South America – Guyana

S. America Guyana guided fly fishing adventure

We ensure your expedition is one to remember. Our Amerindian Guides and boat captains have unsurpassed knowledge of these wild surroundings. Unforgettable South America Guyana guided fly fishing adventure.

Navin Pacu - from South America your Guyana fly fishing adventure guide — Navin Pacu – Fishing guide

Guests enjoy our 20 foot Brazilian Amazon boats
Navin Pacu

Fishing and fish species

There is a rich diversity of species to be caught on the River Essequibo, Guyana.

On lures

Stocky, hard-fighting Yellow Butterfly ‘Lukanani’ Peacock Bass to over 15lbs, Hymara/Wolf Fish to over 40lbs, slash-and-grab Payara/
Vampire Fish, Aruawana/Monkey Fish to 10lbs and acrobatic Pike-like Bicuda to over 12lbs. Giant Black Piranhas and Corvina/Pescada can be caught using small lures, spoons and deep-jigging in the bigger pools /fast currents.
Black and Red Pacu are caught on soft baits, fruit, nuts, weeds. Although our Indian guides prefer to use their tried and tested methods of bow and arrow.
And on cutbait, we have the incredibly strong Tiger Cats to over 25lbs, the ‘chicken of the river’ Leopard Cats to 15-20lbs, express train Redtail
Cats over 100lbs, the weird-looking Flat Whiskered Cats to 10lbs, line-stripping Jau Cats to over 100lbs and the King of all Cats, the Giant
Freshwater Shark/Lau Lau to over 300lbs. We can also hook into Payara, Hymara, big Corvina/Pescada and giant Black Piranha on cutbait while
fishing for these big Cats. Some of these huge brutes can spool you in seconds!

South America Guyana guided fly fishing adventure – Picture Gallery

freshwater fishing South America Guyana guided fly fishing adventure

Take some time out in the cool shade…

When the going gets tough and try for a while for these incredibly strong beasts. Open a cold one and hang on! It makes for a nice break during the heat of the day and you can rest your aching muscles (at least for a while until your rod goes off)!
BUT, the fish everyone comes here to catch, the Holy Grail of all Amazonian fish, that lurk in backwaters and quiet lagoons, is an air breather!
Enormous Arapaima roll on the surface, this is because they gulp air. An accurately cast fly, lure or bait in the near proximity usually results in a long, hard battle!
Fish here grow in excess of 300lbs.
We have exclusive permission to work with the local Indians in making fishing for these wonderful Arapaima a sustainable sport this is because there are no losses. That is why we only use circle hooks, in the corner of the mouth. All released to fight another day.

Wildlife

The endless diversity of flora and fauna makes this river is a professional and amateru photographer’s dream. You will see otters, wild pigs, Peccaries, Tapirs, Agoutis and Monkeys. Even the more shy Jaguar sometimes crosses the river.

Birds of every shape, colour and size are seen throughout these watersheds. The many species of Parrots are heard because they are fighting over territory. Toucans call to each other from treetops like yapping puppies and Herrons, Egrets, Kingfishers, Terns and Ospresy frequent these river banks, because they are in search of fish to catch.

South America Guyana guided fly fishing adventure

Accommodation

The accommodation comprises of self sufficient tented sleeping quaters with beds and linen, set on a sandy beach. There is also a screened off shower and flush toilet. Local indian guides and camp staff sleep seperately and another dining area and kitchen which can supply a constant stream of cold drinks and hot food, any time of day. Laundry done daily.

Kurupukari 'rustic' lodge on the Essequibo river

Tackle, clothing & Kit list

Rods and reels

We suggest the following gear for our River Essequibo Adventure Fishing trips:

2 x Medium-Heavy 6’6”-7’6” bait casting or spinning rods with bait casting or spinning reels with capacity of min. 120m of 50-60lb braid. These outfits will handle casting and using medium surface lures like Spooks and subsurface lures like minnow baits and jerk baits and also for deepjigging in the pools.
1 x Medium or Medium/Light 6’6”-7’6” spinning rod matched spinning reel with capacity for min.120m of 30lb braid. This much lighter outfit will give your arms and wrists a rest and will allow you to easily use jigs and smaller minnow baits.
For fly fishermen, 7-9 wt fly rods should be matched with good, smooth drag system reels and loaded with a tropical, fast-sinking 300-400 grain, a tropical intermediate and a tropical floating fly lines, all with at least 100m of 30lb backing. 1.5m – 2m of 30-30-50lb straight nylon tied
straight to the fly line can be used for leaders. We advise a good pair of stripping gloves unless you want another lifeline burnt into your palm!!
*Always bring spare line and a multi-tool.

Catfish rigs

Either simple rigs with a heavy Peacock Bass baitcasting set-up or a more traditional heavier Catfish rod and reel. Match with 80-100lb braided line, a 2-6 oz egg sinker or 1 . ft of stiff 80-100lbs wire leader (against the Piranhas!). Attach to a strong swivel at one end and a 8/0 – 12/0 circle hook on the other. The hook is baited with Piranha cutbait and lobbed out into a deep hole. You do not need to strike when using circle hook rigs as the Cat will hook itself when running with the bait, with a 100% hook up rate in the corner of the mouth. Just raise the rod slowly, not striking, for a good hook set!

