In 2007, Lance Ranger, Attendus Company AG director, became the owner of the Agua Boa Amazon Lodge. An angler’s paradise, the destination lures fishers from all over the world, occupying the number one spot in Forbes’ list of the world’s top 10 fly-fishing lodges and ranking among Bloomberg’s top 10 fly-fishing lodges worldwide. This article will take a closer look at the Agua Boa River in Brazil and the unforgettable fly-fishing opportunities it presents.
Fly-fishers from across the world have been charmed and astounded by the rainforest surroundings, presenting the ultimate opportunity to sight-fish for one of the jungle’s fiercest fighting species, the peacock bass.
Staff at the Agua Boa Amazon Lodge aim to make the guest’s entire fly-fishing experience even more memorable. The only fly-fishing-only stretch of river in Brazil, this part of the Agua Boa received the coveted designation following lengthy negotiations with regional government, enabling the lodge to offer world-class angling throughout the fishing season. All fishing in the Agua Boa is conducted using a single, barbless hook. The fact that angler catch rates do not fluctuate between the beginning and end of the season lays testament to the success of the fishery’s approach.
The Agua Boa Amazon Lodge is committed to ensuring that anglers enjoy every minute of their stay, from the moment they arrive until the moment they leave. The lodge contends that, once fly-fishers have visited the Agua Boa River, every other jungle fishing destination will seem dull in comparison.
The Agua Boa River fishery is the result of 20 years of exploration and is ideal for fly-fishing. When at normal levels, the waters of the Agua Boa are so clear that strikes are visible, meaning that anglers typically spend a good percentage of their days sight-fishing – although opportunities are dependent on water and light levels.
Many anglers visiting the Agua Boa Amazon Lodge arrive with the intention of sight-fishing for peacock bass, pacu, giant arapaima, arowana and numerous other jungle species. While this may limit the productivity of their day, sight-fishing for peacocks against a white sandy substrate is an incredible experience for any serious fly-fisher.
The vividly-coloured peacock bass is just one of the fascinating fish species visitors can encounter in the Amazon Basin. Nevertheless, the violence with which this freshwater predator hits the fly is nothing short of extraordinary. Capable guides from the Agua Boa Amazon Lodge rarely have trouble finding them, enabling even inexperienced fly-casters to catch dozens of smaller butterfly peacock within the space of a single day, even using the compulsory barbless single hooks. When the water is low enough, however, sight-fishing for 15-pound specimens tests the skills of experienced anglers and guides alike.
Inarguably one of the best locations on Earth to tackle the magnificent peacock bass on a fly rod, the Agua Boa River is perfectly suited to fly-fishing, with water so clear that most strikes are visible. Fishing includes three subtypes of peacock bass, namely the butterfly, which weighs up to 10 pounds; the paca, which weighs up to 20 pounds; and the mighty temensis, which weighs up to 24 pounds.
With a global reputation as one of the toughest gamefish around, peacock bass have a topwater strike so ferocious that the entire fish launches several feet out of the river with the fly. The species is also known for its savvy toughness once hooked, testing the skills of even the most experienced trout or largemouth bass angler. Unstoppable on its first few runs; a large peacock is not for the fainthearted fisher.
Spotted and temensis are some of the largest of the peacocks, a species widely regarded as the most aggressive gamefish on the planet. They patrol the Agua Boa in schools up to 40-fish-strong, feeding together and working bait like bluefish. For the angler fortunate enough to hook one of these mighty specimens the results are spectacular, with the species well known for its ferocious take, blistering run and numerous jumps.
Butterfly peacock bass weighing between two and eight pounds are found in plentiful numbers in the Agua Boa fishery. Despite their more modest sides, like spotted and temensis, butterfly peacock are also aggressive takers and great fighters, frequently jumping out of the water.
Other jungle species well worth pursuing in the Agua Boa River include the arowana, which looks and acts much like the tarpon. They are very visible in the river, providing exciting sight-casting opportunities. The pacu, or silver dollar, is a fun fish that can be lured by trout patterns mimicking caddis and fresh flies. Just in front of the camp await pods of hundreds of pacu. Finally, the pirarucu, known as the giant tarpon of the Amazon, reaches weights of more than 200 pounds, with the fish appearing and acting like the tarpon. In recent years, the number of world-class trophy arapaima caught at the lodge has risen to several per week.