Brazil / Amazon Rain Forest Adventure Kendjam Fishing Lodge Reference Post & Index

I've done a lot traveling. But before this trip I'd never been to the Amazon, never been to Brazil, not even to South America (outside of a one day cruise ship stop in Caracas as a child).  This adventure trip to the Kendjam Fishing Lodge, located on the banks of the Iriri River flowing through the Amazonian wilderness, rectified that glaring oversight. I hesitate to call this a "once in a lifetime" adventure, as I've been proven wrong when making that statement in the past. But I won't hesitate to call it a trip of a lifetime. An extraordinary adventure, with fantastic fishing, unique travel experiences, made more meaningful and enjoyable because it was in the company of my brother Harlan and cousins Danny, Larry and Jared.

Eight anglers are hosted at the lodge each week of the fishing / dry season. Five of the eight was our family group. We met Dave, Brian and Dr. Fred at the lodge. Our trip was week seven of the Kendjam fishing season. Our seven days on the river (as well as our explorations in and around Manaus) are journaled in this blog and indexed below. The image at the top of this post is from the Kendjam Lodge summarizing our week at the lodge. The text of the report:

"Kendjam 2025 Season Fishing Report"

A Line Between Generations

Week 07 | July 26 – August 2

"Week 07 offered more than just technical fishing. We welcomed a family of five who came with a shared purpose, bringing both lightness and reflection to their days on the Kendjam. Their presence reminded us how the river connects stories across generations and how fly fishing can be both healing and joyful.

The river was in prime shape, and guests responded to its rhythm with both curiosity and control. Dry fly sessions lit up in several stretches, while streamer work yielded consistent results with larger species. As always, the Iriri River, with its more than 800 miles, rewarded focus and finesse, encouraging each fisherman to adapt and evolve.

Peacock bass were the main attraction, showing in size and numbers, but the range of species (matrinxã to payara) kept everyone adjusting, experimenting, and discovering new layers of what this jungle river has to offer. Each day felt unique, shaped by the rhythm of the river and the group's growing bond with it."

ANGLERS: 8 Guests

WATER CONDITIONS

• Water Color: Glistening and pure, with that glass-like clarity
• Water Level: Low and steadily dropping

WEATHER CONDITIONS

• Temperature: Averaging 33°C (91.4°F) during the day and 20°C (68°F) at night
• Skies: Consistently sunny and bright throughout the week with a scattered shower by last day.

WEEKLY STATS

Total Fish Landed: 327

Standout Catches:

• Wolf Fish 88 cm (34.6 in)
• Peacock Bass 65 cm (25.6 in)
• Matrinxã 52 cm (20.5 in)
• Bicuda 87 cm (34.3 in)
• Pacu Rubber 48 cm (18.9 in)
• Pacu Silver 38 cm (15 in)
• Payara 85 cm (33.5 in)

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT

"Fred, Fred, and Fred. At 84 years old, this fly angler brought more than skill — he brought a spirit. With 55 years of casting behind him, Dr. Fred turned every session into a masterclass, not just in technique but in how to embrace each moment on the water. A true legend with a smile to match every cast."

This reference post may periodically be updated with info and links about the journey. We'll start with this chronological index linking the journal entries for each day of our Amazon Adventure:

Posting Date	Post Title
07/21/25	Dancing Again... ORD => IAH => BOG => MAO
07/22/25	Manaus
07/23/25	Teatras Amazonas and Acclimatizing
07/24/25	The Meeting of Waters & Meeting of Clans
0725/25	Preparing for Kendjam (+ Piranha)
07/26/25	Flying and Floating to the Kendjam Fishing Lodge
07/27/25	Fishing at Last
07/28/25	It's called "fishing" not "catching"
07/29/25	The Kendjam 'Gram
07/30/25	“A Flyrod Day! A Red Day! A Pacu Day!"
07/31/25	The Wallach Double
08/01/25	Last Dance, Last Chance, Last Cast
08/02/25	Back to Manaus
08/03/25	Manaus & Teddy Roosevelt Redux
08/04/25	MAO => GRU => ORD
08/05/25	Amazon Adventure Index (This Post)

To be continued...

