Is this the easiest saltwater trip out there?
It is snowing outside, and I have only been back from 27/28 degrees and sunshine for 48 hours. My story actually begins back in August of 2023 when I went to Xingu which was a bit of a disaster – you can read the blog here. There was a shining light on that adventure, and he was called Everton Pires, and he was the Head Guide and, as it turned out, jack of all trades in looking after my party because the camp had been understaffed. He was one of those guys who works hard, cares about the clients, really tries to do a good job and yet was very torn between flying the flag for the lodge he worked for and telling the truth. During our chats, he nonchalantly mentioned that when he was not in the jungle, he ran a little tarpon operation from his home city Recife and I should pop and see him some time. It was a kind invite not a business invite. We stayed in touch.
A few weeks ago, we got chatting again over WhatsApp and from his boat he asked me to speak to Guido Perillo, his partner. I did not know he had a partner, but Guido was available, and we chatted and he explained his role. Guido is no slouch either, he has guided in Xingu (as a colleague of Everton’s), Tierra del Fuego/Rio Gallegos, trout in Argentina, Bolivia for dorado, Rio Marie, Brazil for peacock bass, on the Nordura and Midfjardara in Iceland, Russia, King salmon in Chile and his hometown is right by La Zona where the biggest dorado are caught. He has just been invited to guide for Six Rivers in Iceland next summer, that is a real compliment in itself.
So, this is how Silver King Brazil works between them. You have chatty, energetic Argentine Guido in charge of sales and logistics, and you have the laid back but crazily hard-working Everton in charge of the fishing and guiding. They have allocated their time wisely with Guido’s international lodge experience and know-how ensuring all goes well away from the fishing (back-up guide too) and Everton in charge of the fishing which he has got to know and understand on his own using a kayak for the past eight years. Both are in their 30’s.
The fishery is unique in many ways. The season runs from mid-September to mid to late March. First, nobody else fishes for tarpon here. There are no other lodges or guides. You see the odd local with a net fishing for mullet and occasionally a guy with a spinner which does not seem very effective! If staying near Recife, they fish four different rivers (not clear water), each with their own character. The biggest and most productive (but perhaps smaller fish on average) is the Capibaribe river which is in the centre of Recife itself.
This may be appealing to some and not others, but it is an eclectic mix of towering office and residential blocks, not the cleanest water and yet thousands of ducks, families of capybara and a thriving tarpon population. From the water one can witness the beautiful old town, modern hotels and all around the culture of Recife going about its business with the ever-present mussel fishermen toing and froing from their fishing areas, boats empty and then laiden.
Another river is the Sirinhaém which is deep in sugarcane country as far as the eye can see but they have clearly not been allowed to clear along the rivers so when on the river, one is deep in the trees and in your own world. The last two rivers accessed from Recife are the Ipojuca and Jaboatão which are also more out in the countryside where one only sees local people living in remote tiny settlements.
The Capibaribe river is the most productive with a smaller average size but that does not mean that fish of 30lbs or more are not possible (I had a crazy 30lbs + fish) while the other three rivers have less fish but with a bigger average size. The hook-up statistics they suggest are reasonable at 10 a day for the Capibaribe and 5 per day for the other rivers but I have to say I had more hook-ups and saw fish rolling everywhere we went and all day long. To my eye, there is absolutely no shortage of fish at all, the challenge is getting them to take and keep hold of them once they do! There is another fishing programme out of town by over 100 kms which can be a separate trip or combined with days in Recife focusing on big tarpon but success is not guaranteed.
About Recife City
With a population of 1.5 million, Recife city is the capital of Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil, and centre of an area that includes several industrial towns. It is an Atlantic seaport located at the confluence of the Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers. Recife has been called the Venice of Brazil because the city is crossed by waterways and its component parts are linked by numerous bridges.
In the second quarter of the 16th century, wealthy Portuguese colonists lived in splendour at Olinda, just to the north. Recife was then merely an anchorage that handled their exports of sugar and their imports. It was raided by French pirates in 1561 and by the English in 1595. In 1630 it was captured by the Dutch who held it for 24 years. The town prospered under the governorship of Count John Maurice of Nassau. In 1710, the inhabitants revolted against the magnates of Olinda in what is now called the War of the Mascates (i.e., peddlers) because the small tradesmen of Recife tried to organise a municipality of their own. In 1827 Recife became the official capital of the province of Pernambuco. Recife has shared in the prosperity of northeastern Brazil that resulted from development promoted after 1960. Although its retail and wholesale trade have grown in response to the region’s increases in population and wealth, the market area and the walkways of the city’s bridges are crowded with vendors selling small items.
Besides the State Museum, there are museums of sugarcane and of popular art. There are many historic churches and public buildings, including the Governor’s Palace and the Santa Isabel Theatre. The beaches of Boa Viagem, on the city’s south side, attract large numbers of tourists. Recife is home to three major stadiums, reflecting its obsession football!
