Fish the Amazon with Gink & Gasoline and Nomadic Waters!

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Photo David Cannon

By Justin Pickett

Who’s ready to chuck flies at aggressive Peacock Bass in the Amazon jungle?

We are excited to announce our newest hosted trip with Nomadic Waters! Join us September 10-18, 2021 as we travel to the Brazil interior to chase Peacock Bass throughout some of the Amazon River’s fish-filled tributaries. The Peacock Bass of the Amazon are known as some of the most aggressive, yet beautiful fish on the planet. Found on most anglers’ bucket list, they live within the watersheds of the largest, most biodiverse rainforest on our planet, making this a trip of a lifetime.  


Before we go any further, I know everyone is concerned about COVID-19. You’ve got questions and Nomadic Waters has answers.

Read Nomadic Waters COVID-19 policy here: https://www.nomadicwaters.com/covid19-response

Read General terms and conditions here: https://www.nomadicwaters.com/terms-and-conditions


Over the past several years, the Nomadic Waters crew has developed a fly fishing experience that offers amenities and hospitality unrivaled by other operations in the Amazon.

Through their dedicated work they have built strong relationships and gained support from the local Amazon communities, helping grow their mothership program to become an increasingly popular fishing program that welcomes many repeat guests, and hosts, yearly. Yes, the fishing in the Amazon is amazing, but it is the attention to the finest details, professionalism, and their hard-working staff that made us choose Nomadic Waters. 

Location: Uatumã River Federal Reserve, Brazil

Trip Dates: September 10-18, 2021

Price: $5300 ($5600 after April 1, 2021). A 50% non-refundable deposit will hold your spot.

Photo Mike Rennie

Our trip will focus on the prime time of year to fish the waters of the Uatumã River and the surrounding federal reserve. September through October is the sweet spot of time when the water is low enough to bring the fish out of the deep cover, but remain deep enough to navigate our mother ship through the Uatumã’s secret channels.  This area has very limited access to outsiders.  In fact, Nomadic Waters is one of only three outfitters allowed inside this federally protected reserve.  This means that you will be casting in water that has not been fished since the previous year’s trips, literally 365 days before.  Because of this, these fish are less accustomed to being fished to, which only increases your chance of hooking up! 

Being that Nomadic Waters is a mothership program, we will constantly be on the move. Fishing from top-of-the-line Bass Trackers (don’t worry, they’re setup for fly fishing!) during the day, the mothership will motor to a new location overnight. Due to this and the great size of these waters, you will always have short runs to the fishing and never see the same water twice! Throughout the week we will cover some 60 miles of river, while also exploring some of the countless lakes and lagoons along the way. The mothership is rarely more than 20 minutes away from where we are fishing, so this is a great expedition for those who might want to come back early and rest.  Anglers often choose to return to the boat for lunch and a siesta in your air-conditioned suite, or in a hammock on the deck.

Photo Oliver Rodgers

This is a great adventure for anglers who are looking for a complete jungle experience. We will have contact with small jungle communities throughout the trip, usually having several opportunities to visit villages along the way. This is their home and the core reason as to why Nomadic Waters chose this region to host their trips. These people have been friends of Nomadic Waters for years and most of their guides grew up and still live in these communities. These visits often become the most talked about part of the trip, regardless of how good the fishing was. 

Adding to the jungle experience, the amount and variety of wildlife in the Amazon is unrivaled. On any given day our guests can encounter flocks of Scarlet Macaws flying overhead, Pink River Dolphins playing alongside the mothership, and the sounds of Howler Monkeys echoing through the sunrise-soaked canopy. Take the time to look up from the water now and then! This isn’t just a fishing trip. It’s an experience!

Getting There… And Back:

Just a five-hour flight from Miami, travel to Manaus, Brazil is much easier than what some anglers may have experienced traveling to destinations such as Alaska or Argentina. There are also some very economical airfare options out of Miami due to the availability of flights. Once we have all arrived in Manaus, we will be greeted by Campos, Nomadic Water’s own client liaison who has been with them since day one. Following a short bus ride from the airport, we will check into the Davinci Hotel and take in a good night’s rest. The next morning there will be time to check out the breakfast buffet and maybe a short jaunt to one of the many local shops before departing on a short charter flight to the interior where we will meet up with the rest of the crew and the mothership. After six awesome days of fishing, we will fly back into Manaus and check back into the Davinci Hotel. We will, again, have time to peruse some of the local shops and then gather that evening for dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse before departing for the airport to return home. Michael and Kristi have made this trip tons of times and have worked out many of the kinks that they first encountered when they were first working out the logistics of this trip years ago. We will make sure that your travel is the least of your worries. It’s up to you to make sure you packed underwear though!

