The Fishing: Multi‑Species Fly Fishing on the Xingu River
The mythological Xingu River — protected inside Kayapo indigenous land — offers a clear-water fishing paradise and one of the most prolific multi-species fisheries on earth. Flowing over 250 km through 22 million acres of virgin Amazon forest, this remote jungle fishing trip offers unparalleled fly fishing Amazon adventures acuteangling.com+8Xingu | Untamed Angling+8Sportquest Holidays+8.
Target iconic predators: hunt trophy payara — the fierce “vampire fish” reaching over 20 lb — in crystal-clear pools; sight-fish explosive peacock bass endemic to the Iriri basin; or test your skill with pacu, matrinxã, wolf fish, bicuda and more Xingu | Untamed Angling+3Xingu | Untamed Angling+3Sportquest Holidays+3. Our expert team pairs an experienced English-speaking guide with ancient Kayapo wisdom for truly immersive fly fishing Amazon expeditions Wikipedia+10Xingu | Untamed Angling+10Sportquest Holidays+10.
Best season is September to December during low-water months—ideal for surface and deep-water sight fishing for payara and other predators Sportquest Holidays+5Xingu | Untamed Angling+5Fishing with Larry+5. Cast into runs, rapids, deeper pools and lagoons from aluminum skiffs or wet-wade in shallow flats. Expect a week fished to the last moment: sunrise coffee, dawn and dusk fishing sessions, riverbank luncheons, followed by evening cocktails under the stars Xingu | Untamed Angling+5Fishing with Larry+5Sportquest Holidays+5.
Perfect for seasoned anglers looking to join one of the top remote fishing lodges in Brazil — all catch-and-release, eco-conscious, and threaded with cultural respect Xingu | Untamed Anglingacuteangling.com.
XINGU
The mythological Brazilian Xingu River inside the Kayapo Indigenous Land is in a protected, clear-water fishing paradise. The Xingu basin offers the most prolific multispecies fishery in the Amazon and probably of all freshwater rivers on earth. It flows more than 250km through over 22 million acres of virgin primary Amazon forest.
PAYARA
The ultimate jungle predators are known for their sizable teeth and aggressive behavior. In the Xingu, they can reach more than 20 pounds. The Xingu River’s clear waters are ideal for anglers who want to target big payara with a range of techniques.
DIVERSITY
Xingu offers many different habitats for fish, and consequently, offers unparalleled species diversity. There are more than 10 species that anglers can target on the fly like peacock bass, wolfish, matrincha, pacu, bicuda, surubí, and more.
PRO AND NATIVE GUIDES
Anglers can access a wide variety of water from our aluminum boats with the assistance of one experienced English-speaking guide and the ancient knowledge of the Kayapo guides. With both guides helping you, the Xingu comes alive as a superior fishing experience for our anglers.
If you want to read more about the travel, logistics, gear of this incredible experience, check out the travel planner.
Peacock Bass
Peacock Bass Cichla melaniae This endemic species of peacock bass is only found in Iriri River Basin, and they are the only ones that prefer moving water over stagnant water. Their average size is around 5-9 lbs with some big fish up to 12 lbs. Most of the time we sight fish for them using poppers or streamers. These bass are beautiful to sight fish for and watch an aggressive strike.
Wolf Fish
Wolf Fish Hoplias aimara They act like hungry wolves chasing a piece of meat when you cast a popper or a big fly. We recommend an 8wt rod and floating line for them. In Kendjam we only sight fish for them, so if you like fishing for aggressive predators, it doesn't get much more exciting than watching a wolf fish attack a popper. They can reach up to 20lbs in Kendjam.
Pacu
Pacu We fly fish for 3 different species of pacu: Silver Pacu, Pacu Seringa and Pacu Curupete. The mighty pacu eat insects and anglers can fish for them with dry flies, wets, nymphs and even algae flies using trout sight fishing techniques in runs, flats and pools. They are a jungle delight with a 5-6wt rod. Their average size is 3 to 8 lbs.
