Testimonials from previous guests
It is a funny thing in life, when you accept only the very best, you very often get it and that describes “Hooked On Adventures” from the owner Mr. McCarthy, Owner to the Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Pamelah Howard. I recently completed my second trip on the Amazon Santana and am looking forward to my third and hopefully, many more. You cannot go wrong with this group…it just doesn’t get any better!”
~Stephen Schreifer~ Colonel, US Army, retired
Our adventure started in Manaus. Going through customs was a breeze. Paula met us at the airport dressed in her Hook On Adventures gear; she was hard to miss. Our luggage was loaded on the chartered bus on off to the hotel we went. We had a wonderful view of the Amazon river from the room. We had our very first Caipirinhas in the friendly bar. This like a mojito, but it’s made with Brazilian rum and the mint leaves are omitted. Mmmm…so refreshing. That first night we ate at a real Brazilian BBQ open air restaurant. There were so many dishes to choose from, and they all looked so very fresh. We woke up and had a great buffet breakfast before hopping on another chartered bus that took us to a regional airport. We got right on our small airplane and slept the hour-ish trip to Barcelos. I regret not having more $1 bills because there were several ladies out selling their handicraft jewelry. I bought some really cute gifts for friends, family, and myself.
We met Tony at the airport, and he got us on a bus that took us to the Santana. That night we had a great dinner and had more Caipirinhas (thank you Harry!!!). We were also assigned our guide for the week, and was told that wake-up call comes early at 5:00 am. We were also given an opportunity to buy one-ounce buck-tail jigs for $6 each. I highly recommend the red and yellow bucktails. They were quite popular with the Peacock Bass.
If you want a hot breakfast, please get up while the coffee is hot. The Brazilian coffee shames Starbucks. The chef let me watch her make the coffee. She actually boils the grounds and then pours the coffee through a cheese-clothe type filter into an insulate dispenser. We always had scrambled eggs, cheeses, tons of fruit, bacon or sausage, and more. Now it was up to us as to when we wanted to go fishing. My husband, Kerry, and I opted to get right out for the early fish. Arnoldo, our guide, must have been born with a natural GPS and fish-finding system. He always got us spot-on.
We fished our hearts out the first day. Arnoldo would put us on a spot and would recommend how to catch the fish he seemed to sense. Sometimes he told us to top-water fish with these 7-inch lures, cast with the jigs or troll with the jigs. Just how do you do that, Arnoldo? The chef had packed a cold lunch for us, but we opted to return to the Mothership at 11:00 to shower and eat. We had a cold beer with our sandwich and had a hardy nap. We were back out to fish at 1:00. We were excited about the 19 fish we caught on our first day, and I was especially excited about the 9 pound Peacock that I caught. That was, until we saw a fellow fisherman who had just caught a 12 pounder!! Bummer. They were packing it up to head back to the Mothership, and my 9-pounder wasn’t that impressive to me anymore. I admit – I got the fish pout. Arnoldo must have picked up on that – it needs no translation. Next thing you know, my hook was stuck on a stump. Arnoldo started yelling “Big Fish, Big Fish.” OMG. It was! I pulled a fighting 15-pounder out of the water. 
What a beautiful fish!! The head on that fish was big, if not bigger, than my head – and I have a big head. I took a few pictures with my fish and felt my ego restored. I was so happy to see blood on the top of my hand ; I had a bass bite from holding the fish with my bare hand. I couldn’t wait to get back to the boat to share my battle wound! ~Laurie Rowan~ Eglin AFB, Florida 
We had a fantastic time fishing with those Canadian Boys. They are all very nice and it is good to make new friends. I also got to tell them my portfolio of jokes! David is a great host and he really has a first class crew.
Thank you and Happy Holidays,
David & Bryan Scott
I highly recommend this fishing experience to anyone. The fishing and the accommodations were excellent and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The food, meals, snacks and shore lunch were all wonderful. The entire staff were gracious and hospitable. The guides were hard working and very, very knowledgeable. They wanted to find the big fish as much as we did. Thank you so much for this very fine experience! ~Stan Ratzlaff
p.s. Did I mention my 21 lb Peacock bass catch? I probably didn’t mention the 17 lb or 18 lb either. 
Pam and David,
The fishing trip was truly a “Trip of a Lifetime”. I’m planning another trip back to the Amazon as the fishing was incredible!
