The Fly Shop

GPS Coordinates: 0°43’14.76″S 67°18’17.36″W

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General Travel Information

Manaus is the launch point for this expedition and is a rather large city, situated on the banks of the Rio Negro. It is the supply center and hub for outlying communities in the Amazon Jungle. Most of the eco-tourism and sportfishing operations, as well as scientific expeditions, are based out of Manaus. The city has a wonderful complement of places to visit, including the Amazonas Theater, The Palace “Río Negro”, the Floating Port, the Municipal Market Adolpho Lisboa, the Forest of Science, the Museum of Natural Science, as well as the Aboriginal Fair, where you can buy items made by the Indians. You are also strongly encouraged to visit the massive Fish Market, an experience no one regrets.

You can begin making your reservations to Manaus to coincide with the airline accommodations listed on the itinerary below. There are a few different options to route to Manaus.

We recommend working with Alicia Regueiro at Holdy Tours (1-800-446-1111 or alicia@holdytours.com) for the schedule that will best suit your trip and to book your flights. Alicia is familiar with the flight logistics and can secure some very competitive fares.

Upon arrival in Manaus, you will pass through immigrations and customs. Do not lose your entrance card to Brazil!!! This is a small white piece of paper. You will need it for your return.

Note:
We strongly recommend that you consider flying to Manaus a day earlier than your scheduled arrival date, to mitigate any airline delays, missed flights or lost luggage issues. If you miss the scheduled charter flight from Manaus to the Mother Ship, there are no alternative transportation options other than chartering your own private air taxi and a long 8 hour boat ride – costs in excess of $6,000! This is also another strong argument towards protecting your investment in the trip with a travel insurance plan.

The day before scheduled arrival at the Untamed Amazon Mothership:
Arrive at Manaus International Airport. Guests will be greeted by our English-speaking representative/transfer driver. They will arrange for transfers to the Juma Opera Hotel. You and another angler will be put up in a Double Occupancy room at the Juma Opera Hotel for the night (included in the trip package). The transfer staff will let you know when they will pick you up at the hotel the next morning, to take you to the charter airport. They will also collect the Native Community Fee ($700 – $760) from you at this time.

To get to this super-remote fishery, Untamed Angling charters a Cessna Caravan fitted with amphibious floats to directly transport guests from Manaus to the deluxe Untamed Amazon mothership. The mothership can accommodate up to 12 anglers, though most weeks will only have 8 guests. The turboprop aircraft is comfortable and deliver anglers directly to the heart of the fishery and the waiting mothership.

The first two seasons (2014 and 2015) were conducted under strict guidelines imposed by IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) and starting in 2016 they have now endorsed (allowed) an expanded fishing zone which includes the entire river and all of the Marié tributaries. This actively-mobile fishing model, with the mothership positioned in the most productive areas of the reserve, will allow us to fish and explore the entire Marié Reserve – more than 680 kilometers (425 miles) of the main river, its two major tributaries, and the dozens of lagoons and back bays. It also allows us to manage the fishery by rotating between 5 river sectors – Upper Turi, Lower Turi, Upper Marié, headwaters of Marié, and Lower Marié, all within the protected 650 kilometers of the Marié Reserve.

The use of the float plane with direct access to the most productive fishing areas and the mobility of the shallow-draft Untamed Amazon will put anglers on some fantastic water, every week, regardless of river levels. Indeed, the flexibility of float plane access to a mobile floating lodge allows for a dynamic fishing program, fishing different water every week to locate the best conditions for the best fishing.

Arrival at the Untamed Amazon:
The host will pick up the group at the agreed time (usually around 5:30 AM) for transfer to the local airport, and then the charter flights to Rio Marie. We use 2 planes for groups of 12 anglers:

For 8 anglers, we take the amphibious Cessna Caravan float plane around 6:30 am in Manaus and fly directly to the Rio Marié (an approximate 3:30 hour flight).
For 12 anglers, we take a second flight (turbo prop wheel plane) at around 8:00 am from Manaus to São Gabriel da Cachoeira (an approximate 2:30 hour flight) and then a 30 minute flight with the Caravan float plane to the Rio Marié.

