Manaus- Gateway to paradise

If you google "Manaus, Brazil", you'll read a lot of general facts about it, a city of 2.3 million, lots of industry, I believe Wikepedia describes it as "gritty".  I'm sure it does have a gritty side, but for the angler, Manaus is special.  If you're headed into the Brazilian Amazon jungle to fish, at some point you are going to end up in Manaus.  That's what I'm doing here.  I have a group of eight, myself and Chris, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ron and his buddy Bill, from Florida, and Jim, and his stepson Mark, also from Florida.  Lastly, I have Bruce and Stephen from Oklahoma.  Stephen, Ron, and Jim were all here with me last year for the what was truly a fantastic week at Agua Boa Lodge, the rest are newbies to this fishery.

There are two ways you can do it.  The single American airlines flight coming in is going to arrive at around 12:45 a.m., and by the time you get settled in your room it's close to 2:00 a.m.  You can arrive on Friday night, and be back up and on your way to the river at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, or you can come a day early, and opt for a tourist day in Manaus on Friday.  Hands down, the extra day is the better way to do it.  So, that's where we are at, headed out for some tourist activities, that is, all of us, except Bruce, who had his flight cancelled, and will now be arriving in the evening.  Another great reason to come a day early, it gives you leeway if you have issues.

Today, we start off at the market.  The first market we walk through is vast, and contains just about every known fruit you can think of, and some you can't.  But we are really just walking through the fruit market, to get to the main attraction, which is the fish market.  I've never seen anything like it.  It covers several thousand square feet, dozens of vendors, and over thirty species of fish endemic to the Amazon.  In the pics, you can see arowana, tambaqui, suribim catfish, and peacock bass.  It's a little depressing to contemplate this happening day after day, week after week, but it's also fascinating, and I could literally spend hours here.

Arowana and suribim catfish 

Lost my bait...again

Soon, we are back in the van, headed to our next stop, the "Meeting of the Waters", and the arapaima farm.  We head out by boat and come to the place where the Rio Negro and the Amazon river meet.  The Amazon is sandy colored, the Rio Negro is dark, and the temperature difference between them causes them to run side by side for six kilometers without mixing.  You can literally dip your hand in the Amazon, and then in the Rio Negro, and feel a huge temperature difference.  We then headed upriver, passing through a small town consisting entirely of homes floating right on the river.  There is a market, a school, a couple of churches, and even a home for sale for around 10,000 American.  Don't think I didn't consider it.  Soon enough, our boat pulls into the arapaima farm.  Arapaima are the largest scaled freshwater fish in the world, reaching over 400 pounds, a favored eating fish for many Brazilians, and also a dream target for fly fishers.  At this point, a good deal of the arapaima for sale is farm raised.  At this particular place there is a twist.  There is a large tank full of BIG arapaimas.  You are handed a stout branch with some heavy duty rope, and a fish is tied (not hooked) to the rope.  You toss it in there, it is immediatley seized by a fish much larger than you, and you have yourself a brief tug of war.  I know it sounds kind of hokey, but you will see grown men giggling like junior highers the whole time this is happening, including me!

That evening, we all head out to a Brazilian steakhouse, stuff ourselves, and head to bed.  Tomorrow, we'll be flying out early and hopefully by 11:00 a.m. we will be fishing!  Sometimes, when anticipated fishing is coming the next day, I have trouble sleeping.  We'll see!

Floating church

10,000 American