RECOMMENDED SPORT FISHING SITES

A) “San Antonio” ox-bow lake (Peruvian "varzea" forest)

• Not accesible by boat during the low water level season; fishermen have to walk from the river to the lake (20 minute walk); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the lake
• Camp site in "varzea" forest close to the lake
• Due to the closeness of the ox-bow lake to the river the water colour is tainted most of the year lowering the visibility for the fish
• Due to the closeness of the ox-bow lake to neighbouring riverine communities, the presence of fishing nets is possible during the low water season
• The biggest “Peackock bass” fish has been caught in this lake
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting - possible

B) “Furo Zacanbuzinho” channel (Brazilian "igapo" forest)

• Accesible by boat all year, except during the peak of the low water season, when fishermen have to walk from the river to the channel (10 minute walk); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the lake.
• Camp site in "igapo" forest close to the channel
• Due to the closeness of the channel to the river the water colour is tainted most of the year lowering the visibility for the fish
• Due to the closeness of the channel to neighbouring riverine communities, the presence of fishing nets is possible during the low water season
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – possible; two sandy beaches allow fishing from comfortable, open spaces
• The abundance of “Oscar” fishes is astonishing 

C) “Cristina” ox-bow lake (Brazilian "igapo" & "varzea" forest)

• Accesible by boat all year except during the peak of the low water season, when fishermen have to walk from the river to the channel (10 minute walk); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the channel.
• The lake "Cristina" is very shallow, which means that during the peak of the low water season it reduces its size to just a channel, some parts shallow, some other parts just consisting of liquid mud.
• Camp site in "varzea" forest close to the lake
• Due to the closeness of the lake to the river the water colour is tainted about 50% of the year lowering the visibility for the fish
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – possible
• The abundance and varieties of Piranhas is surprising
• Since this ox-bow lake is very shallow and slowly being conquered by the surrounding forest, the entanglment of lures in under-water bushes and branches can be frequent. 

 D) “Caotí” lake (Brazilian "varzea" forest)

• Not accesible by boat during most of the low water level season; fishermen have to walk from the river to the lake (8 minute walk); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the lake
• Camp site in "igapo" or "varzea" forest close to the lake just behind the sandy beach
• Due to the closeness of the lake to the river the water colour is tainted about 50% of the low water season lowering the visibility for the fish
• Due to the closeness of the lake to neighbouring riverine communities, the presence of fishing nets is possible during the low water season
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – possible; a sandy beach allows fishing from comfortable, open spaces
• The abundance of “Peackock bass” is astonishing

E) “Socó” ox-bow lake (Brazilian igapo & "varzea" & "terra firme" forest)

• Accesible by boat most of the year, by long canoe at the beginning and the end of the low water season and by kayak or short canoe through out the entire year.
• Camp site in "varzea" forest close to the lake or in terra firme forest a little further from the lake
• Due to the distance of the lake to the river the water colour is transparent black about 99% of the year highly increasing the visibility for the fish
• The presence of fishing nets is prohibited due to an agreement between the family living at the lake and the Reserva Natural Palmari
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – is possible
• The abundance and varieties of most game fishes is surprising
• Two elderly pink river dolphins might distract the fishermen from their activities or even follow the lures for a while making fishing a little more adventurous

 F) “Socózinho” lake (Brazilian "igapo" & "varzea" forest)

• Accesible by small boat, canoe or kayak (the connecting channel is quite narrow) during high water season and partially during the low water season, coming from “Socó” lake
• Camp site to be used are the ones located at “Socó” lake
• Due to the distance of the lake to the river the water colour is transparent black about 99% of the year highly increasing the visibility for the fish
• The presence of fishing nets is prohibited due to an agreement between the family living at "Socó" lake and the Reserva Natural Palmari
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting - is possible
• The abundance and varieties of most game fishes is surprising
• This lake is nearly perfectly round and small, making it a “one-of-its-kind”

G) "Mata-Mata"channel (Peruvian "varzea" forest)

• Accesible by boat all year, except during the peak of the low water season, when fishermen have to walk from the river to the channel (20 minute walk); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the lake.
• Camp site in "varzea" forest close to the channel
• The presence of fishing nets is nearly none during the low water season and sometimes one or two nets are laid-out only in the first lagoon-size part of the channel.
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – is possible.
• The abundance of “Pirarucú” fishes is astonishing, sometimes jumping very close to the boats.

