Barefoot Adventures, Guyana, February 2024: Hosted Trip with Sam Lungren

Outfitter Jules Fredericks utilizes two rugged jungle camps, respectively three and six hours upriver from Rewa Village, providing access to a wealth of arapaima ponds and lagoons. These small lakes, of varying difficulty to reach, all contain robust and varied populations of the giant fish, offering anglers multiple visual shots every session. Learn how to manage your nerves, because you’re likely to see a 9-foot fish gulp air within nine feet of you. But sight-stalking arapaima on flatwater is far from the only game in town; the river and its backwaters host the full suite of marquee and obscure jungle fish species, from brilliant peacock bass to sleek arowana and muscular catfishes. The now-famous Corona Falls hosts heavy-water fishing like you may have never seen, with pumpkin-orange pacu to vampiric payara, possibly even the rare wolf fish. There is never a dull moment or a spot you can’t have a line in the water.

Due to its great remoteness within the contiguous Amazon rainforest, this operation only includes what guides can bring in by river boat. But you don’t have to worry about getting cold, and the expertly framed and stretched tarp tent basecamp soon feels like a cozy cabin in the jungle. The guides, captains, and cook are all native Macushi and Wapishana residents of the Rewa Village and provide an immersive experience in good jungle living, from wildlife viewing to hearty local dishes—often caught or arrowed that day. And the whole staff likes to keep its guests comfortable with a generator for charging electronics and running a freezer, to somnolent hammocks with bug nets, to basic shower and toilet facilities, and a healthy stock of Brazilian beer and Guyanan rum. You’ll likely see and hear howler monkeys and scarlet macaws right from the large dining room table.

It may go without saying that the king of all freshwater fishes reigns supreme here, too. “Small arapaima,” between 40 and 100 pounds, are common, aggressive and hard fighting. But the “average” fish may well be over the century mark, and anglers will see specimens reaching past 200, 300, and possibly even 400 pounds. Unofficial records have been caught here—unverified because guides refuse to kill or even excessively manhandle the sacred arapaima.

But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a catch-and-release only operation: the guides love nothing more than to harvest a couple of the delectable and highly populous peacock bass to spatchcock and roast over a low fire and share for lunch. The brawny and ornate catfishes that teem in the main river are also frequently on the menu for dinner, including the redtail/pirarara, tiger/surubi, leopard/perruno, topwater/dawala, and possibly even the mythical and monstrous jau catfish.

The jungle fly fishing holy grail for those in the know, however, might be the pacu. Somewhat resembling and behaving like permit, these black-to-bright-orange herbivores provide one of the fishing world’s great challenges in their grassy glides around cascades and rapids, such as Corona Falls. The saber-fanged payara are a good deal more aggressive and grow beyond 20 pounds here, showing off stunning jumps and a fearsome countenance. Arowana and butterfly peacock bass are similarly acrobatic and even more common. Other interesting species like swordfish (not that kind), cuti, and large black piranha keep anglers entertained and on their guard. There’s hardly an inch of water here that doesn’t have some dozens of fascinating fish lurking nearby.

Guyana is among the most biodiverse nations on earth. Birdwatchers will be thrilled by blue-and-yellow macaws, cocoi herons, jungle ducks, and possibly even harpy eagles—not to mention the more than 800 other bird species native to Guyana. There’s even more species of reptiles, including black caimans, Jesus Christ lizards, giant river turtles, and the enormous anaconda. Capibara, spider and howler monkeys, tapirs, giant river otters, and jaguars are the stars of the mammalian class. But it must be said that this is an extremely serious fishing camp and angling comes first and foremost. You’ll see no shortage of wildlife while on the water.

Guyana is one of the least developed countries in South America, if not the world. Travel to the remotest regions can be arduous but well worth the journey. Anglers typically fly into Cheddi Jagan Airport in the capital of Georgetown direct from Miami, Houston, or New York. From there you’ll transfer to the smaller Ogle Airport for a scenic one-hour flight to Lethem on the Brazilian border. The outfitter picks you up there and you’ll ride across the scenic savannah two hours to the Rupununi River landing near Annai. Downriver an hour or so is the traditional and welcoming Rewa Village. A right turn at that confluence takes you up the Rewa River. Inside three hours you’ll arrive at Anteater Camp right near the entrances to more than a dozen highly productive and unpressured arapaima ponds. There is also the option to take two or three of the days to travel another two hours upriver to their Riverburst Camp, even more remote, rugged, and scenic than the first location. From there you can access the hallowed Corona Falls within a reasonable boat ride and look for pacu, wolf fish, huge payara, enormous catfish, and who-knows-what-else in the deep, cascading torrents.

Fly Fishing International’s services are completely free. Clients will not pay more than if booked directly with a lodge. All rates are per person based on double occupancy, and listed in U.S. dollars.

2024 Rates

6 days fishing, 8 days total: $3,500 per angler

8 days fishing, 10 days total: $4,500 per angler

Bookings are confirmed with a 50% deposit, made no later than seven days after booking a trip. Balance must be received no later than 90 days prior to the first day of the trip. Notification of cancellation must be received 90 days prior to the first day of the trip in order to receive partial or full credit for an alternate date. All payments are final and nonrefundable.

Booking a trip or making a deposit represents that the client accepts all terms and conditions. GFFI’s terms are in addition to any terms and conditions of each individual lodge that GFFI represents. Please read those terms carefully—lodge terms, which may differ from GFFI’s terms, supersede any agreements between GFFI and a client.