4.5 million-acre preserve - Rio Negro San Simon
Caño Negro Lodge - Bolivia
Lures or Flies for Peacock Bass and Payara
Caño Negro Lodge is locaed in a two-million-acre nature preserve in the Rio Negro San Simon system. Protected rivers and lagoons hold huge gamefish populations, including peacock bass and payara. Due to the fishing and exotic wildlife, the area has the nickname the Jurassic Park of the Amazon.
Caño Negro Fishing:
Our clients have caught 30 peacock bass in a day fishing top-water or sub-surface lures and flies. Here, the mighty saber-tooth payara, river tiger of South America, offers the thrilling, tackle-busting fishing experience of a lifetime. Hailed as "tarpon on steroids, these payara range from five to 25-pounds and can exceed 50-pounds. Ten to 15 hookups a day is the norm on payara.
In addition to payara, these river and lagoon systems have the highest concentrations of peacock bass found anywhere on earth. Peacocks range from around 2-to 12-pounds. It's not uncommon for an angler to land 30 to 40 peacock bass a day!
Other excellent gamefish include brawny pacu up to 30-pounds, brilliant yatoranas, curvina (croaker), giant catfish, nearly 20 different species of piranha.
Anglers have reported coming in contact with at least 50 piranhas a day.
Fishing Facts:
Fishing Season: Mid-July thru October.
Cast-and-Blast option: May through October.
Boats: The fishing boats range from aluminum sleds to local custom-made wooden boats. They are equipped with outboard motors, casting decks, comfortable seats, and coolers for soft drinks and lunches. The Lodge also uses custom-made long and stable dugouts. Two anglers per boat and guide.
Fishing Guides: Hardworking guides know the river systems and aim to please. Though the guides do not speak English very well, they’ll be able to help you select the right lures and flies, provide help with casting and shooting techniques, and assist with ammo for the Cast-and-Blast option (listed below). Fly fishing instruction is available at the Lodge. Caño Negro has a full-time bilingual host.
Caño Negro Lodge
Caño Negro Lodge, in the picturesque Amazonian jungle, accommodates 12 anglers. Two anglers per air-conditioned bedroom with a private bathroom. The Lodge has a large dining room, and an adjacent lounge and bar with a scenic view of the vast spring-fed lagoons. Wildlife viewing includes a wide variety of birds, giant caimans, and possibly a jaguar laying on the beach or strolling across the riverbanks.
Meals: Bolivian and American meals feature fresh fish, beef, pork, and chicken accompanied by an assortment of delicious soups, salads, rice, bread, and mixed vegetables.
Alcohol: The camp supplies local liquor, beer, and wine with dinner, plus bottled water and soft drinks. Bring your own specialty liquor.
Lounge Bar Area
Communications: Wi-Fi is available at the Lodge for $10.00 per person per day. Only satellite phones will work at Caño Negro.
Electricity is 220-volt and requires a converter and adapter for U.S. devices. The diesel-generated electricity is available throughout the day and turned off between 10 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Nearest Hospital: The nearest health facility is in Santa Cruz, a two-hour charter flight from the Lodge.
Yellow Fever: A Yellow Fever Vaccine is recommended as Santa Cruz is considered a Dengue-affected area.
Getting to the Lodge:
Travel to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, is easy. American Airlines has daily one-stop overnight flights from Miami each evening, arriving Santa Cruz the next morning. You'll take a two-hour charter flight from Santa Cruz to the Lodge, where you'll land on the Lodge's dirt runway near the Rio Negro/Rio San Simon fishing area. There is a 40-pound baggage limit for the charter flight.
2022 USD Rates:
3-nights and 3-days guided fishing
$2,495 + $900 charter = $3,395.00* per person
4-nights and 4-days guided fishing
$3,395 + $900 charter = $4,295.00* per person
7-nights and 7-days guided fishing
$4,795 +$900 charter = $5,695.00* per person
Upgrade to one angler per guide/boat/tent add $1,000.00
*You must have a two-passenger minimum booking for the $900.00 charter flight rate from Santa Cruz to the Lodge. If you book as a solo angler, the rate is $1,800.00 for the charter flight.
Fishing Packages Include:
Roundtrip charter flight from Santa Cruz to the fishing area (with a 2-person minimum booking), airport ground transfers in Bolivia, lodging, all meals in the fishing areas, beverages (soft drinks, local liquors, beer, and wine), daily laundry service, guided fishing, use of boats, local licenses, and upon request, our eBook Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass by Larry and Guy Schoenborn.
Fishing Packages Do Not Include:
Commercial air travel, the tourist visa ($160.00 p.p.), airport taxes and fees, Wi-Fi access $10.00 p.p. per day, gratuities (to the Lodge staff, fishing guides, and fishing camp staff), lures and tackle, ammunition, items of a personal nature, Global Rescue, travel insurance, and anything not mentioned under inclusions. The hotel in Santa Cruz will cost around $100.00 per night (single or double occupancy). If hunters bring their own gun, the gun clearance fee will be $250.00 p.p. (a maximum of two guns per Gun Importation Permit). *If you are booking as a single angler, the roundtrip charter flight is an additional $1,800.00.
Dove Shooting - Cast-and-Blast Option
Las Palomas Lodge and Caño Negro Lodge
Season: May through October.
6-nights at the Lodges and 3-days dove shooting,
and 3-days guided fishing $5,595.00 per person
Bolivia is the world's mecca for high-volume dove hunting. 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) migrate from Brazil each April to feed on the literally millions of acres of sorghum, sunflowers, and soybeans. They stay until November, offering bird hunting that is best described as "astonishing." Hunters routinely expend 60-100 boxes a day on shoots in a great variety of settings. Request our information packet for more information.
Cast-and-Blast Packages Include:
Roundtrip charter flight from Santa Cruz to the fishing area (a 2-person minimum booking is required), airport ground transfers in Bolivia, all meals in the shooting and fishing areas, accommodations, beverages (soft drinks, local liquors, beer, and wine), laundry, shotgun cleaning, guides, use of boats, hunting license, and upon request, our eBook Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass by Larry and Guy Schoenborn.