The floatplane leaves 8 guests on the Rio Marié at the Untamed Amazon vessel and picks up those 4 who will return to Manaus via São Gabriel. From the Rio Marié to the São Gabriel da Cachoeira airport, the floatplane takes an average of 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the location of the vessel on the Rio Marié.

When the floatplane arrives at the Sao Gabriel airport, the second plane (turbo prop wheel plane) should already be waiting or arriving. This stopover is easy and convenient. There’s an air-conditioned lounge where guests can relax and use the facilities while planes changeover during the stopover. Customers who are inbound to the Rio Marié take the Cessna Caravan float plane to the Untamed Amazon mothership while those headed back to Manaus take the turbo prop wheel plane.

Upon arrival at the Untamed Amazon vessel, you will be shown to your stateroom, and then greeted upstairs in the comfortable lounge where you will meet the guides and fishing team. You’ll have plenty of time to get situated in your suite. After a cold drink and lunch, you can relax and enjoy the amenities of the Untamed Amazon. It’s a good time for a siesta! According to the fishing plans the mothership will be moving upstream or downstream during the week.

Around 5:00 PM anglers will be presented to the entire Rio Marie crew and guides will give a brief explanation and orientation of the daily fishing plans, fishing strategies and schedule for the week. After dinner you can prepare your tackle for the next day’s fishing with the assistance of the guides.

Rio Marié Itinerary

Six Full Fishing Days of Fishing:
Each day teams of two anglers fish one of the beats in the Marié River (including tributaries and lagoons), with one professional English-speaking fly fishing guide and a local Indian guide, in brand new, specially designed fishing boats. These wide-bodied, 20-foot boats have two casting platforms (one at either end of the boat so both anglers can fish at the same time), a center console, and are powered by 90hp, 4-stroke motors, as well as remote-control electric motors.

Typical Day:

6:00 am – Coffee is hot
7:00 am – Breakfast
8:00 am – Head to fishing grounds
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm – Anglers will have a picnic style lunch on the river.
1:00 pm – After lunch, fishing will resume until late afternoon when the guides will deliver anglers back to the mothership around 5:30 PM. Every day the yacht will be moved, and anchored in a different place
6:30 pm – Cocktails and appetizers on the covered patio top deck.
8:00 pm – Dinners will be served inside the Untamed Amazon’s air-conditioned dining room area

Departure from Rio Marié – Charter flight back to Manaus:
After breakfast, you will enjoy a couple of hours of relaxing and/or fishing while waiting for the arrival of the amphibious Cessna Caravan float plane for your flight back to Manaus in the same way as the inbound trip. We divide the outbound flights into two groups of 4 and 8 anglers.

The 4 anglers who will fly back via Sao Gabriel, take the float plane at around 10:00 AM to Sao Gabriel (30 minute flight). When the floatplane arrives at the airport, the second plane (turbo prop) should already be waiting or arriving soon. Those who are leaving take the turbo prop wheel plane to Manaus, a 2:30 hour flight.

Then the Float Plane will fly back to Rio Marié and take the rest of the group – 8 anglers who will depart around 11:00 am to 12:00 pm (depending on the location of the vessel on the Rio Marié) back to Manaus.

The floatplane arrives in Manaus at approximately 5:00 pm while the wheeled plane arrives at approximately 3:00 pm.

Arrival in Manaus mid/late afternoon. Stay one more night at the hotel (extra night not included in the package) or departure to the international airport for your return flight home that evening.

Ground transportation to international Airport is included in your angling package.

Most anglers will be departing on the late night. Your staff driver will deliver you to the International Airport after a nice Brazilian BBQ dinner or to the Juma Opera Hotel for a quick shower if you choose to rent a day room.

If you do not feel like taking the red eye out of Manaus that night, another night’s stay at Juma Opera Hotel (or another hotel) can be arranged; this would not be included in the package, and we will need to know as far in advance as possible if you will need this extra hotel night. Should this be the case, the transfer driver will pick you up the following day, according to your flight departure time, and deliver you to the International Airport.

Extra Night or Day Use Rooms:
If you would like extra night accommodations in Manaus at Juma Opera Hotel – https://jumaopera.com.br/en/ on arrival or departure or would like a day room on your departure day, please let us know. All extra nights and day use bookings will be paid direct to the hotel.

