Peacock Bass
Fishing
What
sets Manaka apart from all other peacock bass destinations?
Besides the
enviable comforts of the lodge, Manaka is the only fishing lodge
on the Orinoco/Ventuari river system. This means that you and the
other Manaka's guests will be the only fishermen using this vast
and untapped fishery. You must see the area from the air to fully
comprehend the enormity of the river drainage. The unique combination
of isolation, comfort, unlimited fishing area, and a strict catch-and-release
policy provides the optimum situation for catching the greatest
possible numbers of trophy peacock bass.
What type
of fishing conditions am I going to meet at Manaka?
Once you experience
the inconceivable surface strike of the peacock bass, you will probably
want to concentrate on top water fishing most of the week. You will
expect to catch 25 plus peacock bass per day; they will be anywhere
from 5 to 20 pounds! The "Pavón", peacock bass in Spanish, is a
Cichlid, and there are three different species at Manaka. The Cichla
nigrolineatus or Royal Pavón, it averages about five pounds, and
has a central uneven horizontal black line on both sides of the
body that runs from the gills to the end of the dorsal fin. The
Cichla orinocensis or Butterfly averages about four pounds, is the
most abundant: it has three ocellates spots, which run along its
lateral side. And there is the Cichla temensis. Spotted or Deer,
Cinchado in Spanish; it has an unmistakable mottle patch directly
behind the eyes. Also, four horizontal dotted lines on both sides
that tend to disappear when the fish gets over 20 inches, then,
three wide vertical black will appear on both sides. This is the
biggest of them all reaching over 20 pounds. There are other fishe
that you will be able to catch during your stay: The sable tooth
"Payara", a strong fighter that will make acrobatic jumps and can
reach over twenty pounds. "The Sardinatas", also called "the leaping
maniac" are found in large schools. The "Piranhas" found day and
night can weight from one to three pounds. "Morocoto" is like a
large bluegill that can reach over forty pounds. Then there are
the different types of catfish or "Bagres" where some, like the
"Lau Lau", can reach up to four hundred pounds.
