Agua Boa Lodge Brazil Trip Report & Photo Essay: Fly Fishing the Jungle for Peacock Bass & Beyond
Posted bybmcgeehan
Truly special places are difficult to describe in words alone. Agua Boa Amazon Lodge is one of those unique destinations. Our trips into the most remote regions of the Amazon basin have become one of our most sought-after global destinations. After recently returning from another week in the wilds of the rainforest, I find myself still daydreaming about the memories made and adventures enjoyed. Since the Amazon is one of those places where “a picture tells a thousand words”, I’ll keep the prose short and rely on the images captured to help tell the story of our visit. Flyfishing for jungle fish in Brazil rarely disappoints, and this trip was no exception.
New Updates to Agua Boa Lodge Carlos and his team have been working hard during the last three off-seasons to completely update the facilities at Agua Boa Lodge. The renovations are now complete with fully updated and air-conditioned cabins, a beautifully refreshed pool area with a swim-up bar, and a completely remodeled main lodge. The "new" lodge was particularly impressive, with a full bar now available with local spirits plus the opportunity to purchase some higher-end spirits or bottles of wine.
The new gathering area at the lodge is equipped with air conditioning, new seating, and a great bar area!
The new entry at the lodge equipped with sliding glass doors!
The swim-up bar and Paolo's cold caparinhas are always a welcome option after a day on the river.
Local spirits, wine and beer are included at the lodge. For discrening guests there is also a new option to purchase premium wines and spirts as well.
The updated game room with brand new game tables!
The Fish and the Fishing We enjoyed another incredible fishing week at Agua Boa Lodge. Water levels had dropped to normal levels, and sight casting opportunities were excellent. Our group collectively landed over 20 species of jungle fish, with guests Kelly and West Sobczak recording 17 new species in their boat alone over the week. The big fish of the trip was Rob’s giant arapaima. Most days of the trip, someone came back with a peacock bass over 15 lbs., with the large fish of the trip coming in at 17lbs.
If a head-shaking monster peacock bass erupting from the water doesn't get your blood boiling, it is time to find a new sport.
Freshwater stingray are a common sight. This is defintely not wet wading territory!
Ann's big fish of the trip. A nice 17lb peacock.
Sight casting to the largest freshwater scaled fish in in the world? Yes please! Rob Styles landed this beautiful aripaima midway through the trip. Hooking and landing a mature aripaima is truly an amazing acheivement. Nice work Rob!!!
This trip was extra special for me as my wife Ann was able to join us. As a busy mother of four it was pretty awesome to see her having the time of her life soaking up the jungle experience. It didn't hurt that she upstaged me on the big fish count either!
The morning run. Each day guests head to a new section of the river. On average we have about 10 miles of water exlusive to each guide. Every day we fish with a different guide to see a new section of the river.
Eat or be eaten is the rule of the river. Nearly every critter with fins is an aggressive predator and many have some pretty gnarly teeth. Most years our group collectively lands over 20 species of jungle fish in a week. Guests Kelly and Wes Sobczak landed 17 different species in their boat alone!
Not everything is catch and release! A few piranah made there way to the chef.
Ann with a brightly colored temensis peacock bass.
Sometimes you have to want it more! Legendary guide Joseph took guest Brad West on an adventure. He removed the engine and then laid logs down to serve as rollers to move the boat across a dried channel to access a remote laguna filled with big fish!
I never get tired of seeing this. The largest species of peacock bass is called the "Temensis." These beasts hit like sledgehammers and often launch like missles after being hooked.
The arowana are unique fish. They love to eat off of the surface. A slowly twitched gurgle is a lethal presentation that most arowana can't seem to resist.
The "paca" is the non spawning color varient of the temensis. They often hunt in packs and are incredibly aggressive. This nice schoolie hit a gurgle on the surface. Poppers and gurgler patterns stripped and popped can produce some incredible topwater strikes.
The Agua Boa River provides an exceptionally visual experience. It is one of the few "clear water" rivers in the northern Amazon. The visual nature of the fishing is truly what sets it apart from many other jungle fishing experiences.
The Wildlife The fishing out of Agua Boa Lodge always seems to take care of itself. Whether you are looking to rack up numbers, seek out challenging surface strikes from trophy peacocks, or enjoy the hunt for a 200lb arapaima, the fishing experience has a way of satisfying anglers of all interests. After visiting Agua Boa for over a decade, I find that the wildlife viewing and photography are equally enjoyable to me as the world-class fishing. With colorful birds, mischievous monkeys, freshwater dolphins, elusive jaguars, and more prowling the region, there is always a spectacular array of wildlife on display each and every day.
A capuchin monkey near the lodge peaks through the foliage.
Large caymen are ever-present in the waters of the Agua Boa. This black caiman showed off his choppers as we drifted by.
A pair of blue and yellow mccaws frolicked overhead at one of our lunch stops.
A roseate spoonbil and a cattle egret share sandbar.
A huge Jabiru stork wades the shallows of the Agua Boa.
A spectacled caiman enjoys the sunshine on a sanbar.
A baby monkey hitches a ride with his mother as a troop of monkeys travels through the forest canopy.
A capped heron wades in the shallows.
A tiger heron prowels just above the water in search of its next meal.
A green iguana allowed us to glide in for a closer look.
The Amazon's giant river otters are always a sight to see.
Freshwater dolphins are common in some of the larger and deeper runs of the river.
We missed a jaguar by a few minutes. We had passed this sandbar about 10 minutes earlier, and there were no tracks. When we jumped out to inspect things, the jaguar prints in the sand were still wet. The big cat had come to the river for a drink.
A curious green ibis flew along our jet boat for about one hundred yards one morning.
A pair of capybara on a morning stroll along one of the large sand bars along the river.
A pigmy kingfisher perched near our lunch spot one afternoon.
A saka monkey helps himself to some jungle fruits.
A muscovy duck has a face that only a mother could love.
A jaburi stork flies overhead the lodge grounds in the evening.
A river otter keeps an eye on us to let us know who the real fisherman is in this part of the river.
A large black caiman made a visit just a few feet from our boats one day at lunch.
Getting There is Part of the Experience On my last few trips to Agua Boa Lodge, I’ve had the good fortune to extend my trip for a few extra days and spend some time in Rio de Janeiro. It doesn't add a lot of travel or logistics to extend a trip to Rio and its beautiful beaches, excellent restaurants, and vibrant culture help round out an already great trip south of the equator.
A stop in Rio de Janeiro is always worth a few extra nights if you can spare the time.
If you are ever in Brazil a visit to a soccer match is a must. We were able to watch hometown Fluminense in the legendary Maracana stadium.
No visit to Rio would be complete without a visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue.
Our return trips will fill fast. Join us in 2027! For those who love to travel, I strongly encourage you to make a trip to the Agua Boa Lodge in the Amazon at some point in your life. It is simply one of those experiences that is unparalleled and rarely disappoints! We have a handful of newly opened spaces for both our January 20 and February 26 trips for those interested.
