turneffe Atoll Trust, a registered NGO, 17,000 acres of the Turneffe Atoll has been acquired for protection. This will prohibit further development on much of the Atoll, protecting mangroves, wetlands and fish and wildlife habitat that’s home to some of our favorite game fish, plus species like the West Indian manatee and American crocodile.
Turneffe has always been a unique, protected, and diverse fishery. Now, this Atoll system will be further separated from others by the fact that it is preserved for anglers, divers, and ocean enthusiasts to sustainably enjoy.
Turneffe offers packages from half-week to full-week getaways. Easy, 4-hour direct flights are available from Denver. Then it’s just a 90-minute boat ride to your flats fishing paradise. Make it a full week at Turneffe, or make it part of a multi destination Belize adventure.
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PLAN YOUR WARM WEATHER FLY FISHING TRIP
When you book travel with Anglers All, you won’t pay any extra commission or fees. Yet you’ll gain first-hand experience, advice and help with all the logistics along the way. Additionally, you’ll receive our VIP travel discount. From the day you place your deposit until your day of departure, you’ll receive 15% off purchases online or in the store.
No matter what you’re interested in, we have some great ideas to maximize your time on the salt this season. If you’d like to learn more, check out our Travel Page. For questions or any specifics, please don’t hesitate to chat with Andrew here at the fly shop in Littleton. You can also call 303-794-1104 or send him an email.