Amazon fishing report weeks 6-13 and 13-20 Nov. 2012

[Steve Townson]

Just got back from a very succesful two week journey on two different rivers on the Amazon Rio Negro's tributary rivers Rio Ciuini and Rio Araca.

Week one was with myself, my Canadian pal Ron Elbers and three British Amazon Rookies Dave Tuffley and father and son team Trevor and Matt Peverall. In 6 1/2 days fishing the tally was 695 Peacock Bass up to 18lbs (an average of 139 Peacocks each angler). For some reason the only topwater lure that worked was the Super Spook and the #1 lures were bucktail jigs. Other species caught included some small Redtail Cats, Filhote or small Piraiba Cats, Aruwana, Piranha, Traiara, Dog Fish, Bicuda, Jacunda and a few other incidental species.

Week two was a success story for Dave Parker and his young lad 'Junior' or Dan Parker. The group consisted of myself, Ron Elbers, our American Giant friend Wilson Cox and Amazon Rookies Dave and Dan. With 1,025 Peacock Bass for the week (an average of 205 Peacocks each angler), many fish were caught in the 4-13lb bracket with Dan's 22lb and Dave's giant of 24lb being the only 2 Peacocks over 20lbs and both fish of the week! Not bad for a pair of newbies! Well done to you both for putting us lowly veterans down a peg or two! Turns out Dan has never really fished before and now Dave has to save up to buy him loads of new gear for his new hobby! Most fish were caught on jigs and minnowbaits and on the last 2 days propbaits worked well on the bigger fish for me. Other fish species included Apapa or Sardinata, Ariri, Aruwana, big Black Piranhas, Pacu, Bicuda, Dog Fish, Jacunda, Traiara, Surubim Cats and even some small Redtail Cats on jigs.

All in all everything ran smoothly, all transfers went easily and all had a great time. Dave particularly mentioned things that most of us 'veterans' do take for granted having been thgere so many time, for any newbie, the places we travel to can literally be like out of Jurassic Park and Nat Geo. So many things to see and hear, Giant Otters, Amazon Dolphins, birds of every colour and hue, Caimen Alligator, Fish Eagles, Wild Pigs, Snakes, insects, plant life, the list just goes on and on. Dave mentioned perhaps we should include a few days for trekkers if they wanted in.

Dave and Dan were taken out for a night foray spearing fish and just checking out the nightlife. No doubt he will follow this post with one of his own, so I'll wait to see what he writes before perhaps over-embelishing it too much!

Again, my thanks to my partner Marlon, our crew and guides and of course to the best chef anywhere on the Amazon!

To see a slide show of some of our fish (still don't have any pics fron the other guys so mine and Dave's will havce to do for now!), click on the animoto link: http://animoto.com/play/Oo4ggHIvu3rlNHcid5aCiA

Steve Townson

Steve@Amazon-Angler.com

www.Amazon-Angler.com