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Dropping Water Levels Indicate Prime Season for Amazon Peacock Bass
The Amazon basin is providing extraordinary peacock bass fishing as 2026 starts, with numerous lodge operations reporting what veteran guides are calling perfect “dropping water” conditions throughout the Rio Negro and Agua Boa watersheds.
Reports from the last 2 weeks of December validate that declining river levels have actually exposed the area’s signature golden sand beaches and focused baitfish– and the predators that eat them– into accessible channels and lagoons. More than one lodge has actually explained fishing in late December and early January as “extraordinary,” with constant topwater action and high catch rates of both butterfly and peacock bass.
The numbers support the interest. Rio Marié, referred to as the River of Giants, logged 238 peacock bass for a single group throughout the week of December 7-14, consisting of 7 fish going beyond 15 pounds and numerous prizes over 20 pounds. Guides associated the success to fast-dropping water levels, a particular hydrological trigger that requires fish to rearrange strongly and feed opportunistically.
The extensive nature of the reports– covering both the Roraima area and the wider Rio Negro basin– recommends this is more than a localized phenomenon. When numerous river systems throughout numerous miles reveal comparable patterns, it normally indicates a basin-wide peak in seasonal conditions.
The experience highlights an essential fact of Amazon peacock bass fishing: the fishery is shooting, however anglers require to be in the best water level window. Fixed lodges presently in the “sweet area” are seeing extraordinary days, while mobile operations are effectively chasing after the drop.
The outlook for January and February stays strong. Weather report for Manaus and Barcelos anticipate scattered thunderstorms and irregular light rain for the very first half of January, with day-to-day build-up typically under half an inch– normal for the rain forest and not likely to activate the abrupt river increases that can close down fishing. A Christmas Eve test at Agua Boa, where downpour stopped working to lessen the bite, recommends present feeding activity is robust enough to hold up against localized weather condition occasions. For anglers with journeys scheduled in the coming weeks, conditions prefer aggressive topwater action and sight-fishing chances on exposed sandbars. The main variable stays localized heavy rains, however the present pattern shows a steady, high-production season is underway.
