Rio Marie Liveaboard - Brazil

Liveaboard Peacock Bass Fishing Adventure

The Rio Marie, also known as the River of Giants, is the most remote river in the Brazilian Amazon. The headwaters of the Rio Marie lie more than 400 air miles northwest of Manaus in the rainforest between Brazil and Columbia.

Rio Marie - River of Giants from Meng Syn DDS on Vimeo.

Rio Marie - IGFA World Record Peacock Bass

Rio Marie Fly Fishing

A new IGFA All-Tackle Length World Record was set on the Rio Marie. On September 7, 2023, and one of his first catches of the week, Brent Van Niekerk set a world record with a 94-centimeter monster peacock bass. Since 2014, the Rio Marie has recorded 15 IGFA world records.

Fly Fishing the Rio Marie

The Rio Marie is a very remote river—more than 400 miles by floatplane from Manaus, Brazil. The Marie River begins on the northwest side of the Brazilian Amazon, near the Colombian border, and is a tributary of the upper Negro River. The river is contained inside an Indian territory of more than 494 million acres.
The Rio Marie liveaboard adventure is the first official sportfishing operation inside Indian territory in Brazil. It is now the largest area in the world dedicated to fly-fishing-only and catch-and-release-only. There are over 400 miles of river, tributaries, and lagoons.
The Temensis peacock bass, the largest of all peacock bass, average 10 to 18 pounds in the more remote locations but have been known to reach 30 pounds. Butterfly peacock bass are abundant and smaller, reaching up to 13 pounds.
Fly Fishing Only Season:  The Fly-Fishing-Only season runs from August to mid-December—during the dry season when the water levels are at their lowest.
2024 Lure Fishing Season:  January and February only, referred to as the Extended Season. You may fish with artificial lures with single hooks. These trips sell quickly. The Extended Season does not include the charter flight and is an added $600.00 fee.

Rio Marie Fishing Program:

Rio Marie fishing guides on Poling Platform while Angler plays a large Peacock Bass.

Group size:  Eight to 12 guests per week.
The Adventure begins in the uppermost stretches of the Rio Marie, with the liveaboard moving downstream at about 75 miles each week. They do not overfish any area. Anglers are greeted each day with new water, a constant and fresh trophy peacock bass fishing grounds.
Guides:  Two anglers per professional English-speaking guide, plus a local Indian guide who drives the boat.
Boats:  Wide-bodied 20-foot shallow draft boats with 90-HP 4-stroke motors and remote-control electric motors. Center console boats have two casting platforms (one at either end of the boat so both anglers can fish at the same time).
Fishing Equipment:  Fly-fishing outfits are provided to guests upon request (Thomas & Thomas rods, Nautilus Reels, and Scientific Anglers Lines). Flies are available for $10.00. A complete gear and tackle list is included in our confirmation packet.
Fishing License is included in the package.
Methods:  Baitfish imitations are mainly used.
2024 Lure Fishing:  During the 2024 Extended Season in January and February, lure fishing is allowed. You may fish with artificial lures with single hooks. Extended Season (Lure Fishing) Rates do not include a roundtrip charter flight from Manaus to Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira, specific to this package. From Manaus, anglers will take a 90-minute charter flight to Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira and then a three-hour speed boat ride to the Lodge. No airfare is included in the Lure Fishing package.

Typical Fishing Day:
5:30 am - Coffee is hot.
7:00 am - Breakfast.
8:00 am - Head to fishing grounds.
Noon - Anglers will have a picnic-style lunch on the river.
1:00 pm - Fishing resumes until late afternoon
5:30 pm - Anglers return to the liveaboard. To the yacht will move everyday and anchor in a different area.
6:30 pm - Cocktails and appetizers on the covered patio top deck.
8:00 pm - Dinners are served in the liveaboard's air-conditioned dining room.

Rio Marie Liveaboard

The Mobility of the Untamed Amazon – the deluxe, shallow-draft mothership – When the water is high, they fish the headwaters of Marié further upriver, exploring new tributaries and lagoons. Upstream, there are 100 more miles of river to explore. When the water drops, they move downstream to familiar beats. Not only does this mobility allow them to fish and explore new water, but it also helps to manage fishing pressure on the river by incorporating a beat system across a broad expanse of over 200 river miles.

Rio Marie Liveaboard

The Untamed Amazon has three levels. The lower floor is a restricted area for staff only and includes the inner workings of the vessel with twin 200-HP propulsion engines. The main floor has eight guest suites, accommodating up to 18 guests. The spacious living and dining room and an open lounge (beverages) are on the top floor. The Liveaboard has two large Jacuzzis.
Communications:  Complimentary Starlink high-speed Wi-Fi internet. There is no cell phone service. A satellite phone is available for guests to use at $5.00 per minute.

Rio Marie Liveaboard

Meals:  On the third level, there is also a full-scale kitchen for chef-prepared four-course meals. American and regional favorites. You'll enjoy expertly prepared four-course dinners in the comfortable dining area. Exotic dishes of freshly caught fish, fresh-baked bread and pastries, chilled wines, ice-cold beer, spirits, and soft drinks await each guest throughout the week. With advanced notice, special diets can be accommodated.
Alcohol:  Wine, beer, and regular spirits are included in the package.

