Kendjam 2026 Season Fishing Report | On Foot, Under Changing Skies Week 09 | August 29 - September 4

The ninth week of the season welcomed four good friends to Kendjam, three of them returning to the Iriri and one experiencing it for the first time after previously fishing at Marié. John, Rodney, and Paulo already knew the rhythm of these waters, while Richard arrived ready to discover a very different side of Amazon fly fishing. Together, they brought the kind of easy camaraderie that carries naturally from days on the river to evenings back at the lodge.

Low river levels opened up excellent opportunities for wading, allowing the group to approach the fishing from a different perspective. Peacock bass were especially aggressive, attacking flies around rocky structure, along sandy banks, and while cruising through shallow water. The combination of visibility and mobility made these encounters intensely visual from the first presentation to the strike.

The diversity of the Iriri remained present throughout the week. Bicuda brought speed, matrinxã added energetic fights, pacu required a different approach, and wolf fish delivered the unmistakable power that makes every encounter memorable. Each species changed the rhythm of the fishing and kept the group adjusting throughout the day.

By the end of the week, the group had landed a total of 124 fish across five species, another reflection of how many different fishing situations the Iriri can offer even as river levels continue to fall.

Peacock Bass: 99
Bicuda: 9
Matrinxã: 7
Pacu: 5
Wolf Fish: 4

As the week progressed, the river began to change. Rain arrived toward the final days, unusual for this stage of the season, adding another reminder that conditions in the Amazon can shift quickly and that the natural rhythm of the Iriri always has the final word.

Another seasonal transition was also becoming visible along the riverbanks as the tracajá turtle egg season approached its end. This annual cycle draws wildlife to the sandy margins and remains an important part of life in the territory, connecting the river, the forest, and the Kayapó people through a rhythm that has existed long before fishing brought visitors here.

For four friends, the week became a mix of familiar experiences and new discoveries. Some were returning to a river they already knew. For another, it was the first opportunity to understand why the Iriri offers such a different kind of fishing.

By the final day, the story of Week 09 was not only about aggressive fish or wading through low water. It was about returning, discovering, and watching the river begin to change around them.