Amazon Adventure Day 11 - Last Dance, Last Chance, Last Cast

Catch of the Day (and Week and Year) - HW with Wolf Fish

 Fishing Day 6:

Guide: Ciru
Native Guides: Nee, Bep bu Di
Fishing Beat: 2
Quote of the Day: "It's the dry season. But it's also the Amazon Rain Forest."  - Brian
Other Quote of the Day: "The wolf fish is the stupidest fish." - Ciru
Other Other Quote of the Day:"I told you." - MW 

Rainbow over the Iriri River

Our last day fishing was ushered in with thunder, lightning and a driving rain overnight. By morning the rain subsided. A few light showers gave way to a spectacular rainbow over the boats, a mystical gateway to our last day on the river.   

Ciru was our guide today. We told him the same story we've told every guide the last few days. More wading and less fishing from the boat. And we'd like to get a wolf fish. 

This clip was supposed to end with me catching a fish. It didn't. 

Ciru tried. Anywhere a wolf fish might be found on our beat, he put us in a position to catch one. With some of the most spectacular river scenery yet. We did catch more fish. More peacock bass. More piranha. But no wolf fish. Until...

It was late afternoon. Time was running out. Last day. Last afternoon. Ciru guided me to a spot where a feeder stream flowed into the Iriri. I was casting across the stream to a rock face under a tree. Another likely wolf fish lair. Harlan was wading upriver with the native guides.  Far enough away that we could barely hear the commotion. I saw Nee running back and shouting. Ciru looked at me and said "He has a wolf fish!".  I said "Go get the picture!" There was no way I could get across the stream and to Harlan's location in time. "Wait. Do you have a camera?" Ciru shook his head no. I knew Harlan left his in the boat. "Here..." I tossed my phone to him. "If it locks out, the pin is [REDACTED]". Ciru was across the stream and out of sight in seconds, heading to Harlan's location, carrying my phone with my entire life on it, and with the pin that accessed everything. No matter. Getting the picture was the only thing that mattered now. 

He got the picture. A lot of them.

Harlan later described what I did not see: 

"We spent 7 days at the Kendjam Camp fishing on the Iriri River. Caught 8 species of fish I’d never seen before but the Amazonian Wolf Fish had evaded me. On the last day, in the last hour, on my last cast before heading back to camp I caught this beast. The native Kayapo warrior behind me, Bep bu Di, jumped in to the neck-deep water to net this fish. An amazing experience all around." - HW

Amazing indeed. What a way to finish. Almost mystical. 

With the magicians: L to R - MW, Nee, Ciru, HW, Bep bu Di

Our last dinner at the lodge tasted particularly good. 

A magical day. A magical week. A magical trip. 

All that's left to say is  "I told you."

Oh wait. Almost forgot. The Requisite Daily Token Heller Fish Pic...

Larry also caught a Wolf Fish.

Amazon Adventure Day 9 - "Arise Fishers of Iriri! A Flyrod Day! A Red Day! A Pacu Day!"

Catch of the Day - Harlan Catches Pacu

 Fishing Day 4:

Guide: Joao (JV)
Native Guides: Foguinho, Pebcue
Fishing Beat: 1
QOD (Quote of the Day): "We'll get a Wolf Fish on the last afternoon of the last day." - MW

Back on the river with Joao as our guide. We're now past the halfway point for our fishing days on the Iriri River. Frankly, the experience thus far has already wildly exceeded my expectations for the trip. I'm having a great time bonding with my brother and cousins. We're embedded deep in the Amazon wilderness, surrounded by wildlife everywhere we look - under the water; on land, and in the air. And we're catching more fish, different fish, and bigger fish, than I dared to expect. Great experiences all around.

