Couple pics from the Agua Boa River in the Amazon

[DLJeffs]

Got back yesterday from a fishing trip into the Amazon. We go to a river called the Agua Boa. The Agua Boa flows southward into the Rio Branco, the Rio Branco flows into the Rio Negro, and the Rio Negro joins with the Rio Solimoes at Manaus to make the Amazon River, which then flows over a 1000 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. If I could only fish one place the rest of my life, the Agua Boa would be my choice. The fishing has always been phenomenal but it's the jungle and all it has to offer that puts the Agua Boa at the top of my list.

 

[Nature Man]

What a most incredible experience this must have been! Is the fish worth eating? Chuck

 

[DLJeffs]

Yes, all the peacock bass varieties are good eating, as is the pirahna, the tambaqui, and the arapiama. The arowana (the last pic) not so much. But we don't keep any. The staff go out on Thursday and catch a dozen pirahna and maybe a borboleta (butterfly peacock) or one of the various catfish species and we have them for a fish fry Thursday night.

 

[Eric Rorabaugh]

Awesome pics. Love to have that experience once in my life.

 

[SENC]

Exceptional pictures!

 

[SENC]

Awesome pics. Love to have that experience once in my life.

No green man down there!

 

[Eric Rorabaugh]

No green man down there!

They're all good guys anyways...most of them...well some...OK a few of them

 

[SENC]

They're all good guys anyways...most of them...well some...OK a few of them

Well, despite my ribbing, I have to agree. Have known several here in our area, really good guys - and have gotten to know a few in S Texas that are also good guys.

One pair we saw regularly for years, haven't seen them in a couple, we got to know really well one day. They checked us first thing in the morning one day, and ticketed a couple knuckleheads on the same field that were with a different group. No plugs. They came back mid morning and rechecked the smaller group ofnus still there. One of my friends and I had noticed a large number of Eurasian collared doves working the end of the field by town and sonwere clobbering them and nowhere close to limit on mournings or white wings, and when our group was ready to leave my friend and I decided to hit a little Mexican dive in town for a quick lunch and otherwise stay in the field to harass the "free" birds some more. Well, I guess there must not have been much other action going on because the same pair came back and checked us twice more. Couldn't believe we weren't done, but we were just stacking up the Eurasians. Finally invited them to join us for a cigar if they were going to hang around so much. They laughed, took a cigar each, and headed their way for good.

 

[DLJeffs]

The lodge we go to is surrounded by two national parks and a state reserve. The rangers do come there periodically - I've seen them a few times. All dressed in combat black, running a 17ft zodiac. They maintain a camp just north of the lodge. The lodge personnel help the rangers by notifying them if they see signs of poachers, etc. The rangers usually stop in at the lodge for a quick lunch and something to drink when they're there. The land the lodge sits on was in private ownership before the parks were established. So it was allowed to remain and become a flyfishing / catch & release lodge as long as we abide by the rules of the parks.

 

[trc65]

Great little peek into an ecosystem I'll probably never see first hand!

Curious why the lodge/river is catch and release? Preserving for locals? Stress on population? Being proactive in keeping river as wild as nature made it?

 

[DLJeffs]

The park rules prohibit taking any animals, fish or trees. Plus, the guides all understand that fishermen come there because of the large peacock bass. If they take the bass out, pretty soon the fishermen will stop going there.