March 2019 Guaviare River Report.

Finally I managed to find the time to complete the video of our recent trip with Fish Colombia to their Lodge on the Guaviare River. Much of the trip has been chronicled by the other members of the group so I’ll not repeat what has already been covered by Seth Hartwick, Ross Scroble and Capt Armando Alejo on FB.

It was a trip almost a year in the making and we managed to get a great group together. A month before the trip we were advised that the rivers were low and some hiking was needed to get to the isolated lagoons for Peacocks. We were offered the opportunity to cancel our trip at that time. Unanimously we all agreed to persevere. We fully expected to rough it out being that we were headed into a remote area and sleeping in tents etc. We were pleasantly surprised that our camp was actually quite comfortable.

The journey was long..3 hours by van, 90 mins by DC3, 5 hours by long boat just to get to our staging camp at Mapiri. Hewn from the primary rainforest, chainsawed planks created a nice hardwood deck and pathways that meandered through the forest. They only took the trees that were necessary so it preserved the feel of still being in the jungle. Common areas and rest rooms were spacious and ample with rainwater collection for water. Accommodations were in spacious two man tents with portable a/c and beds. To be honest, more than we expected. Each day we split the group into 2 and half would fish the main river and the others would fish the remote lagoons. 2 to a jonboat, with a guide, it was the perfect setup for fishing the main river.

The hikes to the lagoons were quite challenging, necessitating a remote camp and overnight stay but the guys that went on it took it in their stride and were rewarded by extraordinary fishing. All told despite the reduced fishing time due to the hikes and the afternoon rainstorms, we all managed impressive numbers and quality of fish caught. Estimated over 250 peacocks landed and many more hooked. Most were 8 lbs and up with many in the 14-18 lb range. River fishing was spotty but there were days of very good action on Payaras, Sardinata, Pacu and so many types of catfish. Many species were caught including the lodge record Tambaqui. It was simply amazing and I will do it again anytime!

To cap it off, I have to add how amazing the crew of Fish Colombia were. They were always happy and cheerful, incredibly hardworking and attentive to our needs. From the moment we stepped off the plane to the day we left. The trip was made even more amazing by the group that made the trip. I have made fantastic new friends and to you guys, I just have to say that I am grateful to have shared this experience with you all. I hope you enjoy the video. Feel free to contact me directly if you need more details about the trip, what to bring and prepare for.

Enjoy the video!

Music Credits to: Mark Knight - ‘Move On’ (featuring The Ragga Twins).