Recife has a symphony orchestra, a conservatory of music, and several theatrical companies, including the nationally renowned Pernambuco Amateur Theatre and the Popular Theatre of the Northeast. Reflecting the area’s distinctive cultural composition are the folklore festivals: the Xangô is typically African, while carnival time is vibrant with the compulsive music of the forró, an emotionally and physically exacting dance.
How does it all work and why is it so easy?
There is a flight with TAP Air Portugal from London to Lisbon (2 hrs 10) and then Lisbon to Recife (8 hrs) direct. It leaves the UK in the morning and gets to Recife about 2130 in the evening. Guido meets guests and drives them about 45 minutes to where they will stay. It is possible to eat at the airport before leaving it but generally, it is time for bed.
Due to the nature and location of the rivers Everton and Guido have not set up a lodge. They rent houses for the season which are comfortable and functional for guests with ensuite rooms, Wi-Fi, hot water etc. They cater to all your needs at the house including bringing in Gilvan, the chef, a lovely guy who does a great job. You really want for nothing and as a four-rod max operation (at present) it is all very relaxed. I have suggested to the guys that they consider improving things further with a list of menu options before arrival, so they know that guests are getting to eat and drink exactly what they like. We enjoyed pork, fish, steaks on the barbecue, shrimp, chicken etc with the added bonus of proper ripe fruits and avocados etc.
They will get you up early for two reasons, the first is fishing related to tide timings, the second is to get you to the fishing avoiding the traffic. What takes 20 minutes on empty roads in the early morning can be an hour and 20 minutes once everyone else is awake. Besides, a 4 am start is 7 am in the UK and it really is a breeze. Have a relaxed breakfast…
You drive to your launch site (journeys from 20 minutes to 45 minutes) and off you go fishing. If in the city, you have lunch at a restaurant, if out of town, you have sandwiches and fruit. Generally, you get back to the house at about 3pm. Relax, swim in the pool (or the sea – their houses are usually near the beach) and then enjoy a caipirinha, a cocktail made with cachaça, sugar, lime juice, and ice, before dinner at perhaps 6 and bed around 8pm which is 11pm UK time. Basically, you can stay on the UK time, and I can tell you, there is zero jetlag! On your last day, you can wake up and fish as normal, come back and have dinner as normal, and then pack and shower and get to the airport for about 8.30pm ready for your flight to Lisbon leaving at 11.10pm. You land in the UK at 5.30pm, head home and go to bed! You literally waste no time and feel perfectly fine on your return! Somehow, you have had some great fishing, some lovely relaxed down time, fun with Guido and Everton and you are not jet-lagged or exhausted at the end of it.
What are baby and sub-adult tarpon and why are they in the rivers?
I could write
my own version of the life cycle of a tarpon but the Bonefish
and Tarpon Trust do an
admirable job so I quote from them.
“Spawning is where it all begins. This remains the most unknown variable
of the equation, and one of the most important. We know that spawning
occurs in late spring through summer, and the limited information available
suggests that tarpon spawn over 100 miles offshore, where they presently
receive no protection. Limited data also indicates that spawning occurs in
association with the full and new moons, but we don’t think that every tarpon
spawns every month. Anecdotal evidence from anglers also supports this
theory – descriptions of schools of tarpon heading offshore prior to the full
and new moons, and back into coastal waters in the days following during
spawning season. Some of the satellite tag data show that tarpon undergo
deep dives, to 400’ depth, during the days just prior to full and new moons,
and we think this may be associated with spawning. The theory is that
pressure difference between depth and the surface aids males and females in the
release of their sperm and eggs into the open water, a spawning strategy known
as broadcast spawning. The eggs are fertilized in open water, and hatch
as small leptocephalus larvae.
Once the eggs hatch, the month-long larval stage begins. Tarpon start out looking like a miniscule eel with the transparency of a jellyfish (called a leptocaphalus). A leptocephalus grows to approximately 3-4 inches long and has quite exceptional mobility for its size. Their capacity to use their limited swimming ability to navigate currents from over 100 miles offshore into estuarine conditions is a remarkable feat. On the east coast of Florida, near the Indian River Lagoon, larval tarpon enter the estuary at night, using the cover of darkness as protection from predators. They appear to prefer entering the estuary through the shallowest cuts possible. Once inside the estuary, the journey is far from over. The leptocephali must traverse varying habitats including seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and shoals full of predators until they reach their final destination where they can safely continue their transformation into juvenile tarpon.
During the juvenile stage, a tarpon looks like a miniature version of its adult counterpart. Juvenile tarpon tend to thrive in back creeks and protected estuarine environments where there are very few predators. Why are there fewer predators than the open waters of the estuary? The backwater areas usually have stagnant water, which causes low dissolved oxygen conditions. Juvenile tarpon can deal with the hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions with help from their swim bladder. Although most fish possess a swim bladder that helps with buoyancy control, tarpon have the ability to control the contents of their swim bladders by obtaining and releasing the ambient air and can use that air for respiratory functions. This allows the juveniles to obtain much of their oxygen from the air rather than the water. Since most fish need oxygenated water to survive, juvenile tarpon predators are unable to access these backwater habitats.