Matrinxã
Matrinxã Brycon falcatus The Matrincha is pound for pound one of the strongest fish in the jungle. Their average size (3-8 lbs) makes them a perfect gamefish for dry flies like hoppers, beetles and topwater attractors. We recommend 5-6wt fly rods for this pursuit. They are an omnivorous species and lay in shallow flats and runs. They run like crazy, so be prepared to see your backing!
Bicuda
Bicuda Boulengerella cuvieri Their bodies and turbo boosted tails resemble a barracuda, making them the real runners of the Iriri River. A really aggressive topwater predator, they are most exciting when caught using poppers and divers. The bicudas average from 4-10 lbs. and guarantee a strike of pure adrenaline in your day of fishing. A 7wt rod is the perfect outfit for them.
Payara
Payara Hydrolycus armatus The payara is a real challenge at Kendjam, found commonly rolling in the morning or in pools chasing baitfish. These fish fight really hard! It's normal to lose these fish when they jump, due to a particularly hard mouth. We use streamers with intermediate and sink tip fly lines for payara, their average size ranges from 5-20 pounds.
Surubi & Red Tail Catfish
Surubi & Red Tail Catfish Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum & Phractocephalus hemioliopterus The Iriri River surubi is a highly predacious hunter of small fish, and your best chance to catch one on fly is on the shallow sandbar banks. Their size is about 5-20 lbs. Be prepared for the amazing red tail catfish, the strongest catfish species in the rivers of the Amazon. At Kendjam, they can reach over 60lbs.
Peacock Bass
Cichla melaniae
This endemic species of peacock bass is only found in Iriri River Basin, and they are the only ones that prefer moving water over stagnant water. Their average size is around 5-9 lbs with some big fish up to 12 lbs. Most of the time we sight fish for them using poppers or streamers. These bass are beautiful to sight fish for and watch an aggressive strike.
Wolf Fish
Hoplias aimara
They act like hungry wolves chasing a piece of meat when you cast a popper or a big fly. We recommend an 8wt rod and floating line for them. In Kendjam we only sight fish for them, so if you like fishing for aggressive predators, it doesn't get much more exciting than watching a wolf fish attack a popper. They can reach up to 20lbs in Kendjam.
Pacu
We fly fish for 3 different species of pacu: Silver Pacu, Pacu Seringa and Pacu Curupete. The mighty pacu eat insects and anglers can fish for them with dry flies, wets, nymphs and even algae flies using trout sight fishing techniques in runs, flats and pools. They are a jungle delight with a 5-6wt rod. Their average size is 3 to 8 lbs.
Matrinxã
Brycon falcatus
The Matrincha is pound for pound one of the strongest fish in the jungle. Their average size (3-8 lbs) makes them a perfect gamefish for dry flies like hoppers, beetles and topwater attractors. We recommend 5-6wt fly rods for this pursuit. They are an omnivorous species and lay in shallow flats and runs. They run like crazy, so be prepared to see your backing!
Bicuda
Boulengerella cuvieri
Their bodies and turbo boosted tails resemble a barracuda, making them the real runners of the Iriri River. A really aggressive topwater predator, they are most exciting when caught using poppers and divers. The bicudas average from 4-10 lbs. and guarantee a strike of pure adrenaline in your day of fishing. A 7wt rod is the perfect outfit for them.
Payara
Hydrolycus armatus
The payara is a real challenge at Kendjam, found commonly rolling in the morning or in pools chasing baitfish. These fish fight really hard! It's normal to lose these fish when they jump, due to a particularly hard mouth. We use streamers with intermediate and sink tip fly lines for payara, their average size ranges from 5-20 pounds.
Surubi & Red Tail Catfish
Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum & Phractocephalus hemioliopterus
The Iriri River surubi is a highly predacious hunter of small fish, and your best chance to catch one on fly is on the shallow sandbar banks. Their size is about 5-20 lbs. Be prepared for the amazing red tail catfish, the strongest catfish species in the rivers of the Amazon. At Kendjam, they can reach over 60lbs.
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