Overnight Rates (subject to change)
Extra Accommodations: $200 – $220 per night

Manaus Extra Costs (all optional):
Restaurant Shuttle: Round Trip from Juma Opera Hotel Hotel – $20 p.p. minimum of 6 persons – 5 persons or less $120 to share between anglers (does not include dinner)

Full Day City Tour: 8 hour tour – $120 per person (subject to change)
Half Day City Tour: 4 hour tour – $60 per person (subject to change)

Manaus:
Manaus is a modern, rapidly growing city (1.4 million habitants). It is one of the busiest ports in the Amazon where cargo ships distribute their goods throughout the Amazon basin. There are many interesting places to visit: The Amazonas Theater, The Palace “Río Negro”, the Floating Port, the Municipal Market Adolpho Lisboa, the Forest of Science, the Museum of Natural Science, as well as the Aboriginal Fair, where you can buy items made by the Indians. We strongly recommend you consider visiting the Fish Market, no one that visits regrets it and most say it is the highlight of cultural experiences in Manaus.

Baggage:
It is very important that you do not bring unnecessary weight to the camp. The yacht has daily laundry service, so bringing a lot of clothing is not necessary. We use small float planes for air transfers to and from the yacht and the pilots strictly enforce weight limitations. You will be able to leave items not needed at camp with the hotel concierge in Manaus if you are returning to the hotel at the end of the week. We recommend this for travelling clothes, hard-frame luggage, etc.

There is a strictly-enforced 40-pound weight restriction per person for the 8 passenger Turbo-prop Cessna Caravan flights divided as follows: one 10 lb. carry-on piece of luggage and one 30 lb. checked bag – soft duffle bags with no rigid bottom (except for rod cases). (If you have only one soft duffle bag it must be no bigger than: length: 30in; Width: 22in; Height: 11in in Soft duffels. Much of the luggage will go in the plane’s floats, and to get it into the float any hard luggage (including soft-sided luggage with a solid frame) will not work. NO HARD BODY LUGGAGE PLEASE.

Native Community Fee:
This Project was based as a long term social project which supports the preservation of the Indian Culture by improving their quality of life. The Rio Marié River has formed an association (ACIBRN) and board to protect their interests moving forward. This Association includes representatives from all 14 Indian Communities. The project has a significant user fee on all visiting anglers. The funds from the fee will primarily be used for social projects, infrastructure development, transportation, and medical and education projects.

The fee will be payable in (Cash $USD or Brazilian Reals) to a representative at your arrival in Manaus and goes directly to the Indian Association account and anglers will receive a receipt from the association. This fee represents an important step in the continuing effort to protect our ability to continue to share this amazing and unique part of the world.

Contact Numbers

South America Travel Agent:
Holdy Tours
Alicia Regueiro
(800) 446-1111 | (925) 927-6617 | alicia@holdytours.com

Can book your air, and any additional hotel rooms you may request.

The Fly Shop®
4140 Churn Creek Road
Redding, CA 96002
(800) 669-3474 | (530) 222-3555 | travel@theflyshop.com

Juma Opera Hotel
Address: Rua 10 De Julho, 481 – Centro – Manaus
District: Manaus – Federation: Amazonas – Brazil
Amazonas – CEP: 69010-060
Name: Debora Motta (Untamed Angling Transfer Agent)
Phone: +5592994034631 | https://jumaopera.com.br/en/

Untamed Angling Brazil Office:
Rodrigo Salles
Nilton Lins, 2274 -610
Manaus Brazil
Office: +55 11 98181-8703 | Mobile Argentina: +54 9 11 5041.7924 / 4415-4404
Rodrigo M. Salles: rodrigo@untamedangling.com | Skype: rodrigo.salles.untamed
Sandra Spina: sandra.daniela.spina@gmail.com | sandra@uangling.com

U.S. Embassy in Brazil (In Case of Emergency):
Emergencies include: death, arrest, stolen or lost passports. Emergency services do not req

MOST IMPORTANT CONTACT
Manaus Hostess & Transfer Agents
Debora Motta: Whatsapp and Skype contact: +55 92 9403-4631
Email: debora@uangling.com

