Amazon Exotics
Written and photographed by Mark Somers
As I peered down 2000 feet into the lush and dense rainforest on our way to Thaimacu lodge, located on a series of rapids on the Rio Sao Benedito in the state of Pará of Brazil, my instincts told me I was in for a fabulous fly fishing adventure. The Cessna quickly descended through a clearing in the trees and touched to our destination. My wife Melinda and myself hastily unpack- grab our fishing gear and race for the river.
Heading upstream on the Rio Sao Benedito with our guide piloting our 18-foot Jon boat, we inhaled the sweet smells of the Amazonian Rainforest and watched the jungle come alive. Bright metallic blue butterflies lazily sit atop sunning turtles that call a weather bleached log a home. Playful monkeys jump from branch to branch making screeching noises announcing their presence. As we continued our journey upstream, the amazement continued, a jacare (alligator) scurries from the shallows seeking the comfort of a riverside den. Bend after bend, birds and animals found only in the Amazon vied for our attention. After a 45 -minute boat ride, several bright blue and yellow Macaws announced our arrival at the section of river we chose to fish. The rainforest mesmerizes us even before we pursue some of the worlds most aggressive and explosive freshwater fish on the fly-the Peacock Bass. 
Lagoons define the area of the river we are ready to fish. The Peacock Bass (actually part of the Cichlid family) prefers slow moving or still water. Submerged trees, lily pads, cut banks are places to probe with a fly, as the Peacock Bass prefers structure to ambush its prey. Melinda and I nervously unhook our 2/0 red and white poppers and get ready to make our first few casts.After a few errant casts getting use to the wind resistant poppers, we begin to come within inches of our target-partly submerged trees. For some reason, I decide to fixate my eyes on Melinda’s popper. She boldly strips and chugs the popper through the water with maximum disturbance. The popper is the only wrinkle on the otherwise dead calm lagoon. After three or four strips her popper is engulfed in a six- foot vortex of exploding water. The fly line violently snaps the rod tip into the water and Melinda strains to wrestle the raged fish out of its lair. The possessed Peacock, mouth agape, jumps at least three feet out of the lagoon with its crimson red eyes focused on escape. Not once, twice but five times does the fish attempt to throw the hooks with its enraged jumps. Melinda applies a dangerous amount of strain on her eight-weight rod in an attempt to control the infuriated Peacock. Eventually, Melinda’s constant pressure overcomes the Peacock and it is brought to 
the boat after a valiant fight. Our native guide uses a boga grip and lifts the eight pound bass into the boat. Through the view finder of my camera, I notice the brilliant collage of reds, yellows and oranges that make up this species of Peacock Bass and proceed to take some hero pictures before the release. As the fish is released next to the boat, it sprays us with a sudden flip of its broad tail as if to say its fighting spirit could not be broken. I nervously head to the front of the boat, hands shaking, ready for my turn. I look at my watch and notice we haven’t been in the Amazon for over an hour, the adventure is just beginning…
(Mark and Melinda Somers run PR Flyfishing, if you would like to fish the Amazon, call Lisa or me. A week is $2795)
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