The fact that juvenile tarpon require such specific habitats, and that these mangrove and wetland habitats continue to be lost, underscore the need for protecting these important habitats. And since juvenile tarpon are not found in equal abundances in all wetlands, research is necessary to identify which locations are most important so their protection can be prioritized.
Many think that tarpon are obligated to gulp air, but research has shown this is not true. Anglers often see adult tarpon rolling in well oxygenated habitats, such as passes and in harbours. Studies link this behaviour was initially a juvenile survival necessity. Rolling for adult tarpon seems to be a preference more than a survival strategy which was confirmed by one research study. Adult tarpon were placed in an artificial habitat that was well oxygenated and their ambient air supply was cut off by placing a lid over the tank. Although the tarpon attempted to roll at the surface (a behavioural response), their respiratory functions were not hindered by the lid. As they are throughout their lives, juveniles are opportunistic feeders. They eat small crustaceans (copepods, mysid shrimp) and worms, for example, and expand their diet to include fish as they grow.
The sub-adult stage of the tarpon life cycle, from 2 years old to maturity, is similar to that of a teenager: they are still experimenting with their bodies; they look like adults but still act like children; they eat and eat but never leave home. Sub-adult tarpon expand their diet, including crabs, fish, shrimp, and worms. They also expand their use of habitats and the ranges that they travel, although it seems that the younger sub-adults do not move great distances. Tarpon take quite a while to reach maturity. Female tarpon reach reproductive maturation around age 10 to 12.”
What about the fishing?
Perhaps I should have mentioned this above, but it will not be long until the guys can loan you rods and reels etc, and this leaves your packing requirements so small, I reckon it would be possible to ‘carry on’ and not have to check any luggage. You need a couple of fishing outfits and maybe a couple of changes of clothes for the evening (it is very casual) and you are sorted. On your feet you can wear whatever you like – they may get a little wet but crocs, flats boots, flip-flops or any variation will do. You do need sun gloves, gaiters for sun protection around the neck and sunscreen. Temperatures are around 27/28 C (80 – 82 F) degrees. I experienced VERY few bugs – the odd mosquito around the lodge but I did not have any need for bug spray when out fishing. I would recommend hand sanitiser particularly for the fishing days in Recife. I wore standard flats trousers, not tights and shorts à la Seychelles, there seemed no need. You do not really wade much at all other than to maybe get a little bit wet getting into the boats here and there. Long-sleeved flats shirts or T-shirts and perhaps socks for sun protection.
The standard rod is a 9-weight with an intermediate sink-tip and perhaps a second rod with a floating line. Lines need to be salt or warm water versions. Leaders are generally 40 to 60 lbs straight and the flies tend to be smaller baitfish or shrimp imitations. ou perhaps wait a couple of seconds to let the fly sink a bit and then medium strip but vary your strip. As is so often the case, the key is how to handle the take.
DO NOT TROUT LIFT – in fact barely lift at all – strip strike!
Step One – pinch down on the line with the hand through which you are stripping the line to stop the fish taking any line at all.
Step Two – keep stripping with the other hand to keep the fish tight at all times. Avoid yielding an inch of line until you have to.
DO NOT – be focused on getting the fish on the reel, it inevitably leads to loosening your connection to the fish or waggling your rod as you wind which increases the chance of the fish coming unstuck.
DO, look where your line around your feet is and make sure it is ready to go out should the fish run.
If my experience is anything to go by, you will see rolling tarpon from 3lbs to 40 lbs all day. The tides are key in terms of taking times, but a take is possible at any time, but the prime times are around when the tide begins to drop and to a lesser degree, come back in.
These are baby to adolescent tarpon but do not be put off by this. When a fish of anything over about 6lbs takes, chaos breaks out with the fish jumping, running etc. They will often jump into the mangroves and no matter what the size, there is not much you can do. They can fall off very easily, but they can also literally jump into trees and either get off that way or cause an almighty tangle! I think my key message is… do not be put off by the idea of a 15, 20, or 30 lbs tarpon. They are fabulous to catch and spectacular and I have renewed respect for these fish. My fish of 30lbs took off jumping and screaming across the river, I had other fish crashing through the trees, those first few seconds really are utter chaos!
In summary, this is an easy, fun, normally productive and interesting trip in perfect comfort and great convenience all at USD$4,100 based on shared room/shared guide, USD$4,600 based on single room/shared guide or USD$7,200 based on single room/single guide. What is also exciting is we will hear more from Everton and Guido, so far, they have only scratched the surface in terms of exploring the myriad of rivers up and down the coast and nobody is more qualified than them to work them out. There will be opportunities to join explanatories in the future.
End…