At the invitation of Wellington Brant, I had the opportunity to represent the sport fishing importer and distributor EVERQUEST SPORTS and THE FISHERMAN'S HUT on the expedition to Barcelos, aboard the luxurious Amazon Lord I, alongside big names in sport fishing and the REDAI FISHING Group, led by custom rod and builder designe of the renowned Brazilian brand, Jansen Irioda.
This invitation could never be refused! Wellington Brant, an experienced fisherman, a great connoisseur of Manaus and who represents Operation AMAZON LORD, chaired by Dr Agamenon Martins, the most comfortable, complete and safe fishing boat and expedition in Manaus, he is a great friend of all at Everquest Sports and, after a trip with us to Robinson Crusoé Island, in the beginning of 2019, he made the invitation impossible to refuse!
The Amazon Lord is not just a hotel boat, but a complete company, specialized in sport fishing and ecological tourism. It has its own fleet of boats, today with two hotel boats, the Amazon Lord I and the Amazon Lord II, 10 speedboats (Bass Tracker) for the Amazon Lord I and 6 for the Amazon Lord II, fully equipped and with a 60hp Yamaha engine and a support boat, the Lamb of God, where all the crew, fishing guides and food are stored, ensuring more comfort and privacy for customers at Amazon Lord I.
For 2020, the Amazon Lord III and the acquisition of 10 more speedboats are already in the final stages of construction !!! So much success is not for nothing! Under the care of Wellington Brant and Agamenon Martins, Operation Amazon Lord is, without a doubt, perfect !!!
Accepting the invitation, the first step was the purchase of the airline ticket to Manaus. The round-trip ticket through Latam was purchased for around R $ 650.00 plus taxes and fees. It is worthwhile to follow the promotions of the airlines and also make the reservation in advance, guaranteeing the best values. Other companies that make the route São Paulo x Manaus, in addition to Latam, are Gol and Azul.
Next step was the preparation of all the material for the fishery. A dream catch like Barcelos could not be hampered by the wrong choice of material. At Everquest Sports, I provided the Smith Vaprax lures that come with the Decoy S81 garments, the most resistant for Manaus, Varivas SMP PE3 line, 50lb Fluorine Shockleader from Varivas, solid and split rings from Decoy. The rod to be used would be the Black Mamba, 20lbs, from Redai Fishing (it turned out to be very efficient!). Top and complete set for Barcelos needs.
All ready!!! Anxiety to 1000 !!! Many exchanges of messages in the Whats App group !! All counting the days for the great expedition and exchanging essential tips and information (and games too, of course!).
Anyway, the big day arrived and, after a quiet flight, the group, formed by me, the brothers Brant, Wellington and Weberton, Gustavo Uemura, Marcos Hamamura, Daniel Koga and the Redai Fishing Group, led by Custom builder and rod designer from brand, Jansen Irioda, arrived in Manaus on November 23, 2019 for a 6-day fishing expedition on the Rio Negro and its tributaries, behind large Tucunarés Açus and beautiful and exotic Tucunarés Paca e Borboleta, scheduled to return on 30 November.
We arrived at the International Airport of Manaus, Eduardo Gomes, and we were
promptly received by the AMAZON LORD reception team at 2:55 pm. We then proceeded to HOTEL QUALITY INN, located next to the largest mall in the city, Manauara, where there are plenty of shops, restaurants and bars, such as the famous Cachaçaria do Dedé, where we had the pleasure of trying the delicious pork knee pururucado, a local dish that served two people well.
We were woken up at 5am with a delicious and complete breakfast, with a wide choice of fresh fruits, cold cuts, breads and sweets, all anticipated
Early in the morning we went to the CTA Táxi Aéreo hangar, where we boarded the super-safe Caravan plane for a 1h40 trip over the Amazon rainforest. Arriving at Barcelos Airport, we were met by the Amazon Lord land team and we were already on our way to AMAZON LORD I. The team, super helpful and efficient, did not let anyone in the group carry a backpack. Comfort and maximum care for fishermen were already noticed in the first contacts with the team.
At AMAZON LORD I we were introduced to the crew, made up of 12 men, 
prepared and trained to provide the group with 6 days that would be unforgettable: Almir, operational manager and great reference in fishing for Tucunaré Açu (what an honor!), Angenor, Fluvial Commander, José Raimundo, deputy commander and mechanic, German, practical, Jânio, chef who guaranteed a few extra pounds for each fisherman, serving incredible dishes, Marcio, kitchen assistant, Jadiel and Diego, waiters, Aldair, chamberlain who maintained the rooms impeccably clean and tidy every day, Antonio, deck sailor, Adauto, deck attendant and Formiga, general helper. In addition to the crew, they also met the fishing guides, Careca, Wilson, Gavião, Antonio, Davino, Arnoldo, Rato, Cobra and Black, all with great knowledge of fishing and the region. We have received safety guidelines and information about the operation and we are already on our way to a part-day fishing trip.
A brief description of the Amazon Lord I is worthwhile. On board, the group has already been greeted with plenty of food and drinks. Brahma draft beer, Heineken beers, full bar with imported spirits, soft drinks and natural and fresh juices, fish baits, nuts, fillets and sausages appetizers with Chef Jânio available for whatever we wanted. These were fattening days, with great gastronomic pleasure!
