Pluma
Two Programs. Two Very Different Stories.
Week 18 at Pluma unfolded through two different programs and two very different groups.
In the Heli Fishing experience, persistence became the defining theme. Threatening skies ultimately cleared into excellent fishing conditions, every guest had an opportunity with a large dorado, and several anglers finally connected with fish they had been chasing across previous trips, including long-awaited pacú.
For longtime friend Chad Miller, who came along with his friend and fishing partner Eric, that meant finally landing quality pacú after being fooled by them across several previous seasons.
Oly and Maria returned to Pluma for the second
time.
For Maria, some frustrated attempts gave way to an
absolute beast of a dorado.
And for Oly, persistence lasted until the final day,
when a 92-centimeter dorado crushed his fly and
turned the river into chaos around boulders, logs,
and tangled line.
For the Classic Jungle program, the week had a completely different rhythm. A lively group from Russia, hosted by Evgenii, brought plenty of fish, laughter, long hikes, big catches, and enough vodka to earn a place in the Fishing Report.
Conditions varied, but the rivers continued
producing.
Big fish came to hand, while a long hike into the Upper Itirizama rewarded Slava and Pavel with some of the most satisfying fishing of the trip.
And even a broken finger wasn't enough to keep this group off the water.
Same lodge.
Two programs.
Two very different stories.
16 Chad, Eric, Aaron, Greg & Chris (United States); Olafur & Maria (Iceland). Evgenii, Alex, Valerii, Aleksei, Sergei, Pastov, Pavel, Vladimir & Slava (Russia).
Conditions remained variable, but the fishing windows were excellent. Threatening weather repeatedly gave way to workable cloud cover and favorable periods on the river, with periods of partial cloud cover and consistently high temperatures.
River levels stayed normal. Some rivers carried slightly off-color water, while others ran crystal clear, giving both groups the chance to fish very different conditions throughout the week.
Catch of the Week
The Pacú Chad Finally Beat
Week 18 produced several large dorado, but the most meaningful fish belonged to a different species.
Chad had been visiting these waters for years. And for several seasons, pacú had consistently found ways to fool him.
This time, they didn’t.
He finally landed quality pacú, turning a long-running personal challenge into one of the week’s most satisfying outcomes.
Sometimes the most important fish is not the
biggest one.
It is the one that has been waiting the longest.
Memorable Moments
Maria’s Beast
After several frustrating opportunities slipped away, Maria’s day turned completely.
A huge dorado finally stayed connected.
The fish transformed a difficult sequence of near misses into one of the week’s most rewarding catches.
Ninety-Two Centimeters on the Last Day
Olafur had to work until the very end.
On the final day, a 92-centimeter dorado crushed his fly and launched into a brutal fight.
The fish jumped through boulders while the line had to be untangled from beneath logs before the battle could finally be completed.
A large dorado is one thing.
Landing one after the river has repeatedly tried
to take it back is another.
First Fish in the Jungle
Chris and Greg arrived in the jungle for the first time and needed time to adjust.
The opening days were difficult. Then things began to click.
Dorado followed. Pacú followed. Silver dorado followed.
For the guides, watching the initial frustration turn into fascination became part of the reward.
Fish, Friends and Plenty of Vodka
Classic Jungle brought a completely different energy.
Evgenii, Alex, Slava, Pavel, Valerii, Aleksei, Vladimir, Sergei and Pastov arrived from Russia and quickly established a simple formula for the week: plenty of fish, plenty of laughter, and, according to the lodge team, almost as much vodka as fishing.
Conditions varied, but the rivers continued producing, and big fish came to hand.
The Reward at the End of the Hike
Big fish were caught all week, every success was enthusiastically celebrated, and there was certainly no shortage of memorable moments.
But some fish feel different because of what it takes to reach them.
Slava and Pavel committed to a long hike through the jungle into the Upper Itirizama.
At the end of it, the river rewarded them.
The fishing they found there produced some of the most satisfying catches of the week, making effort, setting, and fish part of the same story.
A Broken Finger Couldn’t Stop Valerii
Not every unforgettable moment begins with a fish.
While moving through the river, Valerii had the misfortune of falling and landing hard on his middle finger.
The result: a broken finger.
For most anglers, that could easily have meant the end of the fishing week.
Not for Valerii.
The following day, he was back on the water, rod in hand, catching fish as though very little had happened.
And yes, the vodka remained very much part of the group’s spirit throughout the week.
The Week at Pluma
Two programs produced two very different versions of Week 18.
Heli Fishing was shaped by persistence: long-awaited pacú, trophy dorado, and first fish finally brought to hand.
Classic brought another rhythm: big fish, long jungle hikes, a broken finger, new friendships, and plenty of laughter.
Different programs.
Different stories.
Same Pluma.
Chuky, Guides & Staff
Pluma Lodge, 2026
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