Despite exceeding all expectations, we still want more. And now we want to catch a wolf fish. This becomes our challenge to the 3 guides we'll have over the remaining 3 days. Spoiler Alert: It doesn't happen today with JV, despite no lack of trying on his part. But we do have another great day on Iriri. 

On The Boat:

Another Peacock Bass

Another Jakunda

Another Bicuda

On The Shore: 

We put ashore and...  

JV hacks us through a jungle trail to one of the many Iriri River braids...

... and prime Wolf Fish water, where....

... we fail to catch a Wolf Fish. 

After lunch, motivated by some mild stimulants, we cut short our rest time and did a little wet wading. To cool off, we took a a quick dip in the river, despite Teddy's warning:

"Piranha habits are in some ways inexplicable. We saw men frequently bathing unmolested; but there are places where this is never safe, and in any place if a school of the fish appear swimmers are in danger; and a wounded man or beast is in deadly peril if piranhas are in the neighborhood. Ordinarily it appears that an unwounded man is attacked only by accident. Such accidents are rare; but they happen with sufficient frequency to justify much caution in entering water where piranhas abound." - Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness" 

These pics were taken a few minutes and a few feet apart:

Another large piranha today. 

And another Peacock Pose with another nice Peacock Bass

At the end of the day, we went Pacu hunting again. The Pacu is a challenging fish to catch. It is a vegetarian, eating primarily algae, nuts, berries, and leaves. So lures and flies that imitate fish and insects are generally not effective. Both yesterday and today JV put us on a Pacu boil where we could see them taking food off the surface all around the boat. I abandoned the spin rig for my backup flyrod with a green shoefly. Neither of us could entice a Pacu yesterday. Today Harlan hit paydirt and caught several. 

A pacu boil.

A pacu catch.

A pacu. 

That wraps up our fishing for the day. Time for the Heller Token Catch of the Day:

Larry's Rubber Pacu. By his own admission, a lucky catch. 

No wolfies but another great day on the Iriri. Important to note that in the QOD (see above), I made a bold prediction this day. Perhaps it is not so bold. These things seem just seem to happen that way. When Sigrid and I were on a dive trip in Papua New Guinea, we told our divemaster that we wanted to see Hammerhead Sharks. It was the last dive of the last day when we saw a hammerhead swim casually by us. When we were touring in Ranthambore in India, we wanted to see a wild tiger. It was on almost the last game drive on the way back to the lodge that a tiger crossed our path. I think this is called "foreshadowing". 

Anyway, can't say enough about how much I appreciate this crew...

 From L to R - JV, HW, Foguinho, Pebcue, MW

After a day like this, dinner was particularly tasty. 

Forgot to take a pic of dessert. Which was delicious. 

Amazon Adventure Day 7 - It's called "fishing" not "catching"

The Green Wall

"The lofty and matted forest rose like a green wall on either hand. The trees were stately and beautiful. The looped and twisted vines hung from them like great ropes. Masses of epiphytes grew both on the dead trees and the living; some had huge leaves like elephants’ ears. Now and then fragrant scents were blown to us from flowers on the banks. There were not many birds, and for the most part the forest was silent; rarely we heard strange calls from the depths of the woods, or saw a cormorant or ibis." - Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

Today it's our turn to have the mystical body adornment applied. Expectations are high for Day 2 on the river. 

I'm liking this look.

The itinerary for our second day on the river is the same as the first. As will be the next four days. 

Fishing Day 2
Guide: Ezekiel
Native Guides: Menhmro, Bepayre
Fishing Beat: 3

QOD (Quote of the Day): "As the saying goes - Lucky in cards, unlucky in fish." - MW 

We head out full of confidence proudly displaying our new ink... 

There is no getting around it. We did not have a good day fishing. I had plenty of strikes but kept losing them due to my Midwest fishing instincts. I did land a piranha, but it was not photo worthy. Harlan had better luck than me, landing some peacock bass and piranha. But certainly disappointing compared to yesterday. 

