"This was a fantastic trip."

January 16, 2004

J. W. Smith and Melissa Roberts did an excellent job of getting us to and from Manaus. They provided us with all the information and assistance we need to obtain passports, visas, tackle and personal items we needed and all the appropriate contacts names and numbers for the USA and Brazil. Melissa really had a difficult job considering our return flight to Miami was canceled and rescheduled for the next day by LAB. She rebooked our flight to the USA, all domestic flights, hotels in Miami, negotiated refunds from LAB and called our wives to inform them we were delayed.

River Plate Anglers has the best operation I have ever booked with. I have fished ad hunted the USA, Canada, Alaska and Brazil and this is the best. Their handler in Brazil, Brahma and his wife Meg, took care of all transportation and accommodations in Manaus.

The ground transportation in Manaus was excellent. Brahma met us upon arrival in Manaus from the USA and upon arrival in Manaus from the Jufari River. He handled our transportation completely. I was very pleased with the 208 Caravan float plane that flew us to the Jufari River. The pilots seemed to be very competent. The fishing boats were 20 foot aluminum skiffs with 25HP outboard motors and electric trolling motors – perfect for the job.

The camp consisted of eight floating barges with one vinyl coated canvas cabin on each barge. The cabins were docked on beautiful white sandbars.

The camp staff was outstanding. Each day, when we arrived from fishing, we were met by the camp steward with drinks and snacks. Entering the cabin, the first thing you noticed was that it was freshly cleaned and your laundry was folded neatly on the bed.

The food was all outstanding.

Six fishermen fished seven days, caught 500 peacocks with 30 weighing from 10- to 20-pounds. My partner and I caught 11 from 10 pounds to 19 pounds and could have caught 100 smaller fish per day but we targeted the larger fish. Everyone caught a wide variety of species of fish.

While we were fishing each day the camp was moved up river to new fishing areas. This practice exposed us to new fishing and great scenery. We also got to fish two more, smaller rivers.

This was a fantastic trip. The camp and staff were outstanding. I would book and fish with operation again in a heart beat.

- Gene Locke