TRAVEL DETAILS & GEAR

Download important pre-trip details here:

GETTING THERE

Anglers fly to Manaus, Brazil, arriving on Saturday and overnight, then travel to the fishing area Sunday morning via air charter and fast boats.  Anglers return to Manaus the following Sunday and overnight in Manaus. Departing flights from Manaus should be scheduled for anytime on Monday.

For assistance with airline reservations, please contact Kevin Martin at Martin Travel Services at (800) 627-8468 or  [email protected].

**IMPORTANT** When making your travel reservations, please allow plenty of time between flights to make your connections.  If you miss your flight to Manaus, you will miss your charter flight to the fishing area and it will be very costly for you to arrange an off-schedule charter.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

A valid passport is required to enter Brazil.

Starting April 10, 2025, eVisas are mandatory for USA, Australia, and Canada passport holders visiting Brazil.

The application process for the new Brazilian visitor visa has just been released.

The application process is completely online, on the website https://brazil.vfsevisa.com/.

You will be asked to submit the following:

– Passport (signed, valid up to the end of the Brazil trip, two visa pages free).

– Visa application form (completed online).

– Passport-style photo (2” x 2”, white background).

– E-visa fee payment (US$ 80.90).

– Confirmation of flight reservation (showing entrance into and exit from Brazil).

– Printed bank statement showing transactions for the last 30 days and showing a balance of at least US$ 2,000.00 for travel.

The expected processing time is five business days. Once approved, we suggest printing the visa (you should receive it at the email address you used on your application) and keeping a screenshot or PDF file on your phone.

Baitcasting & flyfishing tackle

SPINNING OR BAITCASTING TACKLE

We encourage you to bring your own tackle if you have it. If you do not have it or do not wish to bring it, the outfitter provides level-wind baitcasting rods, reels, line and lures.

If you bring your own gear, take medium-heavy to heavy largemouth bass tackle, with long-handled 6- to 7-foot rods and good-quality reels of at least 100 yards capacity with high-speed retrieve ratios. Use rods with a firm-action tip to allow for accurate casting of heavy lures. Bring at least two rods and two reels. For lines, we suggest “T &C Tufline” or “Power Pro” in 65 pound test or other brands of similar braided line. Steel leaders are not required while fishing for peacocks. Again, backup tackle is available at no cost to anglers, except in the case that you break the rod—then you will be charged $100 for a replacement—that fee is paid directly to the camp host.

SPINNING OR BAITCASTING LURES

 Topwater**

• Borboleta Woodstock 16 (Double Propeller) – 6” – All colors
• Borboleta Jaraqui – 6.7” – All colors
• Borboleta Nitro 2.0 – 4” – All colors
• Borboleta Juana – 5 1/2” – All colors

** Or similar

 Diving minnows and sub surface

• Borboleta Tan Tan – 4” – All colors
• Borboleta Perversa – 4” – 3/4 oz. – All colors
• Borboleta Safada – 5” – 1.3 oz. – All colors
• Johnson Silver Minnow Spoon – 1/2 oz. & 3/4 oz. – Silver & Gold

Jigs – You should plan to bring a dozen jigs per angler and some jigs are available for purchase at camp.

Slevad brand or similar jigs in 1/2 oz., bucktail, all colors, with white or yellow underbelly.

Flies such as listed below with 1/2 oz. worm weights also work well as jigs.

For questions regarding spinning and bait casting tackle and lures, contact:  J.W. Smith at (800) 211-4753 or [email protected]

Our recommendation for fish replicas:  Advanced Fish Taxidermy – Josh Kelly – (214) 288-9814 – [email protected] – www.advancedfishtaxidermy.com.  

FLY FISHING TACKLE

The aggressive jungle species are well suited to fly fishing.  At least two 9- or 10-weight rods are recommended.  Temple Fork Outfitters Professional Series II and Mangrove Series are good choices.  Reels should have a smooth drag, hold at least 100 yards of backing, and be spooled with a weight-forward, bass-taper floating line or clear sink-tip line such as Scientific Angler Sonar Titan Tropical/Jungle Clear Tip or Rio Tropical Outbound Short/Clear Tip.  Use 40-60 pound monofilament for leader/tippet material.

Flies—a mixture of  40-80 minnow pattern flies and 6-12 poppers

Rainey’s Bubblehead Poppers (topwater) – 2 to 4/0 – red, white, yellow, chartreuse, blue or combinations

Minnow, deceiver and Clouser patterns (underwater) – 3/0 to 4/0 – chartreuse/white, blue/white, red/white, orange/white, yellow/white or combinations, all with flash – (CF Baitfish, Clouser/Kreh’s Half & Half,  Ehler’s Gator Done, Flashtail Whistler, Big Fish Deceiver, etc.)

Flies can be ordered from Feather-Craft Fly Fishing  (800) 659-1707 or www.feather-craft.com. Please order well in advance of your departure.

tackle, clothing & equipment

PLEASE NOTE:  For aircraft safety purposes, please pack in medium-size soft duffel bags (no larger than 30 in. x 14 in. x 12 in., or similar).  Roller boards with wheels add extra weight to you luggage and are not preferred.  The weight in the charter plane must be distributed in the various compartments of the plane.  There is a strictly enforced 35-pound weight restriction on luggage (including checked luggage, rods, reels, and any small carryon). The camp has daily laundry service, so lots of clothes are not necessary.

FISHING ACCESSORIES

• Boga Grip scale (certified—if you are trying for a world record)
• Tape measure
• Hook sharpener
• Small fishing pliers, pocket knife, clippers
• Reel lubricant
• Fly box
• Rod case
• Polarized sunglasses
• 60-pound leader material (fly-fishermen)
• Optional stripping finger sock (fly-fishermen)
• Adhesive tape to protect fingers
• Line cleaner 

CLOTHING & PERSONAL ITEMS

• Passport and Xerox of photo page
• Airline tickets
• Personal medications
• 2 Long-sleeved tropical-weight shirts
• 2 Tropical-weight pants/shorts
• Light-weight socks
• Swimsuit or shorts
• Fishing Shoes/Water Shoes
• Casual travel clothes
• Fishing hat
• Quality lightweight raincoat
• Lightweight fishing gloves
• Sunscreen
• Chapstick with sunscreen
• Water resistant bug repellent with DEET
• Repel® Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent
• Small flashlight
• Camera and batteries
• Waterproof pack or gear bag
• Liquid I.V. – Faster Hydration Than Water Alone (liquid-iv.com)
• Cash for tipping

HELPFUL HINTS 

Daily laundry service is available at the camp. 

Benadryl in a spray bottle comes in handy for the occasional insect bite or sting. 

Get to the airport plenty early on your day of departure.  You will have spent a lot of money on the trip, so start off on the right foot.  Carry some bills in small denominations for tips, airport meters, snacks, etc. 

Plan for rain.  Always take a raincoat and always take it with you on each outing.  It’s amazing how many wet anglers have a nice dry raincoat in their guestroom at the camp.  If it doesn’t rain, they make an excellent outer shell for cool mornings.  Pack sensibly.  Use soft-sided luggage and take only as much clothing as you will need.  Always take your passport, airline tickets, medications, camera equipment and valuables in a carry-on such as a backpack or small valise. 

Bandannas protect your neck against the sun, and they work well as an emergency head cover if you misplace your hat and need to protect your head.  Bring two pairs of sunglasses.