One day I caught 50 Peacock Bass, and NO mosquitoes!! Thank you both for making the trip so wonderful. I would recommend “Hooked on Adventures” to all my friends. ~Dennis Allen, Clovis, Ca. ~
This September my cousin and I took a trip with Hooked On Adventures to the Amazon/Brazil sailing on the Belle Amazon yacht. This trip was wonderful. Accommodations were terrific, service was great, our guide was exceptional, and we had the time of our fishing-lives catching a lot of Peacock Bass every day.
Near the end of the trip, my cousin who has diabetes, became very sick. David McCarthy, the President and Owner of Hooked on Adventures, personally got involved and pulled out every stop to help with the situation. In particular, he recruited Paula from their Manaus office, who spoke both English and Portuguese, to shepherd us through the scary process of getting into the ER in Manaus and eventually into the hospital there (no one spoke English!!). Throughout this entire multi-day ordeal, both David and Paula never left my side, and together we got my cousin released from the hospital and on to the plane to Miami. Their efforts saved my cousin’s life. Hooked on Adventures is an organization that is more than just providing a memorable fishing trip on the Amazon. They are sensitive people who will do whatever it takes to help when help is needed.
His organization is not only first class for a great fishing trip, but does whatever is necessary to help a traveler who is far away from home. In my case it really did make the difference between life and death.
Bob Paluck……Dallas, Texas
I recently had the opportunity to head back to the Amazon to pursue for one of the most explosive species in the water, the Peacock Bass. For this trip, we hooked up with David McCarthy’s Hooked on Adventures as our outfitter! We traveled aboard the 125 ft. Amazon Santana for an inclusive, and unforgettable, week-long fishing adventure within the heart of the Amazon Rainforest and Brazil’s tributaries. The accommodations are the finest in the Amazon! The Hooked on Adventures staff were very personable and catered to our every need. Dave has some the most knowledgeable and friendliest guides in the Amazon. They used the yacht and the bass boats to move to the most productive water and to give us the best opportunity to catch fish. We fished the same waters where the recent World Record was caught. While we did not set any records on this trip, we did manage to land a number of big fish and several in the 20 pound range! In addition to the Peacocks, we caught a number of other species, including; Piranha, Arawana, Sorubim, Jacunda and many others. I know the big Peacocks are there and Hooked on Adventures provides you with the best opportunity to catch them.
Best of all, I’m heading back to the Amazon with Hooked on Adventures this fall! Where else can you fish by day for one of the strongest fresh water species and relax with friends by night on a luxury yacht? It really is the best of both worlds – the indigenous areas of the magnificent Amazon River along with the comforts and luxuries of home!
~Randy Kremer, January 28, 2011 Trip~
Amazon's Peacok Bass Catch
Of all the places I have fished in the world, The Amazon River in Brazil and its countless tributaries are unsurpassed in outstanding angling. The monster peacock bass and dozens of other species that prowl the waters there are the most aggressive and murderous fish I have ever encountered in fresh water. For me, the only operator in this region to even consider using is Hooked on Adventures. The level of professionalism amongst the staff and guides is unparalleled. The yachts they use in the fleet are absolutely the most comfortable and accommodating for guests. They are the perfect vessel for relaxing after an adrenaline-filled day of giant peacock bass crushing your flies or lures. The local cuisine and libations are second to none! Where else in the world can you enjoy a bowl of piranha soup? The custom bass boats we use on a daily basis are the perfect boats for getting into even the most remote back lagoons and tiny creeks to find the largest fish around. Take it from me (a guy who travels and fishes for a living), there is no better or more effective way to fish the Amazon, than with the folks from Hooked on Adventures. (Check out the video clip from my last trip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQOOl1t3w30 .
~Trapper Rudd~
Sporting Life Adventure Travel Company
G.Loomis Elite Pro Staff
Cutthroat Anglers (Retired)
Flyfish America Magazine (Field Editor Living Large)
My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Amazon. The whole trip
was a great experience and my friends who came from around the world were
absolutely ecstatic about the trip. My friends, who traveled far to come to
the Amazon ranging from Russia, Ukraine, Canada and Israel, were all
thoroughly pleased with the experience. My friends and I, to this day, are
talking about the event on a daily basis. The guides were top notch;
definitely the best guides we have ever had. The service was perfect.
However, most importantly, the amount of fish we caught has provided us with
enough fishing stories for all of the next year.
I would like to thank you again for the great memories and wish you all the
best,
~Alexander Becker
