Peacock Bass Fishing - Colombia

Peacock Bass and Payara Combo on Two Rivers - Akuani River Lodge

Fly or lure fish for peacock bass and payara in the Colombian jungle. Spend four full days fishing for peacock bass on the Vichada River and two full days angling for payara fish at the renowned Maipures Rapids. Your home base for the peacock bass fishing will be the Akuani River Lodge, where you will stay for six nights, and for the payara fishing days, you will spend one night at a comfortable camp near the Orinoco River. The Lodge operates from January through March and caters to a maximum of eight anglers per week. The package includes two hotel nights and domestic flights between Bogota and Inirida.

2025 Hosted Weeks:
Guy Schoenborn hosts
Jan. 23 - Feb. 1, 2025: 1 Slot
Jan. 30 - Feb. 8, 2025: 1 Slot
9-nights and 6-days guided fishing
$4,600.00 per person
($4,200 + $400 Native Community Fee)
The rate is subject to change.
Eight anglers + 2 Hosts.
You're not restricted to our hosted week. Book anytime.

Afloat Adventure

Afloat Adventure, the outfitter, has been operating out of Medellin since 2016. Their goal is to provide anglers with unique fishing experiences in beautiful and remote areas of Colombia.

The Vichada River is home to numerous lagoons and is a blackwater river, which is a slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands. It offers plenty of opportunities for topwater fishing, where you can catch massive temensis (three-bar) peacock bass, some weighing over 22 pounds. The Vichada River is a tributary of the Orinoco.

The Orinoco River located in the Tuparro National Reserve, is one of the longest rivers in South America, spanning close to 1,400 miles in a giant arc. It is considered the fourth largest river in the world in terms of discharge volume. Anglers can expect to catch 20+ pound payara (vampire fish) using deep divers and other deep lures in the strong currents of the Maipures Rapids. Along the Orinoco, giant sardinata, which resemble American shad but are much larger, can be caught using small poppers, jigs, spinners, and flies. Anglers looking to catch redtail and tiger shovelnose catfish (the ones with distinctive stripes) should use bait. The German explorer Alexander von Humboldt referred to the Maipures Rapids as the eighth Wonder of the World.

The Fishing Program

Season: The Peacock-Payara Combo is available from January through March during the dry season when the rivers drop, and the fish travel the main channels and lagoons.
Boats: For peacock bass, you will fish from Bongos, which are a type of canoe. The Bongos are big and comfortable, with casting platforms. For payara, you will mainly be fishing from the bank or rocks. You'll fish two anglers per boat and a guide.
Guides: Experienced guides do not speak English well but can communicate what's important. You will have the same fishing guide for the entire week.
Fishing Gear is not provided. Single hooks are required on all lures and flies when targeting peacock bass and payara. Lures and flies are available for purchase at the Lodge. Our confirmation packet includes a list of what to bring.
Requirements: All lines and leaders need to be at least 40 to 60 pounds. Bring stripping gloves to avoid burns from these fast species. All fishing is catch-and-release.
A Fishing License is currently not required in Colombia, but a $400.00 Sikuani Communities Fee is required.

Typical Fishing Day:
You'll get in up to ten hours of guided fishing each day.
6:00 am - The schedule is flexible, but they recommend getting up early. You can enjoy breakfast at the Lodge or take it on the boat. Snacks and drinks are supplied.
Noon - Lunch is either at the Lodge or on one of the beaches.
5:00 pm - The fishing day typically ends.
7:00 pm - Dinner at Camp.

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1: Upon your arrival at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, which is the largest airport in Colombia, an Afloat representative will be there to pick you up and drive you to either The Aloft Bogota Airport Hotel or the Hilton Garden Inn, depending on availability. The package includes double occupancy accommodations. If you prefer a single-occupancy room, there will be an additional charge of $90.00, which you will pay at the counter.
Day 2: An Afloat representative will pick you up at the hotel and take you to the local airport for the 90-minute flight to Puerto Inirida, the capital city of Guainia, a department of Eastern Colombia. For the domestic flight, your baggage should not exceed 44 pounds, including your carry-on and fishing equipment. An Afloat representative will greet you at the airport in Inirida and drive you in a tuk-tuk (a three-wheeled open-air vehicle) for the 10-minute drive to the river. The group will take a four-hour speed boat ride to Akuani River Lodge. After you arrive at the Lodge, you'll enjoy drinks and snacks.
Day 3: A full day of guided peacock bass fishing.
Day 4: After day two of peacock bass fishing, you'll boat down the Vichada River to the Orinoco Rapids, a 90-minute ride. You will need to walk about 150 meters while the guide crew drags the boats through 40 meters of beautiful and treacherous rapids.
Days 5-6: Guided payara fishing on the Orinoco Rapids.
Day 7-8: You'll fish for peacock bass while returning upstream to Akuani River Lodge.
Day 9: A four-hour boat ride and a tuk-tuk ride to Puerto Inirida airport for your domestic flight to Bogota. An Afloat representative will pick you up from the airport and drive you to the Aloft Hotel, which is less than two miles away. The package includes double occupancy accommodations.
Day 10: Depending on your international flight schedule, an Afloat representative will pick you up at the hotel and drive you to the airport.

Request a Peacock Bass Combo
Information Packet.