Tackling The Amazon - JIP's Tackle Report
Date: |
3/2/11 |
Location: |
Barcelos,
Brazil |
Tackle Type: |
Rods, Reels,
Apparel |
Manufacturer: |
Various |
Reviewer: |
JIP |
Introduction:
By now you’ve read all
about our recent trip to the Amazon, fishing for Peacock bass and whatever other
crazy toothy critters will bite in the Brazilian water. Now it’s time for me to
report back on the rods and reels that I personally used on this trip and how they fared
against those highly aggressive peacock bass of the Amazon.
Fishing in
Brazil for Amazona's Peacock Bass
The Tackle:
Before you embark on a trip to the Amazon, you will receive many recommendations
from friends, fellow anglers, online advice, and tackle shops on what’s the best
tackle to bring with you. We of course brought a load of tackle down to the
Amazon but have rooted through the ones that work and ones that do not. So
before you spend thousands of dollars on the trip and travel thousands of miles
into the Amazon, here is what I personally recommend in terms of rods and reels.
Proper tackle
can make or break a trip in the Amazon
The Rod:
Obviously this was my first trip to the Amazon and my first time catching
Peacock bass. Recommendations that I received were to bring bass rods but only
bring ones that are heavy powered with a fast action and rods that are
medium-heavy and fast. And what I found was the original recommendation was
right on but for me. I had one big bait class rod with me but didn’t use it much
because after half a day, it wore me down incredibly fast and I couldn’t see
ripping topwater wood choppers for over 10 hours each day for six days straight
with that rod.
Peacock Bass
are extremely aggressive from the time you set the hook to landing
My recommendations are to
bring only medium-heavy rods with a fast action. I caught a few double digit
Peacocks on these rods with no issues, and the lighter rod will help with less
fatigue to your entire body while working lures and battling hard hitting and
fighting peacocks of the Amazon river.
The fish hit
hard and immediately dart away
The Reel:
Your reel is perhaps, the most important part of the combination though each and
every part is important when fishing for these tropical beasts; hooks, line,
lure, etc. Your reel does not have to hold much line. I used only Sufix
Performance Braid 65 lb in yellow, but other braided line with the same spec
would be sufficient. My reels held approximately 100
yards of this line, but having more is better than less because sometimes
you have to make that long cast, you need to have enough line to reach those
spots or boils.
It's survival
of the fittest in the Amazon, and you are in the same game when fishing these
aggressive waters that hold multiple species of toothy fish. So make sure you
have the right tackle
The drag, that’s very
important when fishing down in the Amazon. You need an outstanding drag system
that’s not only smooth but powerful. Some bass reels, even when you turned the
drag to maximum pressure, will not stop a five pound Peacock. So I recommend
having a drag reaching well into the upper teens at maximum pressure.
Ergonomics is another
thing. After the first two days you will hear all anglers speak of the sore
hands and having blisters from grasping the reel and handle knobs while working
topwater lures all day long. Handle knobs that are large and smooth is
important.
Even a Caiman
will chomp down on your topwater lures
The last aspect to
consider is speed versus power. Having a powerful reel to battle against these
peacocks makes sense, but in practical applications, you cannot horse these fish
like you can a largemouth bass, so power is sacrificed for speed, and when I say
speed, I’m talking 7:1 or higher.
The reason why I recommend
a high speed reel is that the Peacocks love to chase bait to the surface, and if
you pay attention to those fleeing baitfish, they are darting away at an
incredible speed covering a lot of distance. You need to match the catch and
work your baits fast! This is especially true for topwater baits. You can get by
with a slower reel for jigs and sub-surface lures, but even here, faster is
better.
Weak tackle
will fall victim to Peacock Bass
The Apparel:
As much as the tackle is important on a trip like this, keeping yourself in
tip-top shape and providing yourself protection is just as critical. From the
other articles you’ve seen each of us wearing protective gear to keep the sun
exposure to a bare minimum, which is important if you’re fishing 6 days straight
for 10+ hours per day. Below I will provide test results of the UPF rated shirts
and hat I wore on this trip.
Next
Section: Let's
See the Tackle