Rio Marie Liveaboard

Cabin Suites have extra-long twin beds. Two single-occupancy suites are available. Each room has a private bathroom with hot water, air conditioning, 24-hour solar-powered electricity, a ceiling-to-floor picture window, and space for storage.

Rio Marie Liveaboard
Rio Marie Liveaboard

Dr. Meng Syn's Trip Recap - Blog, Videos...

Our client Meng Syn does a phenomenal job of his trips recaps. Read his blog and see his outstanding videos listed below.

Dr. Meng Syn's Vimeo Videos:
Butterflies - Butterfly Madness

Flies for the Rio Marie

Dr. Meng Syn's Blog:
The Rio Marie River of Giants

Dr. Meng Syn's Flickr Albums:

Rio Marie

More of the Rio Marie

Getting to the Liveaboard:
This guideline is for the Fly-Fishing-Only Packages.
Please request an information packet for complete details.
1.) It is best to arrive in Manaus a day early (on Friday night) rather than late on Saturday night. At the international airport in Manaus, you'll be greeted by an English-speaking representative. He'll arrange for transfers to a boutique hotel in Manaus. You and another angler will share a double occupancy room included in the package.
2.) After an early breakfast at the hotel, the driver will pick up your group between 5:30 and 6:30 am and head to the local airport. You'll take a 3.5-hour Cessna Caravan floatplane flight to where the liveaboard is anchored and waiting for you. (The ground transfers, the first hotel night in Manaus, and the roundtrip floatplane flight are included in the package.)
3.) On the liveaboard, you'll have a light lunch followed by a short orientation. There is no fishing on the day of arrival. You'll have a chance to get situated and prepare tackle.
Departure Day:  After breakfast, you'll have a few hours to relax before the flight to Manaus. Depending on your departure time, you can fly home on the same day or spend another night in Manaus. (The final hotel night is not included in the package.)

RATES & PACKAGES


2024 USD Rates:

Fly fishing rates include roundtrip floatplane flights.

8-nights and 6-days guided fishing
August - December:
Two anglers per room and skiff:
$7,600 + $700 Native Comm Fee = $8,300.00 per person

One angler per room and 2 per skiff:
$8,400 + $700 Native Comm Fee = $9,100.00 per person

One angler per room and skiff:
$12,540 + $700 Native Comm Fee = $13,240.00 per person

Non-angler companion:
$5,150 + $490 Native Comm Fee = $5,640.00 per person

Extended Season - Fly or Lure Fishing
You may fish with artificial lures with single hooks.
January and February of 2024 ONLY.
Rates do not include floatplane flights. An additional fee applies for the charter flight from Manaus to Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira.

Two anglers per room and skiff:
$5,700 + $550 Native Comm. Fee = $6,250.00 per person

One angler per room and skiff:
$9,405 + $550 Native Comm. Fee = $9,955.00 per person

One angler per room and two per skiff:
$6,540 + $550 Native Comm. Fee = $7,090.00 per person

Non-angler companion:
$4,357 + $400 Native Comm. Fee = 4,757.00 per person

The Native Community Fee:
This Project was based as a long-term social Project which supports the preservation of the Indian Culture and improving their quality of life. The Rio Marie River has formed an association (ACIBRN) and board to protect their interests moving forward. This Association includes representatives from all 14 Indian Communities. The Project has a significant user fee on all visiting anglers. The funds from the fee will primarily be used for social projects, infrastructure development, transportation, and medical and education projects. The tax is payable in cash (USD) to the representative upon your arrival in Manaus and goes directly to the Indian Association Account. Anglers receive a receipt from the Association. The fee represents an important step in the continuing effort to protect their ability to share this amazing and unique part of the world.


The Packages Include:

• One night (double occupancy) at a boutique hotel in Manaus upon arrival
• All necessary ground transfers in Manaus
• Roundtrip floatplane flight between Manaus and the liveaboard
  (Does Not Apply for Lure Fishing Extended Season)
• Boat transfers
• All meals at the liveaboard
• Wine, beer, and spirits on the liveaboard
• Daily laundry and maid service
• 6-days guided fishing
• Fishing license
• Use of fly fishing outfits
• Our eBook Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass
  by Larry and Guy Schoenborn.

The Packages Do Not Include:

• International airfare
• Native Community Fee paid in cash upon arrival to Brazil
• Gratuities for guides and camp staff
• Fishing equipment
• Flies, $10.00 each on the liveaboard
• Premium spirits on the liveaboard
• Food and beverages in Manaus
• City tours in Manaus
• Satellite phone calls, $5.00 per minute
• Extra hotel nights
• Airport departure tax (if not included in airfare)
• Global Rescue
• Travel insurance
• A Brazilian eVisa is required as of 04/01/2024.
• For Extended Season Package:  The roundtrip charter flight between Manaus and Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira
• Anything not mentioned under inclusions.
• As of December 10, 2020, Fishing with Larry adds a 2.5% convenience fee to all credit card transactions.



