rio negro — barcelos
The capital of açu peacock bass. Blackwater, thousands of lakes and the country's best chance of catching a fish over 10 kg.
Barcelos is the base for the middle Rio Negro and its blackwater tributaries. In low water the river drops, opens beaches and traps peacock bass in lakes, creek mouths (igarapé) and fallen trees. The açu is the target: it strikes zaras and propeller lures with a splash and fights hard. Borboleta and popoca keep the action going all day. Aruanã, payara and bicuda complete the fishing. Most of the operation is on live-aboard boats, with voadeiras (aluminum boats) for two anglers and a guide. Casting, surface and mid-water fishing. Fly works well on the shallow edges.
best season
Low water on the Rio Negro, September to February. The peak is usually October to December, when the water drops and fish concentrate in lakes and along the banks.
Local rules: Part of the rivers in the region are in indigenous land or a protected area: fish only with an authorized operator and with agreement from the communities (on indigenous land, tourism follows IN Funai 3/2015). In Amazonas, catch and release of açu peacock bass is required by state law (Law AM 6.647/2023) and is the rule in operations. Check local rules.
- getting there
- Flight from Manaus to Barcelos, about 1 hour. Live-aboard boats also run up the Rio Negro from Manaus, on a trip of two days or more. In the region, travel is only by boat or seaplane.
- facilities
- Live-aboard boats and jungle inns with weekly packages, voadeiras with guides and an onboard kitchen. The town has simple hotels and an airstrip.
- basin
- Amazon
tip
Bring zaras of 12 to 15 cm and swap the treble hooks for reinforced ones. Big açu often miss the first strike: don't stop the lure.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official Ministério da Justiça — Instrução Normativa Funai nº 3, de 11 de junho de 2015 (visitação turística em terras indígenas)PDF with the text in Portuguese and an English translation
- official Funai — Guia de orientações para análise de planos de visitação turística em terras indígenasApplies IN Funai 3/2015
- official Assembleia Legislativa do Amazonas — Lei estadual nº 7.208/2024 (altera a Lei 6.647/2023, pesca do tucunaré)Açu peacock bass, pinima and speckled pavon catch and release only in AM