Allan Pereira: Whatsapp and Skype contact: +55 14 99106-2625
Email: allan@uangling.com

Brasilia:
24 hour emergency assistance:
(61) 3312-7000 during Embassy’s working hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
(61) 3312-7400 after hours

U.S. Embassy in Brazil (In Case of Emergency)
Emergencies include: death, arrest, stolen or lost passports. Emergency services do not require an appointment.
Brasilia: 24 hour emergency assistance:
(61) 3312-7000 during Embassy’s working hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
(61) 3312-7400 after hours

Restaurant Recommendations

Resturante Banziero
R. Libertador, 102 – Nossa Sra. das Gracas, Manaus – AM, 69057-070, Brazil
+55 (92) 3234-1621 | http://www.restaurantebanzeiro.com.br

Churrascaria Bufalo
Para 490, Vieiralves, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
+55 (92) 3131 9000

Location & Fishing

Rio Marié is the first river in the Amazon Basin in which the Brazilian Government has collaborated with the local Native Communities to develop an ambitious project designed to protect the 800 km wildlife preserve while promoting catch-and-release fishing only for Rio Marié.

Through the cooperation of the Native Communities, the Brazilian Government, and Untamed Angling (the same South American outfitters who introduced the world to La Zona in Argentina and Tsimane in Bolivia), Rio Marié is now the very first -and only -truly and legally exclusive fishing area of the entire Amazon Negro Basin. This protected area encompasses more than 400 miles of virgin waters, boasting a healthy population of giant peacock bass. The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) has conducted numerous biological studies in the region. This research has demonstrated impressive results: Rio Marié holds at least twice the quantity of trophy-sized peacock bass compared with any other sport fishing destination in the Rio Negro basin. For anglers, this translates into very real opportunities to consistently hook and release larger-than-average peacocks on the fly.

The Rio Marié is entirely located inside a far-reaching Indian Territory, an area of more than 2 million hectares. This untouched environment has more than 800 kilometers of rivers, 180 known creeks, 60 lakes, and three major tributaries inside the new operation area. It is the first exclusive project allowed and supported by Brazilian Government. Official Environmental and Indian Institutes worked together with the Indian Association to create the very first official sport fishing operation in Brazil inside an indigenous Indian Territory. This brings a new level of commitment inside the current peacock bass fishing world within the Amazon region.

Rio Marié is born in the northwest side of the Brazilian Amazon, near the Colombian border. It is a tributary of the upper Negro River. The Negro River Basin is the largest basin of “black” water in the world, with approximately 710,000 km², currently one of the most conserved regions in the Amazon, with less than 0.5 % of deforestation. The Rio Negro is its main river, the second largest tributary of the Amazon River, which has the headwaters in the Serra do Junai Hills in Colombia and runs approximately 1700 km to its confluence with the Solimoes River near the jungle town of Manaus.

The waters of Rio Marié and its tributaries are scientifically proven – after several exploratory biological studies by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and Untamed Angling – to be the home of the largest peacock bass in the entire Amazon basin. During each fishing week, a serious angler is bound to hook into a good number of peacock bass whose average size is astounding at over 10 lbs, and a better-than-good chance of hooking into a true trophy peacock bass at 20-plus pounds. This is a fishery where fly anglers really can pursue and conquer the dream of reaching a world record on the fly.

Keep in mind that targeting these true trophy peacock bass is not a numbers game, and not everyone will land a fish-of-a-lifetime. That said, in the first 8 weeks of the Inaugural 2015 Marié Season, anglers landed 47 fish over 20 pounds and 96 between 15 and 20 pounds, an average of one 20+ pounder for each two anglers who fished Rio Marié. These sorts of statistics have remained consistent (or better) in each of the subsequent seasons. Additionally, multiple pending IGFA Line Class World Records have already been submitted!

In addition to the giant speckled peacock bass, the river also has healthy populations of smaller butterfly peacocks, which average 2-6 pounds. These beautiful, brightly-colored, aggressive strain of peacock bass hit hard and often take to the air when hooked, and help keep anglers enthralled and engaged while searching for their even larger cousins.

