Action on the Amazon

Giant peacock bass present only one of many diversions in this spectacular rainforest. At first it looked like a shark. It acted like a shark. But we all knew what slammed my top-water lure and powered its way near the surface of the small lagoon: a fat peacock bass.

The colorful brute sported a gigantic spawning hump on its forehead, and the protuberance created an enormous wake.

In Brazil’s Amazon Basin, male peacock bass usually develop a big hump over a four- to eight-week spawning period. The fish become especially tough in that crazed condition, and more than one befuddled fellow has felt a rod ripped from his hands after an explosive strike and ox-like run. And truth be known, it happened once to me when a 24 ½-pounder de-rodded me, though I partly found redemption by retrieving the rod as it sank and still managed to land the monster.

This time, my grip held sure when the fierce battle ensued. The big peacock jumped three feet out of the water four times, repeatedly charged away from our boat and effortlessly stripped line off the reel as it tried unsuccessfully to bury itself in the submerged palo (fallen trees). Although one of the world’s most powerful fish tried its best to destroy my tackle, the drag gears held up and the heavy line didn’t fray as the fish bullied in and out of the submerged forest.

Glad, my guide, finally netted the colorful beauty. It began another of my many glorious trips to the Amazon rainforest in pursuit of the mighty peacock bass and a host of other exotic game fish.