Amazon Floating Barges & Black Water Explorer

F

or Amazon Peacock Bass fishing at it best, we offer you the premier adventure program for fishing productivity, comfortable lodging, safety and services. The key to exceptional Peacock Bass fishing is the Floating Cabins and Black Water Explorer liveaboard yacht, providing daily mobility together with the ability to bypass low water. Sport fishing yachts, commercial fishing boats and even survival fishing must stop where low water prevents passage, and beyond these barriers is where the great fishing starts!

The Fishing

River Plate's anglers commonly catch 20 to 30 good fish each day from 3 to 6 pound "butterflies" to 10 to 20 pound "blue" or "spotted" super-lunkers... and there is always the chance for a real monster. The current IGFA all-tackle world record came from the region they fish: 27 pounds!

The key to this extraordinary fishing is our outfitter's very fast, very roomy, very state of the art Cessna Caravan float plane which allows them to whisk fishermen directly from the Manaus, Brazil airport to pristine locations far (often hundreds of miles) from the melee of competing lodges and houseboats, and landing right at their camp or yacht accommodations. There, anglers access unfished waters above natural barriers such as waterfalls and shallow river mouths. The fishing boats are special shallow draft tunnel types that can freely traverse almost any level of water, including virtually land locked lagoons.

The combination of the remote fly-in and the shallow-draft boats eliminates competition from other people, either sportsmen or native fishermen, and is the reason why River Plate consistently produces more fish than other outfitters, either river boats or fixed lodges. Anglers fish two per boat, with talented Brazilian guides, well versed in the nuances of baitcasting, spincasting and fly fishing. They speak enough "fishing English" to communicate effectively and, of course, are intimately familiar with the fishing areas and how to find concentration of peacocks.

What you will not find here are many pesky bugs. The pristine rivers we fish have naturally high tannin levels, due to extensive rain forest leaf decay which discourages the growth of biting insects and their larvae.

Guests with River Plate have a choice of accommodations: Highly mobile camps with comfortable cabins built on individual barges or the Black Water Explorer houseboat.

The Floating Cabins

Drawing only about four inches of water, the six independent Fly-In Floating Cabins (I, II, III, IV, V, VI) are the ultimate solution for optimizing shallow drafting mobility, comfort and luxury. On arrival, you travel about 1 to 2 hours directly to one of the six Floating Cabins via a new state-of-the-art 8-passenger Cessna Caravan turbo prop float plane.

The Cabins cruise the headwaters of small tributaries with fish-filled secluded lagoons, which are 3 – 5 hours on a fast bass boat from the melee of competing house boats and lodges on the Negro’s river deep channel waterways. This arrangement effectively replaces daily traveling by boat, or expensive daily Fly-Outs, from the main waterways to the secluded lagoons which are protected by shallow water entry barriers.

Although many well established land based lodges are situated past these natural barriers, they have no mobility to seek better water levels. Plus, more importantly, their areas become rapidly overfished 2 to 3 hours upriver or downriver. Our cabins, however, move daily to unfished river segments overnighting along Caribbean-like beaches.

Walk-in at any time to comfort to your 10’ X 15’ elegant roomy cabin with private full bathroom. The Cabins are fully carpeted, tastefully decorated, and every detail has been carefully considered.

In the 12’ x 23’ dinning/sitting lounge, you will dine on linen table cloths enjoying the chef’s four course meals. An excellent variety of both continental and exciting regional dishes, make up the week’s menu. Fresh breads and pastries are baked daily and chilled wines, ice-cold beer, soft drinks, and Brazilian-style margaritas flow freely throughout your fishing trip.

Each of our six Floating Cabin operations are managed by a brazilian "co-owner", a knowledgeable fisherman, experienced in handling logistics inherent to the Amazon fishing operations. Since our groups are small, the manager, together with a bilingual host , and a staff of 14 offer unique personalized hands-on attention. Breakfast room service, laundry service and guest satellite phone are a few of the available amenities.