Rio Marié is entirely located inside an extensive Indian Territory, an area of more than 2 million hectares. This untouched environment has more than 800 kms of rivers, 180 known creeks, 60 lakes, and three major tributaries inside the new operation area. It is the first exclusive fly-fishing only project allowed and supported by the Brazilian Government Official Environmental and Indian Institutes, who worked together with the Indian Association to create the very first official sport fishing operation in Brazil inside an Indian Territory. This brings a new level of commitment inside the current peacock bass fishing scene in the Amazon region.

The bird and wildlife can be spectacular in the deep jungle environment. From both your accommodations and your fishing boat, particularly in the mornings and evenings, you may see parrots, macaws, parakeets, toucans, cotingas, flickers, manakins, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds, as well as beautiful butterflies. Tapir, nutria, peccary, even squirrel and howler monkeys can at times be seen at the water’s edge. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and giant river otters that swim and hunt the waters of the Rio Marié. The jungle here is incredibly dense and the wildlife still very wary of humans as they’ve had little to no interaction with mankind, so you can expect to hear more wildlife than you’ll see; but it is there and always watching.

Fishing Season

In this area of the Amazon, the fishing season normally runs from early September to the end of February. This is the dry season for the upper Negro basin, the time when waters are typically at their lowest and most stable levels which allows for fishing throughout the entire river system, including its numerous tributaries and lagoons. The Negro Basin fisheries have variant conditions according to each year’s hydrological cycles, but since Rio Marié is a headwaters system, combined with its geographical location and the immensity of its drainage, it is much more stable than other regional destinations.

The weather can be hot. Mid-day temperatures in the Amazon range from 85º – 95ºF, or higher, with 80-90% humidity. Due to the intense sun (you are literally on the equator) and sweat-inspiring humidity during the day, you’ll want to be mindful of dehydration and overexposure to the sun. At night the temperature drops to a comfortable 65º – 75ºF. Although you will be fishing in the dry season, there are occasional rain showers (you are deep inside a rain forest), so you want to have light rain jackets and rain pants with you at all times. The jungle is surprisingly friendly due the high tannin concentration of its waters, and there are no mosquitoes here. There are, however, some no-see-ums and gnats, along with horseflies and bees. In low water conditions these pesky insects are usually pre-occupied and leave anglers alone entirely; but when the waters come up they search for salt, and find it on sweaty fishermen! We strongly recommend wearing long sleeve shirts and pants during your fishing week. Buff face masks are almost mandatory for sun and bugs. Covering up from head to toe in light-colored, lightweight clothing will protect you from the sun and the bees. We also strongly recommend bringing a head net. Most of the time you won’t need it, but it is good to have in your boat bag if the bugs do come out to play. They are not biting insects so bug bites are very uncommon, but they can be annoying while flying about searching for salt.

Catch & Release:
All fish caught should be released without exception and please avoid unnecessary handling of the fish. Barbless hooks are mandatory. Handling these fish requires precaution, not only to avoid hurting them but also to prevent injuries to you.

Insects:
This jungle is surprisingly friendly due the high tannic acid concentration in its waters. Some no-see-ums and some mosquitoes may be present, but very few in our experience. As for the rest, we remind you that this is a virgin rainforest where all kinds of spiders and strange insects live. We recommend guests not go deep into the jungle, pass through dense vegetation or turn logs over, etc. We strongly recommend wearing long sleeve shirts and pants and Buff face masks during your fishing week.

Bee Allergies:
Please be aware that the Brazilian jungle has many species of bees that at certain times may be in high concentrations. For the most part they are not aggressive and only interested in the salt on humans, but anglers with severe allergies to bees will want to be prepared for this situation.

Some Recommendations:
Commercial insect repellants, such as DEET, are NOT typically useful with bees. Strong smelling herbs, such as peppermint and garlic are claimed to keep bees away. We probably suggest the peppermint. We will test it more next season. Also, consider wearing light-colored clothing. Dark colored clothing always seems to attract more bees. Also avoid wearing fruity-smelling shampoos, perfumes or even coconut smelling sun screen. Scent-free sun block is the way to go.

