FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why do I have to travel to Brazil to fish for peacock bass?
A: You don't. While the canals of south Florida do harbor good concentrations of peacock bass, the majority of anglers desire to catch the much larger fish native to the Amazon River tributaries of Brazil. Not only will you have an opportunity to target the largest peacock bass in the world, but you will be exposed to exciting wildlife, beautiful scenery, new cultures and the sites and sounds unique to the Brazilian Amazon.
Q: Why is peacock bass fishing seasonal?
A: The Amazon watershed of Brazil possesses relatively reliable rainy and dry seasons. The dry season is the only time to fish for peacock bass in South America. We try to avoid the high water situations for our clients, however despite our best efforts to gauge when to send anglers to South America, occasionally dry season deluges raise the river systems making for very slow fishing. Again, our personal first-hand experience in dealing with seasonal weather variations will result in you having the best opportunity for productive fishing.
Q: If I would like to bring a trophy fish home, what should I do?
A: We strongly advocate catch and release at all of our lodges. The replica mounts that are becoming increasingly popular are now so lifelike and accurate, it is foolish to attempt to bring a frozen fish back through foreign and U.S. Customs. Also, the new replica mounts will last a lifetime, while a skin mount deteriorates over time. We have some very good contacts with taxidermist that stock a wide variety of exotic species mounts in all sizes. It is wise to take good color photos of your fish to send to the taxidermist, so that an accurate representation of the fish you caught will be best achieved.
Q: Isn't Brazil a dangerous place to visit in terms of crime?
A: Although you certainly can find crime within any city of Brazil (as they are in the US), Amazon Fishing Adventures operates in remote areas, far from the criminals that frequent the inner cities. Typically, other than small villages along the river's edge or small communities surrounding some of the lakes we utilize, you will not encounter many people not associated with the lodge or camp. Our clients are greeted from the moment they clear customs and are supervised every step of the way during the course of their fishing trip. The owners of Amazon Fishing Adventures are experienced working in Brazil, and the camp managers and guides are acquainted with many of the local villagers. In fact, Amazon Fishing Adventures employs local residents of small villages and communities.
Q: What about insects, especially mosquitoes? It must be awfully buggy on one of your trips!
A: Generally speaking, the rivers that our clients will fish are too acidic to support the growth and breeding of mosquitoes. Since we send our clients to South America during the dry season, the insect population is very low at that time of year. Many of our traveling anglers report that they encounter more insects in their back yards during the summer months then they do on a fishing excursion. While we do recommend that anglers come prepared with an insect repellent offering a 55% solution of DEET to ward off any unwanted pesky insects, many anglers encounter so few insects that they never bother to apply it.
Q: Do I need to take pills, shots, etc. to combat tropical diseases?
A: While the risk of contracting a tropical disease is rare, the possibility does exist. We stay in close contact with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta for their recommendations on inoculations and preventative medications. The majority of the diseases that are serious are associated with more densely populated areas. Mosquitoes transmit diseases like malaria and yellow fever from one host to another. Because you are fishing in areas with very little human population, this lowers your risk. Hepatitis A is probably the most prevalent disease that confronts any traveler, be it a luxury vacation to the Caribbean or a fishing expedition to the Brazilian Amazon. This disease can be contracted by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food and is very commonly associated with improper food handling and preparation. Although we advise that you consult a travel medicine clinic prior to your trip, if you plan on traveling extensively to South America, we recommend Hepatitis A and B vaccines, yellow fever vaccine, malaria prophylaxis and a tetanus booster for your trip.
Q: Is there a chance I might encounter anacondas, other dangerous animals or schools of man-eating piranhas?
A: Although the thought of traveling to the Amazon conjures up visions of giant anacondas ambushing unsuspecting travelers from their lairs in the jungle canopy, this is more hype than reality. The majority of our trips do not involve trekking into the heart of the rain forest, where you are more likely to encounter animals like jaguars, tarantulas and poisonous frogs. The anaconda, despite what you have seen depicted in movies, is actually a snake of the Great South America plains or Llanos region, preferring swampy pools and bogs and not main rivers. As far as piranhas are concerned, they are only dangerous when trapped in drying pools or lagoons with their food source exhausted. Although we would never thrust a bleeding hand or foot into the river at any time, we would have no problem bathing in the rivers that the guides tell me are safe. Probably the biggest danger you will encounter is freshwater stingrays which can pack a venomous wallop if you should happen to step on one while wading. Because of that fact, we strongly discourage wade fishing.
Q: I am a bit nervous about going on a houseboat in Brazil where no one speaks my language (English).
A: On every Amazon Fishing Adventure, there will be an English speaking host or manager. Although most of the guides do not speak fluent English, they do speak fishing-English, and they have little problems communicating as to what lures you should use, working on your fishing techniques and inquiring as to whether you would like a drink or to eat. Each of our clients will receive an English-Portuguese fishing translation guide to help you better communicate with your guide. It certainly helps if you can learn a few Portuguese phrases if you will be traveling to Brazil.
Q: How is the food at the Amazon Fishing Adventure camps?
A: The Staff of Amazon Fishing Adventures takes great pride in serving you very nutritious and tasty food. You will usually be served a variety of meats, chicken and freshly caught fish, and can expect little touches like soup and desserts and even freshly baked bread. We provide bottled water at all of our facilities.
Q: How can I avoid getting sick on one of these trips?
A: The main preventative measure is to use common sense. All Amazon Fishing Adventure personnel are very concerned about the need for proper food handling. Fruits and vegetables are soaked in solutions that kill most of the bacteria that will cause harm to you. The meats, poultry and fish are adequately refrigerated prior to cooking. Use common sense when it comes to eating in a foreign country - basically do not eat anything from open market food stands; do not drink the water from any sink and stay away from raw fruits or vegetables unless they are peeled or washed in a disinfecting solution. Some suggest that visiting anglers should start taking Acidophilus bacteria (the good bacteria found in yogurt) to fortify their GI tracts prior to a fishing excursion. Definitely bring an antibacterial hand wash in which water is not required and use it frequently.
Q: What if my family or business needs to reach me in an emergency?
A: While we do not encourage simply "staying in touch" with your family or work (remember this is supposed to be a fishing vacation), all Amazon Fishing Adventure camps have satellite phones (for a reasonable charge per minute). If you need to be reached, we will provide you with Emergency Contact Information prior to departure on your trip. We check for messages each evening and pass them on to the appropriate camp. You can then use the satellite phone to return the call.
Q: Your itinerary lists an airline that I have never heard of, as well as charter flights to the lodges. Are these aircraft safe?
A: International air carriers must conform to the same safety standards as American carriers if they fly international routes. Local charter aircraft are secured from very reliable sources by our lodge operators and offer pilots experienced in flying into the Amazon/Orinoco watersheds.
Q: I am paying a lot of money for such a trip. What happens if I have to cancel at the last minute?
A: We recognize that last minute illnesses and emergencies do occur. However, it is very difficult to replace an angler at a remote lodge with just a few days remaining prior to the departure date of the trip. For this reason, we strongly recommend that our clients obtain travel insurance. Not only will this reimburse you for the cost of the trip if you must cancel due to illness, but this also covers such things as emergency medical evacuation in the event you must be immediately transported out of a remote area.