Arapima rigs

A heavy Musky baitcasting set-up or a more traditional heavier Cat Fish rod and reel, 80-100lb braided line, a large bung/float, 1m of 100lb mono rubbing leader and a 8/0 – 12/0 circle hook. The hook is baited with cutbait (preferably a whole 1-2lb fish) and lobbed out into a deep hole. Fished over-depth with the float acting as a visual indicator.. You do not need to strike when using circle hook rigs as the Cat will hook itself when running with the bait, with a 100% hook up rate in the corner of the mouth. Just raise the rod slowly, not striking, for a good hook set. There is nothing like seeing that float scream off down river!! Then hang on for the fight of your life.

Last winter I was sent down to Guyana with Sam Lungren to capture more arapaimas caught on the fly with MidCurrent Travel. within 2 days we had fulfilled that task and were able to target other species on the bucket list. 10 days packed with adventure and all sorts of monster fish!
DAN THE FISHER

Lures

5-6 x small prop baits like the 4.25” Caribe Pavon Props, 4.25” K Lures Props and 4-6” Highroller Riprollers. they can be ripped across the surface in a steady cadence, ‘rip, pause, rip, pause’, back to the boat.
5-6 x medium and saltwater Super Spooks and other small-medium cigar-shaped stick baits. With a walk-the-dog, side to side, swishing action that ‘sways’ the lure like a snake across the water. This is a more subtle, quieter lure used when Peacocks and Bicuda are being less
aggressive
2-3 x small Poppers can also work well and if used properly, they catch a good number of big fish. They should spit and gurgle and spray water
in front, rather than ‘bloob’ or ‘pop’ and the best we have found is the Skitter Pop or the Chug Bug skimmed along the surface or quickly popped.
6-8 x small Minnow baits and crank baits will always work well in most situations and our choices are shallow running 4-6” Rapala X Raps, X
Rap Sub Walk, Rattle Traps, Cotton Cordell Redfins and Yozuri Crystal minnows and Tobimarus.
2-3 x Spoons in silver and gold. These work well in the rapids and deeper holes.
5-10 x Stevie Stinger or similar bucktail jigs with extended tails. Our 5 best producing colours are Red and Yellow, Red and White, Black and White, Firetiger, Green and White. They are cast and stripped back to the boat (not jigged on the bottom) and they can also be trolled on the way back out of a long lagoon. Great lures for Peacocks, Payara, Bicudas etc.
5-10 Butterfly jigs for deep jigging in some of the bigger pools.

Flies

Species targeted with flies include Peacock Bass, Payara and Bicuda.
Smaller flies will catch Pacu and Matrincha.
Peacock fly patterns, are either tied in 4-6” long-profile streamer flies with lots of flash, with and without weighted eyes or poppertype surface flies.
A fast strip is used on streamer flies and a series of gentle, constant ‘spits’ for surface flies.
Don’t waste too much
time on too elaborate fly patterns as Piranhas will eat plenty!! Go simple!

Clothes

We recommend clients follow the list of items below to keep it simple.
One or two changes of clothes (laundry done daily).
Clothes for the jungle are shorts or long pants, a shirt and a hat!! One change of clothes for travelling.

For travelling

1 x pair of lightweight shoes
socks & underwear
light jacket
1 x light shirt
Long cargo pants with pockets for documents, money, passport etc. This outfit can also serve as fishing clothes to save on additional weight.

For fishing

1 x wide brimmed hat or fishing cap with neck cape.
2 x lightweight tropical shorts or long tropical pants (zip-off’s are a good idea)
2 x tropical long or short-sleeved shirts with pockets.
1 x pair of either CROCS, sandals or similar comfortable boat shoes.
1 x lightweight rain suit/jacket
2 x pairs of polarised sunglasses

Other recommended equipment

It gets hot out there in the full sun, often over 90ᵒC, so come well protected with good-quality sun-block with at least 50-75 SPF. Lip cream is essential.
We fish in areas that have some mosquito activity, so bring a high DEET content instect repellent just in case.
Bring any personal medications and allow for headaches, stomach upsets, fevers, infections, allergies etc… because these are common.
Personal toiletries, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving gear etc. A small amount of talcum powder is a good asset in the jungle for those hidden, sweaty areas!
Books/magazines for reading and pen and paper for notes.
Small torch/headlight and spare batteries
Lightweight digital camera.

Schedule

Day

1: Arrivew in Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, transfer and overnight in hotel.ARRIVE IN CHEDDI JAGAN
2: Depart Georgetown early morning by vehicle, short stop for lunch, arrive Kurupukari ‘rustic’ lodge on the Essequibo river and overnight (hammocks)
3-8: Move and fish upriver to camp and 6 full days fishing, overnight in camp in tented accommodations.
9: Depart camp in the morning by boat down to Kurupukari and then onwards by vehicle, stop for lunch, arrive Georgetown in the evening and overnight in a hotel
10: Transfer to airport

Included

All transfers on arrival and departure.
Overnight at hotel in Georgetown
Transport to the river
All food and beverages including water, soft drinks, beer and rum while in camp and while fishing.
Daily laundry