Jânio is the owner of the kitchen! The guy knows what he is doing and is proud to see customers getting enough of the delights he prepares! And be creative! He does not repeat the menu !! Breakfast buffet, with breads, sweets, sandwiches made to order, tapioca, fresh fruits, juices ... Lunch was also served every day at the Amazon Lord I restaurant, at 12pm. Full buffet, with two options of protein, side dishes, dessert, fruit and ice cream. The group could stop for lunch and rest, but if they preferred, they would order sandwiches and snacks that were taken to the speedboats.
All rooms were suites with single beds, single. No bunk! Bed linen was changed daily and room service was impeccable, ensuring cleanliness and organization. The air conditioning was kept on 24 hours uninterruptedly in all internal environments, powered by its own generator, preventing power outages and also contamination of water and food. A treat that caught everyone's attention was the laundry service, charged separately but very cheap! The clothes were delivered to the rooms, soft and fragrant.
The bathrooms were spacious, with luxury shower, hot water, bactericidal soap and mineral water for tooth brushing and hygiene!
The long awaited fishing routine has started! Two fishermen and a guide on each speedboat, stocked with snacks, drinks and sandwiches, exploring the surroundings in search of the best fishing spot, while Amazon Lord I headed towards Santa Isabel do Rio Negro and positioned himself at the meeting point.
A very important issue to be reported was that, on the first day, the motorboat where I was had a breakdown in the electric motor! But for Amazon Lord, such an annoyance can never harm the customer! There was already another reserve motorboat ready !!! In a few minutes the crew transferred the equipment to the reserve boat and we went on without any stress! The crew is always prepared to deal with unforeseen circumstances without the fishermen being bothered or worried.
When we arrived from the fisheries, the waiters Jadiel and Diego already knew each other's preferences for drinks and snacks and there was no need to order! They were already received with their favorite treats! I arrived and Jadiel and Diego were already running to receive me with tonic water full of ice and squeezed lemon !!! It seems that guys read thoughts !!!! Make wishes come true !!!
Every day, at 5 am, the group was awakened by the crew, who was knocking on doors, from room to room, calling for breakfast, which we took without haste before boarding the fishing boats, exploring the Rio Negro and its diverse backwaters and tributaries in search of the great Tucunarés Açus.
Nature was a show apart! All the time we heard howling howler monkeys, we could see blue and red macaws, toucans, parrots in pairs, many pink dolphins and otters. Exuberant nature. Magical place.
Couples of macaws and parrots symbolize fidelity when choosing a single partner to live together for the rest of their lives. It was beautiful to see them always flying in pairs.
And a pleasant surprise that you don't need repellents! The acidity of the black river prevents the proliferation of insects.
The dark color of the Rio Negro, which looks like Coca-Cola, occurs due to the decomposition of the leaves and branches of trees in the forest. Earthworms and some bacteria break down organic matter to form humus. When this humus decomposes, it starts releasing humic acid and fulvic acid, which are largely responsible for the dark hue of the Negro River and also for its acidity.
On the first day of fishing, which would be part-time, I shared a motorboat with the guide Cobra and Marcos Hamamura. It was a day of recognition and the sea, oops, the river, was not for fish. Not at all! Very crowded river. But fishing is not JUST catching fish! Sharing the motorboat with an experienced guide from the region and Marcos Hamamura is to exchange knowledge and guarantee hours of lots of laughter and chat.
On the second day the fishing started to improve and we didn't even go back to lunch. The river was still high and fishing was difficult, but we were already starting to warm up! We took some small pacific peacocks and admired the lush nature.
On the third day, we had the great honor of fishing with Almir, operational manager for Amazon Lord. It was a real private lesson with lots of tips.
On the fourth day I shared the launch with Daniel Koga. The fishery was starting to improve and we had good specimens and more action. We caught peacocks and butterflies. We stopped for lunch with a delicious oxtail on board the Amazon Lord I! On this day they discovered a new and unusual company! They met “Lula”, an açu alligator, of approximately 3 meters and already known to the crew, who usually accompanies the Amazon Lord waiting for bread!
I would get better and better every day, and on the fifth day I joined Gustavo Uemura. Incredible day, with plenty of action, good fish and finally a beautiful specimen of tucunaré açu.
On the return from fishing, this day, break routine! In the afternoon a typical barbecue was offered by the river, with ground fire, fish and meat. To accompany, rice, salad and a flour of local recipe that Janio will have to send the recipe!
The most surprises night! A luau on the beach, with plenty of food, noble Wagyu meats, ambient music, socializing.
On the sixth and last day I couldn't be happier! I had a chance to fish with the Brandt brothers! Super experienced and fun duo! Two brothers who get along very well and transmit good energy to everyone around them. On this last day we didn't have much action, but we caught a lot of fish and ended at 12pm to return to Barcelos.
Unfortunately the binge was over. We spent the night at Amazon Lord I in Barcelos and the next morning we boarded the plane to Manaus, where we went to the international airport towards São Paulo on 11/30.
This trip, for sure, will remain forever in the memory of the entire group, as the first of many that are yet to come.
I, also on behalf of The Fisherman's Hut and Everquest Sports, especially thank Wellington Brant and all the incredible and dedicated Amazon Lord team and also the friends who accompanied this experience and the Redai Fishing Group! And they were new and very good friends that I had the chance to meet on our adventure. Let the next come !!
Do you wanna go to Manaus wiht AMAZON LORD?
THE FISHERMAN'S HUT can take you!
ADDRESS:
5915 Memorial Hwy,
Suit 108, 33615
Tampa,
Florida, US
Phone No: (813) 867-8001
info@thefisherman'shut.com