  

Here Harlan with a Peacock Bass and me with a desiccated baby Pacu. Ezekial brought the Pacu to me while Harlan was fly fishing from shore and I was thrashing the water with my lure from the boat. I guess he wanted to be sure I had a fish in my hand before the day was out. Very considerate of him. 

Given the lack of fishing success, today is a good day to post some scenic Iriri River landscapes. 

 

I can't blame Ezekial or the native guides for my fishing performance today. They put us on fish all day. I just couldn't land them. 

Others had better luck this day. As noted elsewhere, I am trying to accommodate some of the incessant whining coming from the cousins about insufficient photos of their catches. Despite the fact that they were in another boat and I don't have their pics, I try to accommodate. Today's Token Heller Fish Pic of the Day:

Jared lands a monster payara.

 

One nice thing about the Kendjam Lodge experience - Regardless of whether you had a successful fishing day or not... At the end of the day, after nine hours on the river, when you trudge up the beach back to the lodge, Jovani has a delicious snack ready and Allie is waiting to greet you with a smile and a cold drink.

Dinner, as usual, was delicious. Moqueca's Fish was everyone's favorite.

After dinner, drinks, and many more fish stories (everyone had a much better day fishing than us), the conversation turned to cards. Larry was again insisting we play Euchre - a game with which I was completely unfamiliar. But, I agreed - thinking that losing at Euchre might improve our fishing odd the next day (see QOD at top of this post). Harlan and I teamed against Larry and Jared. We played two games with a win each. We never got to the rubber game due to a ruling dispute. Larry is just bad at explaining the rules of the game. Or he was changing the rules from one game to the next. Don't know. In any case we left it as a tie and I remain undefeated. 

Amazon Adventure Day 6 - Fishing at Last

My Catch of the Day - A Big Piranha

"The piranha is a short, deep-bodied fish, with a blunt face and a heavily undershot or projecting lower jaw which gapes widely. The razor-edged teeth are wedge-shaped like a shark’s, and the jaw muscles possess great power. The rabid, furious snaps drive the teeth through flesh and bone. The head with its short muzzle, staring malignant eyes, and gaping, cruelly armed jaws, is the embodiment of evil ferocity; and the actions of the fish exactly match its looks. I never witnessed an exhibition of such impotent, savage fury as was shown by the piranhas as they flapped on deck... The only redeeming feature about them is that they are themselves fairly good to eat, although with too many bones." - Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

The official itinerary for 27-July to 01-August:

"Each day individual team (2 anglers) will head out for the day, fishing downstream the Iriri River, its channels and tributaries. Each two anglers will share a fluent English speaking fly fishing guide along with a local native guide in an aluminum boat. Both anglers are able to constantly fish all day long. That allows anglers to access an amazing new area neve fished before by guests and also optimize fishing days with less navigation and more fishing hours. The outcomes are planned for two anglers. 

Typical Day 

5:30 AM - Coffee is hot

7:00 AM - Breakfast

8:00 AM - Head to fishing grounds

12:00 to 1:00 PM - Anglers will have a picnic style lunch on the river.

1:00 PM - After lunch, fishing will resume until late afternoon when the

guides will deliver anglers back to the camp around 5:30 PM

6:30 PM - Cocktails and appetizers will be served

7:30 PM - Dinner will be served"

The challenge is to try to summarize some of our wild fishing and extraordinary experiences on the Irini River over the next six days. We'll start with the daily drill: 

Two anglers are paired with an Untamed Angling Fishing Guide and two Native Guides who drive, paddle, and wrestle the aluminum skiff around one of four designated fishing "beats" or sections on the river. The sections are large with many different options to fish in each "beat". Eight anglers means four boats, one per "beat" each day. We'll each see all four guides, two days each with the first two guides, then one day each for the remaining guides on the last two days.  