On a side note… Something that is very unique to this trip, and one of the many reasons why we chose Nomadic Waters, is that Michael (Nomadic’s fishing manager) will be aboard the mothership, and may even fish with some of you during the trip. Michael takes a very active role in the day-to-day operation and that is something you will not find with every operation. Rest assured that they will make your trip a memorable one!

* If you would like assistance with booking your flights, Nomadic Waters also works with a team of travel agents that are well adept at handling your every travel need throughout the duration of your travel!*

Mothership Accomodations: 

In 2019, Nomadic Waters doubled down and upgraded their already amazing fishing program with a beautiful, new mothership in order to take the experience over the top. The Eyruna is 108 foot long, 40 foot wide, three level yacht that boasts nine single occupancy and two double occupancy cabins, each with its own bathroom/hot water shower, refrigerator, and air conditioning. This trip is perfect for couples who fish together! This new ship also sports an enclosed dining room, jacuzzi, and an open-air deck. The most important part of the ship, however, is the professional crew that will treat you like family during your trip. Many of them have work for Nomadic Waters since day one and know just what it takes to make your experience a memorable one.

The Fishery:

Photo David Cannon

The Uatumã is the home to several types of Peacock Bass, but the three types that are commonly caught in this region are the Paca, Butterfly, and the Assu. These fish are known for aggressive strikes and can provide a week full of excitement. The 2018 and 2019 seasons averaged 800 fish landed per week with several weeks over 900, and one week that saw over 1600 fish landed! While these numbers are impressive, this fishery still demands proficient casters, making practicing your technique very important. While the Peacocks will be our main focus, other fish species such as Wolf-fish, Arowana, Payara, Red-Bellied Piranha, and Jacunda will also inhale a well-presented fly. 

Big Bonus!

On the last day of the trip we will throw all our anglers’ names in a drawing for a spankin’ new Winston Alpha+ 908-4 Fly Rod.

I don’t think we need to tell you just how awesome that is and how excited we are to have them be a part of this trip! Big thanks to Adam Hutchison and the rest of the awesome folks at Winston for joining the fun on this already amazing experience! 

Each angler will also receive a fly line/leader/tippet package from Scientific Anglers to aide in getting everyone set up for success! Scientific Anglers has developed many amazing products specific to fishing in jungle conditions and handling big flies and bigger fish! They’ve got you covered!

What’s Included?

8 Nights in country, 6 full days of guided fishing. 

Single Occupancy accommodations aboard one of the finest motherships.

Nomadic Waters host/interpreter, all airport transfers, and single occupancy hotel accommodations in Manaus, Brazil.

Round Trip charter flights to the Nomadic Waters Mothership.

All permits, licenses, insurance, and documents required to fish within the Reserve.

Drawing for Winston Alpha+ 908-4 Fly Rod ($935 Retail)

Scientific Anglers Package

Daily laundry and room service aboard the mothership.

Domestic beer and chef-prepared Brazilian cuisine.

Both myself and Michael (Nomadic Waters fishing manager) will be on board and able to work personally with each guest to ensure everyone has what they need to enjoy their trip.

What’s NOT Included:

Transportation to Manaus, Brazil (Nomadic Waters travel agent available to assist with booking flights)

Meals and drinks while in Manaus.

Gratuities for guides and crew (typically around 10% of trip cost)

Additional alcohol/liquor. This can be purchased in any duty-free shop and easily transported or purchased in Manaus.

Extras Services Available To You:

Trip Insurance (recommended) 

Travel experts to assist you with your airfare and schedules. One call and everything is taken care of!

Additional day/city tours of Manaus

Access to satellite phone

Fly rod and reel rentals ($80 per rod/reel per trip)

Custom, quality fly selections available online at www.ShopNomadicWaters.com

Nomadic Waters gear, apparel, and accessories available at www.ShopNomadicWaters.com 

*I know currently we are going through a difficult time with the health concerns brought on by COVID-19. While it is uncertain when exactly this virus will dissipate and life will return to normal, rest assured this will pass, businesses will re-open, and unrestricted travel will resume. As always, travel insurance is a smart investment and the best way to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances, so it is highly recommended when planning any trips. We will certainly continue to keep an eye on things in the meantime, however we are looking forward to this amazing trip with you and Nomadic Waters in 2021!

Questions? Ready To Book? Contact Us At Justin@GinkandGasoline.com! 

Learn more about Nomadic Waters and their highly rated trips in the links below and check out their featured episode of Seasons On The Fly on the Discovery Channel! 

Seasons On The Fly Episode on Discovery Channel: 

Trip Advisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g303235-d14236745-Reviews-Nomadic_Waters_Brazil-Manaus_Amazon_River_State_of_Amazonas.html

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadicwaters/

Justin Pickett
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 
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