Credit Cards / Money Exchange:
We strongly suggest you contact your Credit Card company and request a new CHIPPED card for your travel in Brazil and elsewhere around the world. More and more foreign countries are switching to chipped cards, which are far more secure and more difficult to steal info from. The old magnetic stripped cards are frequently declined or do not work, leaving travelers in a very tight spot. Regardless of the type of credit card you have, be certain to call your credit card company (800 number on the back of the card) to notify them that you will be traveling outside the country.

Once in Brazil, there are a couple of options to get Brazilian “Reals” there is an ATM machine in the Juma Opera Hotel Hotel or you can exchange $USD for Reals at the Hotel Concierge.

Gratuities:
We suggest a tip of approximately 10% of the package cost, or $700 USD, for the staff. Tips are split evenly among the guides and support staff. You do not need to leave any additional tips. Tips are left to the discretion of the angler. The lodge manager will collect the tips on your last night in camp. Please bring cash $USD for the gratuities.

It is also a good idea to have some smaller bills ($1, $5, $10) for tips in Manaus for hotel porters, and the transfer driver and host.

Alcoholic Beverages:
Wine, beer and regular spirits are included in the package. If you would like to have a special drink, let us know and we will do our best to have it available.

Water:
We strongly suggest not drinking water from the tap in any Brazilian Amazon City. Mineral or bottled water will be always available.

Electricity on the Boat:
The Untamed Amazon features 24-hour electricity. The electricity is the same 110 volt as in the U.S., but with standard European two prongs.

Health & Medication:
Please notify us if you have any medical conditions. Please be sure to bring your personal medications.

SPECIAL VISA UPDATE:
Starting June 17, 2019 United States Citizens can stay in Brazil up to 90 days without a visa, making travel to Brazil a much more affordable and accessible option. This also applies to citizens of Canada, Australia, and Japan.

Center for Disease Control
1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: (404) 639-3311 | Website: www.cdc.gov

Medical Evacuation Insurance:
A minimum of Medical Emergency Evacuation insurance is REQUIRED for all Amazon trips; the final page of this document includes more information on Medical Evacuation coverage, including packages offered by Global Rescue.

Special Dietary Requirements:
Please let us know if you have any kind of dietary restriction or food allergies (nuts, almonds, flours, etc.) so we can prepare.

Laundry Service:
Laundry service is available aboard the Untamed Amazon. Just leave your clothes that you need washed in the basket in your room in the morning and they will be cleaned and folded on your bed when you return after the days fishing.

**THE “UNTAMED AMAZON”**

The Untamed Amazon is the very first vessel of its kind in Amazonia that uses solar power generation for all electricity use, with a diesel generator used only for backup. The system has 96 state-of-the-art German solar panel generators and 3 tons of Hitachi Solar Batteries – the most advanced Japanese battery system for solar power generation. The Untamed Amazon is an aggressive project that brings a unique concept to boat design that changes the game in live-aboard fishing vessel standards. The Untamed Amazon was designed to offer a unique and remarkable experience.

The Untamed Amazon has 3 levels. The lower floor is a restricted area for staff only, and includes the inner workings and heart of the vessel with its twin 200-horsepower propulsion engines. It also houses the laundry, staff rooms, and water filtration systems. The vessel has its own sewage treatment plant.

The main floor of the Untamed Amazon has 8 guest suites – each 18 square meters in size – 6 of which are double suites, and two of which are set up as single suites. Six suites can accommodate two guests, in super single beds and includes a private bathroom, air conditioning and plenty of open space for clothes, equipment and storage. Two suites accommodate single guests, also with private bathrooms, air-conditioning and plenty of open space for clothes, equipment and storage. The suites all feature outside-facing, ceiling-to-floor panoramic windows.

The upper level is for guests to relax, enjoy an adult beverage and re-live their days fishing adventure. It features a spacious living and dining room, and an open lounge where drinks and appetizers are served. There are also two big Jacuzzi tubs for up to 10 guests on this floor.

This 3rd level is also home to the full commercial kitchen where a trained chef and his team create sumptuous meals, as well as serving as the command and navigation center for the vessel.

