Fly Fishing the Amazon 2

If you do go on a fly fishing holiday to the Amazon, two things you need to understand as essential are timing and water levels. Through the wet season, the rivers overflow their banks and their waters spread out into a tree-filled flood plain. Baitfish flee into the flooded vegetation and, although peacocks follow them angling is a waste of time.

Once the rains subside, however, the water levels slowly recede into river channels. The best fishing occurs when the subsiding waters force baitfish out of the vegetation and into open water. And the best time of year is from October right through to the end of March.

Some companies offer angling holidays on pristine rivers with naturally high tannin levels because of the extensive leaf decay. The tannin levels discourage the development of biting insects and their larvae. Fishing programs are usually managed by knowledgeable, bi-lingual fishermen, who know the fishing and the logistics of Amazonian fishing camps. For such a primordial environment, it’s advisable to use local guides for the ideal fly fishing trip.