H) "Pombao"ox-bow lake (Peruvian "varzea" forest)

• Not accesible by boat during the low water level season; fishermen have to walk from the river to the lake (15 minute walk); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the lake
• Camp site in "varzea" forest close to the lake
• This might be the lake that happens to stay "black" (semi-transparent) through out the longest period of time of the year.
• Due to an agreement with the families living in the neighbouring riverine community "Nueva Esperanza" and the Reserva Natural Palmari, the using of fishing nets is prohibited and - up to now - we have never seen any ones layed-out.
• The quantities of “Peackock bass” present in this lake is enormous.
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting - is possible

I) "Tartaruga"channel (Brazilian "varzea" forest)

• Accesible by boat only during the high water season and the beginning of the low water season. The rest of the year, fishermen have to walk from the river to the channel ( Approx. 2 hours walk!!); guides & pilots have to carry/pull kayaks and/or alumina boats from the river to the lake.
• Camp site in "varzea" forest close to the channel
• The presence of fishing nets is none during the whole year.
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – is possible.
• The abundance of “Arawana” fishes is astonishing, sometimes visible and very close to the boats.

J) Beaches on the Javarí river (Brazilian & Peruvian "varzea" forest)

• Accesible by boat all year
• Camp sites on the beaches or inside the "varzea" forest behind the beaches
• All year round the water colour will be highly tainted and sandy, making fishing procedures with lures nearly impossible
• Both fishing styles – trawling & casting – is possible
• Most of the caught fish belong to families of “cat” fish

TRANSPORT CONVEYANCES & FISHING BOATS

• Transport to the fishing areas, ox-bow lakes or other activity sites will be provided according to the number of fishermen and the quantity of fishing equipment, camp gear, logistics and food: By wooden boats equipped with 40 or 60 HP outboard engines; by alumina or fibre-glass boats equipped with the same engines; by wooden long-canoes equipped with 2-stroke 5,5 or 8 HP outboard engines
• Fishing from boats may be undertaken from alumina or fibre-glass boats equipped with 2-stroke 5,5 or 8 HP outboard engines, or from professional "Perception 3000"  kayaks
• The fuel required to propel all the aforementioned riverine boats and fishing conveyances will be provided by and included in the quoted rate by the Reserva Natural Palmari

STAFF PROVIDED FOR SPORT FISHING ACTIVITIES OVER VARIOUS DAYS

• One boat pilot for each boat leaving the visitors center of the Reserva Natural Palmari to the fishing site
• One jungle guide serving 4 fishermen
• If fishing from kayaks  is requested, 1 specialized sport fishing guide per kayak  will be present.
• One principal cook plus 1 assistant to the camp kitchen

CAMP SITE LOGISTICS & EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY THE RESERVA NATURAL PALMARI

• One hammock, one hammock-mosquito net, one tarpaulin and all required ropes and strings per hammock
• One linnen, one warm blanket and one small pillow per guest
• One towel per guest
• Full cooking, serving and eating dishes plus cutlery in accordance with the number of guests
• One styrofoam box carrying one ice-block for each 3 days of fishing undertaking
• One chair for each guest
• One small table for each 4 guests
• Basic first aid kit

CATERING PROVIDED BY THE RESERVA NATURAL PALMARI

• Breakfast, lunch and supper as served in quantity and quality as at the visitors center of the Reserva Natural Palmari
• Beverages in quantity and quality as at the visitors center of the Reserva Natural Palmari
• Snacks, cookies, chocolates, bottled or bagged water, beer, other alcoholic drinks, fruit juices and similar during the fishing activities
• Aforementioned in accordance to the provided stock calculated to the number of guests and days the activity should last

FISHING EQUIPMENT

• All specialized sport fishing gear & equipment must be provided by the fishermen and guests!
• The Reserva Natural Palmari can provide - upon request before leaving the visitors center to the fishing sites! - local, basic fishing gear like hooks, thin, light weight nylon string and fishing rods made of natural branches.

FISHING SEASON

• Eventhough throughout the entire year you may fish and will optain a certain result, the best fishing season is during the low water season, when the lakes have stopped shifting currents and the water has reached a certain transparency, which happens during the whole second half of the year approximately between the months of May/June and until November/December.

SPORT FISHING ARTICLE