Get ready - your trip is right around the corner!
Having the right equipment can ensure your trip goes as well as possible. If you don't have everything you need, don't worry we can help. As a Destination Travel customer, you are entitled to a 15% discount on any gear that you may need in our online store. Use code BRAZIL2026 when checking out to receive your discount. If we are out of stock or you don't see what you want in our online store, please let us know. We are happy to place a special order for you if the item is available from our supplier.
Click here for Nomadic Waters Packing List
Fly Rods
A great rule of thumb is to match the rod weight to the size of the fly you are fishing. A 5-inch EP style fly, deceiver, clouser minnow, or half & half are perfect on a 9 weight, and anything smaller should be in an 8 weight, and anything larger should be thrown with a 10 weight.
For most situations, a 9 weight rod with a Scientific Anglers Titan Jungle Line WFF/I intermediate tip and 6-7 feet of straight 50-pound mono or flouro for a leader is perfect.
For throwing poppers, an 8 weight rod with a Scientific Anglers Mastery Jungle Titan WFF line and straight 40 - 50 pound mono is good.
Fly Reels
Fly Reels: You will need a reel that properly balances with your rod and is designed to thrive in this tropical environment. Saltwater-grade reels will be able to sustain the hot conditions of this fishery. Consider the weight of your reel carefully. It is not uncommon to make a thousand casts in a day (really), so balance and weight are critical factors. For example, if you are fishing a 9-weight rod and have a choice between taking an 8/9 reel or a 9/10 reel, absolutely take the 8/9. Your casting arm and shoulder with thank you.
Performance-wise, you will need a drag that locks down and stops these fish. We don't let these fish make long runs because they will take you straight to the structure and break you off. The right reel for the job needs to perform flawlessly under extreme conditions.
Fly Lines
Fly Lines: Arguably the most important part of the system. Invest your money in the best fly line you can find, and bring an extra (the piranha sometimes like to cut our lines in half!). A tropical Intermediate sink tip line that is designed to throw large flies is our go-to. Our favorite is Scientific Anglers' Mastery or Sonar Titan Jungle Clear Tip, it is literally all you need for 95% of our experiences. Now, if you decide to throw a popper or two, then you'll need to bring Scientific Anglers' Mastery Titan Jungle floating line.
WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THE TEXTURED FLY LINES FOR OUR FISHERY. They will tear up your hands.
There are other fly-line manufacturers out there. We don't recommend them because they don't make the specialized taper that is required for this fishery, or they simply don't hold up in our conditions. Rio has some great tapers, but their lines start breaking down by the end of day 2 and are unfishable by day 4 (this is a $120 fly line). Our guests experience this every year.
TIP: These specialized lines are very unique and there is a learning curve involved in casting them effectively. Check out Nomadic Waters casting videos here.
Terminal Tackle
LEADERS
We keep it simple and use 6-7 feet of 40-pound to 60-pound Scientific Anglers' Absolute Shock Tippet mono or fluoro for a leader. This is a challenge for our guests to understand until they hook into their first double-digit peacock bass: 40-pound mono is as light as we go. Returning Guests fish 50 and 60-pound tippet. That should tell you something. A 12-pound peacock bass will shatter a 40-pound shock tippet with one shake of its head! Just don't go too crazy here, your fly line has a breaking strength of 40 pounds.
Apparel
Travel Bags and Luggage
Flies
Michael Williams, from Nomadic waters, tends to have a very strong opinion regarding successful flies for peacock bass, and there is a reason.
"I'm about to share an industry secret with you. I will likely sound very unprofessional here...I can live with that. All I ask is that you consider why I'm telling you this, my motivation: I want you to have exactly the right flies for our fishery.
Why is that so hard? Well, because the industry is full of experts, but very few really have the right information for you. What exactly do I mean? Let me walk you through a typical scenario:
It's your first time fishing in the Brazilian Amazon for peacock bass, and you need flies. Although you have fished for years, you really don't know exactly what you will need, so you contact your favorite fly shop.
Guess what? The fly shop doesn't know either. Believe me, I deal with all the great fly shops around the country, and I can only think of three that would make the correct suggestions. Most will tell you that large poppers, huge streamers, and giant articulated flies are the ticket. Then, they will open a fly manufacturer catalog, and under the Jungle selection, they will see everything they just recommended. Their expertise is confirmed, right?
Wrong.
Guess what? The fly manufacturers don't know either. Most of their fly designers have never fished in the jungle, so they build beautiful flies that are based on what they assume. The manufacturers know that the destination angler who purchases jungle flies won't flinch at a high-priced item and will likely buy in quantity. This results in a very exotic, very expensive selection of flies...that will not work.
Don't believe me? Out of Umpqua's Jungle Selection of 22 flies, I would personally fish 3 of them, and they still aren't 100% right. You've done your research and you've dropped $400 on flies. It is your first day in the jungle and you've just asked me what fly you should start out with...and they are all wrong. Now I will have to supply you with a week of flies out of my personal inventory, which is expensive for me and frustrating for both of us."
One fly manufacturer that we highly recommend is Enrico Puglisi Flies. These patterns are easy to cast and extremely durable. Our fish eat them like candy. Our largest peacock in 2023 was 23 pounds and was caught on an EP baby peacock fly. Our favorites are the Amazon Special (both colors are deadly), Dorado in chartreuse/yellow, Baby Dorado, and Baby Peacock. Their Roosterfish Sardina (both colors) and their mackerel patterns are some of Michael's favorites.
INSIDER TIP: Bring a red sharpie to add a critical color to your flies.