The Black Water Explorer

River Plate introduced the concept of a liveaboard yacht for Amazon bass fishing with the Amazon Angel in 1992. The Black Water Explorer replaced the Amazon Angel in June 2007. Her shallower draft and wider beam will allow the Explorer to better overcome shallow waters and gain access to lower-pressure regions. Although the Black Water Explorer is designed to accommodate 20 anglers, it will set a new standard amongst all other available fishing trips as the most spacious and comfortable yacht for a maximum party of 8 anglers pampered by a crew of 14.

Upon arrival from the US, you'll fly via float plane directly to the yacht where you'll live aboard the Black Water Explorer during the entire week, cruising within the Unini and Indian Reserves. Since entries to the Reserves are limited, there is little fishing pressure. Daily travel times to secluded lagoons is only 5 to 15 minutes. (River Plate funds many philanthropic program to compensate the locals to mantain these areas unfished). If placed outside these two Reserves, daily travel distances could be up to 1 to 3 hours in our shallow drafting bass boats; however, our prices (rates) are correspondingly lower.

The Black Water Explorer features 10 ample 8' x 9' state rooms, each with full bathrooms with showers, a dinning room with an open bar, satellite TV and telephone. All rooms are tastefully decorated with wood panelling finishings and individual controlled air conditioning.

In the Explorer's spacious dinning room you will be served meticulously prepared four-course meals over linen table cloths while the boat safely cruises the Amazon waters, assisted with the finest state-of-the-art depth electronics, global positioning system, VHF-HF radio, and satellite communication.

The top deck grill and open bar is the perfect setting to relax with a cold drink under the Amazon starry sky amongst friends or to daydream with visions of giant peacocks dancing in your head.

Whether guests choose the Cabin Barges or the Black Water Explorer, each will enjoy personal attention along with an excellent variety of delicious meals, safe drinking water, a well stocked bar, daily laundry service and a cheerful and knowledgeable staff.

As you can imagine, the remote rivers, tributaries and lagoons they fish are surrounded by the extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life that defines the Amazon jungle. Here, in nature's premier botanical garden, you can find 200 ft. tall hardwood trees and tiny miniature orchids, flocks of fluorescent butterflies and 15 ft. caiman alligators, slow moving sloths and swift pink and gray porpoises, monkeys, manatees, ibis, macaws, parrots, parakeets, ducks and countless other marvelous creatures.

Our Outfitter

Born and raised in the jungles of South America, Luis Brown was educated in the United States - receiving an MBA from the Wharton School of Finance. He knows the standards American anglers have come to expect and he has the experience, local connections and back-country savvy to provide an unparalleled fishing adventure.

With Luis Brown's River Plate Outfitters, you will access virgin rivers and lagoons where large populations of big peacocks lie untouched. In fact, many of the fish you will cast to have never seen a lure or fly.

If you desire the most exciting fishing trip of your lifetime, come to the Brazilian rain forest, a magical place you have seen in geographic magazines, television nature shows and in your mind's eye. Come challenge the mighty peacock bass with River Plate Anglers and leave the crowds behind.

Rate Includes: All necessary ground transfers, one night at hotel in Manaus on day of arrival, fly-in on a turboprop Caravan Cessna floatplane to Floating Cabins placed in a remote fishery or to the Black Water Explorer yacht anchored at a water way, guide-operated 21-foot fully equipped shallow drafting bass boat per two anglers, 2 quality rods and reels and fishing licenses, all meals at fishing destination (including wine, beer and hard liquor), daily laundry service at fishing destinations

Not Included: International air fare, Brazilian visa, suggested voluntary tips to camp staff, guides and hotel personnel in Manaus (about $200 total), luggage over-weight (44 lbs. per person allowed on float plane), food and beverages in Manaus and private city tours, special transfers and hotel reservations when not arriving in same party, airport departure tax, satellite phone calls ($3/minute).

A 50% deposit is required to confirm dates. Final payment is due 60 days prior departure. Cancellations will only be refund if your spot can be subsequently booked. Please request and review Fishing International's "Terms and Conditions" for further information on reservations and cancellations. Travel insurance is strongly recommended to protect your investment.