DISCLOSURE: Harlan and I are paired for the entire trip so obviously our direct experience is most of what we can describe in this journal. Anything we include about the other anglers should be treated as second hand uncorroborated fish stories. 

I should also note that, while I consider myself a good fisherman, I was clearly outclassed by everyone else on this trip. The other seven anglers have all had much more experience than me, as evidenced by the fish stories they told and the gear they brought. Everyone had a large selection of lures and/or flies and at least two or three rod /reel combinations.  I purchased a new spinning rod and reel just for the trip (based on cousin Danny's recommendation) and borrowed a fly rod from my brother-in-law, Jeff. I brought seven lures that were purchased for me by my brother Harlan based on cousin Larry's recommendation. I carried my lures in a ziplock plastic bag - a source of some amusement and sympathy from my fellow anglers who all carried backpacks full of flies and lures. 

Fishing Day 1

Guide: Ezekiel
Native Guides: Menhmro, Bepayre
Fishing Beat: 4
QOD (Quote of the Day): "Talk to me when you still have seven lures." - Jared

Before heading for the boats, we have another opportunity for a fun aspect of the trip - a local artist applying decorative body designs. You tell her the general area you want painted and she applies the design as she sees fit. The patterns are supposed to help protect you from the Amazon dangers or help you catch fish, or both, or neither. Don't know. In any case, Jared was the first to volunteer, setting the bar pretty high for the rest of us. 

Back to the fishing, When fishing at home in Big Shag Lake with visiting friends and family, we will often track First Fish, Most Fish, and Biggest Fish honors. Other additional categories than could be applied at Kendjam might include Most Species, Toughest Catch and Weirdest Catch. 

As the saying goes - "It's called fishing, not catching." You never know what to expect when you hit the water. But for us this first day - the action started early.  I caught the first fish in our boat. A piranha...

First Fish - A Piranha

I doubt anyone else in the other boats were even thinking about tracking the first fish of the trip, BUT... we had a short ride on our beat, this one came quickly, and the photo has a time stamp of 8:59 AM Sunday, July 27. Which was pretty early after we put the boats in the water. So, unless someone else documents an earlier time stamp, I'm claiming First Fish honors for the group.

The fish soon started coming fast and furious. We both lost a few hooked fish as we needed to unlearn the way we fish in the Midwest. There, you strike a fish too hard and you might yank the hook out it's mouth. Here the mouth of the fish is so tough that if you don't strike hard and frequently, the hook won't set and you'll lose it. 

We each managed to land a few small Peacock Bass and I got a Bicuda. My big catch before lunch was the big Piranha at the top of the page and here: 

The native guides were sufficiently impressed that they kept the piranha to bring back to the family for a meal. As I already determined in a previous post, piranha are good eating. 

We pulled ashore for lunch at a peaceful shaded spot and enjoyed the sandwiches and other foodstuffs we each selected this morning.

 Then back on the river. Significant catches after lunch include:

Harlan caught a nice Matrinxa...

... and I caught another nice bicuda.

My count for the day: 5 - Piranhas, 2 - Peacock Bass, 2 - Bicuda.  Harlan had a similar total with different mix. We were both pretty happy with our first day on the River. 

Back at the Lodge, the Angling Eight gravitated to the Lodge for a drink and to exchange stories. Everyone had a good day. Brian caught seven different species, Dave hooked six Wolf fish. The Hellers took too many fish to count (by their count), apparently aided by Danny's innovative new chumming technique. 

Everyone was exhausted after dinner, but Larry wanted to play cards. This invoked a discussion of whether we should play Euchre (which Harlan and I never played) or Hearts (which the Hellers never played). The discussion precipitated the OQOD (Other Quote of the Day) by your humble Blogger:

"I've never lost a game of Hearts." - Mike 

So Mike, Harlan, Larry and Jared played Hearts. 

And I won. 

On to day two.