Finding your bearings for thick jungle fishing
After this promising first day, we set off again âeuros very enthusiastic âeuros towards the north. The hour we spend upstream on the Pasimoni is a pure pleasure to contemplate: Jabiru, Toucan, Ferocious Harpy, Macaw and many other bird species enhance our morning wonder.
José suddenly forks off into a tributary, still going against the current. The landscape changes. Vegetation covers us and dead wood is palpable. For this phase of jungle fishing, being at the front of the boat, I opt first for my fly rod. I hang on, bad choice. I switch to a spinner-bait, as does Christophe. One 30 to 50 cm peacock bass after another.
The river gradually widens. As we drift, we cast to either side of the banks. We systematically hit our fish on surface lures for the first six metres from the bank. We pick up the next few meters very quickly to gain in efficiency.
Exploring with sight fly fishing
The waves carry us to a lagoon. The water here is so low that sight fishing is a possibility. It's a good time for fly fishing! Polarizer fixed to my nose, I can clearly make out a pair of large peacocks. Big pressure. One of them makes a promising but unsuccessful follow-through. "Te vemos", says young José. You've been warned: to deceive the distrust of large peacocks on sight, you have to be discreet and make long casts.
The heat is so scorching that I can't resist jumping into the water to cool off. Invigorated, my intuition tells me to explore the shoreline. I walk along a small sandy beach and come across a meander of the rio and lagoon. I watch and wait. Suddenly, I see a peacock bass move out from under a dead tree and return. My heart races. I cast into the current and three strips are enough to hook a beautiful Peacock Maryposa of around 40 cm. I catch five more with the same fly, a black and yellow Andino Deceiver. What insane joy!
The peacock guardian of the lagoon floor
Meanwhile, I hear a huge flush in the lagoon behind me. Absorbed in my own business, I pay only half attention at first. It's too far for me anyway. However, Christophe, still on the boat, is a good distance away. I see him catapult his favorite stickbait and then, boom! Lightning attack. Intense fight. A splendid fish of nearly 80 cm.
After this great sequence, we're back on the rio. Why not drag along a swimming fish? Three minutes later, piranhas had cut my fluorocarbon... Not a good idea, as the riverbed is full of them. The sky is getting darker and overcast. We had to move fast. Too late, a torrent of rain and wind descends violently on us. I've never seen anything like it. The jungle is intense.