Ship Facts – “Untamed Amazon”

Year Built: 2015
Vessel’s Registry: Brazil
Port of Embarkation: Manaus, Brazil
Length: 92 feet / 28 meters
Beam: 25.6 feet / 7.8 meters
Draft: 4 feet / 1.2 meters
Gross Tonnage: 130 tons
Cruising Speed: 6 knots
Electricity: 110 volts
Engines: 2 MWM 200 HP Marine Engines
Generators: 96 German solar panel generators with 4 solar regulators and inverters and 3 tons of Hitachi state-of-the-art batteries.
Auxiliary generators: 2 x 40 KVA MWM (encapsulated for noise reduction)
Water: 4,000-liter water treatment plant

Safety on Board:
Radio communication with separate battery pack; AIS Transponder System, Garmin Radar, Sonar and GPS, satellite phone, Wi-Fi internet; life jackets, fire extinguishers, flares and signals.

Untamed Amazon Crew:
14, including a captain and crew, 6 pro fly fishing guides, international cuisine chef, and hostess.

Capacity:
Up to 16 passengers with private suites.

Unique Features & Amenities:
River and jungle-facing panoramic windows; air conditioning; twin beds capable of converting to a California king-sized bed; bathroom with shower, toilet, sink, cabinet, hot water around the clock, and a basket of toiletries. Living and Social Areas: lounge; dining room; outside lounge; outdoor Jacuzzi; fly shop.

Note:
Hair dryers are available onboard the Untamed Amazon live aboard.

The yacht has a small fly shop with the essential gear for fishing The Rio Marie’. Also available for sale are Rio Marie’ hats and shirts.

Final Note:
All of us involved will be doing everything we can to ensure your enjoyment on this unique expedition. However, travel to Amazonia wilderness can present problems. Weather can cause flight delays in and out of the camps and possible missed connections, imposing additional costs or delay in your return home. This is beyond our control and realm of responsibility. Please accommodate the possibility of delays in your planning and your state of mind.

The key is to be open-minded and tolerant, knowing that some things are done in a different way deep inside jungle communities. Nothing works fine all the time anywhere. Take things in stride, relax, and make the most of every day.

We know you’ll be well received at Rio Marie’ and that everyone will be doing their best to provide a most memorable experience.

Recommended Equipment

We wrote a great Blog Post on the “Essential Gear for Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass at Rio Marié”. This will help you get prepared for your amazing jungle holiday at Rio Marié.

Fly Rods:
8 to 10 weight single-handed rods are the norm. It is best to have two rods rigged with different lines and/or flies in the boat. Please plan on bringing an extra backup rod. Powerful rods with a strong butt section are recommended. All of the saltwater series of the top rod brands are considered good choices. Your favorite bonefish and baby tarpon rod will do just fine. We recommend rigging one rod with a floating line for topwater fishing, and a second rod with an intermediate (clear tip) sinking line. The most popular rods at Marié are 8 and 9 weight.

Fly Reels:
As with rods, reels that have been designed for saltwater fly-fishing are the best choice. Peacocks will test your stripping fingers more than your reel, but in the event you can get them on the reel before they get into the wood, reels with strong smooth drags are recommended. Bring a trusted reel that you feel comfortable with. Weight of the reel is important also since you will be casting a lot. 30-pound backing is required since we fish heavy terminal tackle on the Marié.

Fly Lines:
Most of the fishing is done close to the surface of the water. Weight forward lines designed specifically for the tropics and saltwater are what you want. Scientific Anglers Mastery Titan Jungle Floating or comparable, ultra-aggressive, warm water fly lines, hands down, work the best. Our go- to fly line for peacocks is far and away the Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Jungle Clear Tip intermediate tip line, 15ft Clear model. Full floating Jungle Taper or Tropical Titan Tapers are excellent for effortlessly throwing giant wind resistant poppers. Do not bring cold water floating lines, as the hot weather makes these lines soft and gummy. You can also consider bringing a fast sinking sink tip for some specific spots and/or higher water situations. For this we recommend Scientific Anglers Sonar Jungle Custom Tip 30-feet of T-14 sink-tip fly line. We strongly suggest you bring at least one back up fly line (the intermediate sink tip, in particular). In our first season we saw many fly lines either explode, or be destroyed by monster fish wrapping up anglers in the wood. Be prepared…

Leaders:
Peacock Bass are not particularly leader shy, and the huge ones normally can explode a 40-pound shock tippet as if it were 5x tippet. Leaders should be heavy enough to turn over a big wind resistant fly. Spools of fluorocarbon should include 50 and 60-pound breaking strength. Our go-to leader was a 6-foot piece of 50 or 60-pound fluorocarbon. The guides tend to prefer 60 lb, but we’ve been just as successful with 50 lb and either works. Record-seekers should bring a wider variety of tippet strengths.

