Lake Guri Venezuela, report 12-18 April 2012

[Steve Townson]

LAKE GURI, VENEZUELA - FISHING REPORT 12-18 APRIL 2012

 

Day 1 and having arrived at midday at Headwaters Fishing Camp and being welcomed by owner and host Steve Shoulders, after a slap-up lunch my Japanese clients and I set out for a short afternoon’s sortie, fishing on huge Lake Guri.

The afternoon was slow for them as they needed to get to know the water and the lures we use here, but even after only a few hours, they came back with smiles on their faces and 4-5 Peacocks to 10lbs under their belts. Fishing on my own I made a nice total of over 10 Peacocks up to 11lbs on topwaters, small minnowbaits and jigs.

Day 2 we decided to fish locally near the camp and fishing was fair with about 25 Peacocks caught by both boats to 10lbs, most on top and a few on spinnerbaits and minnowbaits.

Day 3 morning we boated way up river to the narrower stretches near La Paragua town, stopping at strategic points in the lake with good drop-offs and current and caught over 15 Payara to 12lbs and jumped-off over 40!! Most were caught on SOB spinnerbaits, deep diving plugs and heavily weighted Rubber Shads. In the afternoon following a nice lunch and a few Zzzzzzs, we fished around the camp and did well with a good number of Peacock Bass to 13lbs.

Day 4 saw us fishing in shallow bays for Peacocks but with slower results. We couldn’t understand what was happening as the days before we scored so well. A total of 15 Peacocks for two boats was disappointing.

Day 5 we decided to rest the Peacocks and head upriver for Payara yet again. A successful day with over 10 Payaras caught and over 25 lost or jumped-off! Best baits Spinnerbaits and deep divers.

Day 6 we wanted another crack at the Peacock Bass having lost a few big lunkers in the past few days. We struck gold, and big-time! By bringing a gold Sardine Spook back to the boat past a big tree trunk about 20m off the bank and in about 4m of water, my guide Elias got slammed by a 13lb buck Peacock. Maybe that was the secret, the Bass were stacking up against the bigger trunks in the shade perhaps? Maybe do what the Romans do in Rome? So we changed our methods and that was it for the rest of the day. We targeted only the larger, wider tree trunks off shallow banks but still in fairly deep water and nearly every cast produced a strike or a hook up! My Japanese clients managed a few fish while my boat produced over 50 fish in one day, all over 8lbs with the largest at 14lbs. We lost over 10 huge fish that just came unbuttoned. Two were in the very high teens or early 20s!! And the best lures? The smaller 4 ½ “ Caribe Pavon Props in Firetiger color because we ‘matched-the-hatch’ as most baitfish these fish were attacking were from 2-4” long only.

Day 7 surprised me yet again. Our last morning before heading back after lunch. We changed areas and hit a few shallower ‘lagoon-type’ waters. This time we couldn’t catch a cold from the trees, BUT the bigger Peacocks had moved back into the shallow grass and brush and were constantly slamming into baitfish everywhere we looked. Again, 4 1/2“ Caribe Pavon Props in Firetiger took the award for best all-round lure. Unfortunately for our Japanese clients, they missed four huge Peacocks while still catching a respectable 15 fish. My biggest hit the Boga at 13lbs with over 20 fish boated.

So again a great trip. This report just goes to show that fishing in Guri changes by the day. I never saw lake Peacocks ever hit so hard as on this trip. One day the Peacocks would be on the surface in shallows and the next they were be down at 4-8m!

I have never fished for a more fickle species than the infamous Lake Guri Peacocks. It all depends on the water and air temperature, clear skies or cloudy, windy or quiet, I reckon even if a parrot farts, the fish would move somewhere else! You just have to come prepared to work at it until you find a pattern. I think I have cracked it but sometimes I can get it wrong, so I bring a few of everything, from deep divers that make your arms and shoulders ache, to all manner of topwaters lures than make your eyes strain and your heart jump.

My thanks again to Steve ‘El Ombro’ Shoulders for yet another cracking trip, excellent food, the best rum in town and great bedtime stories, as always!. The fishing was probably the best I have had on Guri for topwater fair. Even though we didn’t do so well with Payaras this time and no giants landed, I still claim, this is the best combo Peacock Bass/Payara package in South America!!

Steve Townson - The Fish Finder/Steve ShiShou (That’s even better than Sensei apparently)!! 24th April 2012

www.Amazon-Angler.com

steve@Amazon-Angler.com

stevetownson@gmail.com