Rio Marie POLICIES:
A Signed Indemnity Release is Required:  The Lodge requires that all guests sign a KNOWLEDGE LETTER, All guests, without exception, must sign the knowledge letter and the terms of responsibility prior to their trip.

Covid Requirements:  For vaccinated travelers with Proof of a Covid vaccination, a PCR test is not required before entering an Indigenous Territory. For those who DO NOT have proof of vaccination, you are required to have a negative PCR test in Manaus before arriving at the Lodge. The outfitter can provide a PCR test for $30.00 per person.
In addition, if a client tests POSITIVE, we are going to roll over the trip into the same season -based on the availability- without any additional cost (except the international flight and/or commercial flight, that should be up to the clients). In case that we have availability for the following week to roll over the trip, the client can wait one week in the hotel in Manaus (all the cost should be covered by them). If we don't have any availability, unfortunately the client will lose his trip.

Deposit Policy:  Booking trips less than a year out requires a deposit of 50% of the total price and must be received within five days from the reservation date to confirm a package. The remaining balance is due 90 days prior to the trip. If your trip is more than one year out, a deposit of 25% of the total price must be received within five days from the reservation date to confirm a package. 25% is due one year prior to the trip, and the remaining balance is due 90 days prior to the trip.

Cancellation Policy:  The Deposit required to confirm your reservation is NON-REFUNDABLE unless the customer is replaced. If there is no other replacement, the individual is responsible for the full costs, and no refund will be made to the customer. Additionally, there are no refunds for any unused part of the travel package. The Company and its subsidiaries are not responsible for cancellations resulting from weather conditions, river levels, or a Force Majeure event, and shall provide no refunds for such an event. The Company may opt to provide alternate dates, as set forth further below, in its sole and absolute discretion. In addition, the indigenous tax costs must be reviewed in the pre-trip itinerary and must be paid in cash upon your arrival in Brazil on the agreed-upon arrival date. After making a reservation, you will be deemed to have given your consent to their terms and conditions, as well as their cancellation policy detailed here.

Force Majeure” shall be defined herein as circumstances beyond Company's reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; weather conditions; wars; civil or military disturbances; acts of terrorism; sabotage; strikes; epidemics; pandemics; viral or bacterial outbreaks; riots; power failures; computer failure and any such circumstances beyond our reasonable control as may cause interruption, loss or malfunction of utility, transportation, computer (hardware or software) or telephone communication service; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority; governmental actions; or inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation. To be clear, any amounts paid to the Company for your travel package are non-refundable under any conditions. You hereby acknowledge and agree to the refund and cancellation policy.

Fishing with Larry strongly recommends purchasing trip insurance. Click here for our Travel Insurance page.

Rio Marie High Water Policy:

Fishing for peacock bass in the Amazon jungle represents one of the last frontiers in the fly-fishing world. As with any such hyper-remote destinations, there can be challenges associated with offering a first-class experience in the ‘back of beyond.’ In the Amazon, water level conditions will, on occasion, present such challenges. The Amazon River annual water level cycles are not a simple equation, even for the most experienced local experts. Normally, high and low water levels here follow a fairly predictable monthly cycle, but climate changes and the effects of stronger or weaker El Niño and La Niña cycles can directly and immediately affect those levels. Specifically, these El Niño and La Niña events tend to impact the amount of rain in the headwaters of Amazon rivers, which in turn affects the entire Amazon basin. Water levels are important when fishing for peacock bass, and understanding how to work around them is a key component to success. Low water does not always result in the best fishing, just as high water is not always the worst thing. More important is to understand where and how to fish as the water fluctuates.
The Rio Marie system has several hundred miles of rivers, tributaries, and lagoons from its headwaters down to its merging with the Rio Negro. Within this extensive water system, the liveaboard can move up or downstream throughout the season—every week or even daily—to reach the best water levels for trophy fish. This system is useful when navigating less-than-ideal water conditions. Although the Rio Marie’s season is based on the best water conditions, it’s difficult to predict water levels, and this is one of the risks associated with fishing the Amazon. If you are not comfortable with the risk of the river levels being too high or low during your trip, then it is probably not the trip for you. You will not be refunded for water conditions that may not meet your expectations. In the event the water is too high to fish on any given week, your week will be rescheduled to a later time, but there will not be a refund of your trip payment.

Rio Marie Fly Fishing


Rio Marie - River of Giants

Guide and Angler with Large Peacock Bass

Popular Peacock Bass Flies

Assortment of Peacock Bass Flies

Mike Sadar with Peacock Bass

Mike Sadar with Rio Marie peacock bass

Peacock Bass eBook $2.99 on Amazon

Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass eBook

Fishing Travel Experts


Guy Schoenborn

1-800-205-3474 ext. 1

MT Office:  406-322-5709

Email:  guy@fishingwithlarry.com

Brad Staples

1-800-205-3474 ext. 3

Cell (503) 250-0558

Email:  brad@fishingwithlarry.com