Flies:
Fishing is mostly done using baitfish imitations. The travel staff at The Fly Shop® along with the Rio Marié Pro-guides have designed some very effective fly patterns, specifically for the Rio Marié. As well, other patterns in white, yellow, chartreuse, and red (or combinations of these colors) are very effective. Good action and heavily-dressed flies in lengths from 3 to 7 inches, in barbless 2/0 to 6/0 (high quality hooks) are required. As for patterns, the most typical flies used are synthetic material streamers such as the Bad Attitude Baitfish and Peacock Cruiser. However, many baitfish imitations have proven to be very successful, among them Puglisi Streamers in medium to very big sizes, Whistlers, Deceivers, and Half and Half’s. Large flies with rattles inside seem to be particularly effective. Big foam poppers and Pole Dancers are fun to fish and should be included. Flies are available for sale at the yacht for $10 each, but be sure to show up with a good selection, as well. Fully packaged selections are available from The Fly Shop®.

Flies for Rio Marié
Topwater	Streamers
PSP Bubblehead – #4/0; chartreuse	Cruiser Peacock – #3/0
Swingers Convention – #4/0; firetiger & red/white	Cruiser Sardina – #2/0
Big Boy Trevally Popper – #2/0	Cruiser – #3/0; black
In-Shore Popper – #3/0; white	Cuda Killer – #4/0
N.Y.A.P. Popper – #6/0; white	Bad Attitude Baitfish – #6/0; chartreuse/white & orange/yellow
	Major Herring – #3/0

Need gear for your trip? Please call (800) 669-3474 to speak with us or email us at travel@theflyshop.com. We have extensive experience at this destination and can answer any questions you might have relating to equipment needed.

Rio Marié High Water Policy

Fishing for peacock bass in the Amazon jungle represents one of the last frontiers in the fly fishing world. As with any such hyper-remote destinations, there can be challenges associated with offering a first-class experience in the ‘back of beyond’. In the Amazon, water level conditions will, on occasion, present such challenges. The Amazon River annual water level cycles are not a simple equation, even for the most experienced local experts. Normally, high and low water levels here follow a fairly predictable monthly cycle, but climate changes and the effects of stronger or weaker El Nino and La Nina cycles can directly and immediately affect those levels.

Specifically, these El Nino and La Nina events tend to impact the amount of rain in the headwaters of Amazon rivers, which in turn effects the entire Amazon basin. Water levels are important when fishing for peacock bass, and understanding how to work around them is a key component to success. Low water does not always result in the best fishing, just as high water is not always the worst thing. More important is to understand where and how to fish as the water fluctuates.

The Rio Marié system has more than 650 kilometers of rivers, tributaries, and lagoons from its headwaters down to its merging with the Rio Negro. This unique and extensive water system allows for incomparable flexibility; the yacht and anglers can move up or downstream throughout the season – every week or even daily – to reach the best water levels in which to find trophy fish. This is useful when mitigating less than ideal water conditions. Though the Rio Marie season has been chosen to coincide with the best water conditions annually, it’s difficult to predict water levels, and this is one of the risks associated with fishing the Amazon. If you are not comfortable with the risk of the river levels being too high or low during your trip, then it is probably not the trip for you. You will not be refunded for water conditions that may not meet your expectations. In the event the water is too high to fish on any given week, Rio Marie will re-schedule your week to a later time, but will not refund your trip payment.

The Fly Shop 800·669·3474

Rio Marié Travel & Tackle Planner

800 • 669 • 3474

GPS Coordinates: 0°43’14.76″S 67°18’17.36″W

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