Fishing Report, Tariquía Lodge | Still Chasing the Next River

Back into the action, lost in the immensity of the Yungas, we found ourselves in the third week of our second season here in Tariquía, eager to keep discovering what this place has to offer.

This week we welcomed a group led by Tom: six American friends, some of them old school friends, who seventy years later are still sharing fishing trips and adventures together.

One of them came with another passion besides fly fishing: photography. And for some, this would be their first trip to South America.

Not a bad place to start.

On arrival day, we did our homework.

We went through the helicopter and river safety briefings. Together with the guides, we checked the equipment, finalized the fishing pairs, assigned guides and prepared the flight plan for the following morning.

Everything was ready.

Or so we thought.

Day One | The River Would Have to Wait

Fog sitting over the helicopter on the first morning

The Yungas had other plans for us.

Dense fog settled in, making it impossible for the helicopter to fly.

And here, safety is simply not negotiable.

So we spent the day at the lodge. The river would have to wait.

Fortunately, Gonza, our blessed chef, once again put on a ten-point performance.

Thanks, Gonza!

Day Two | Learning the Game

The second day dawned completely closed in, just like the previous one, and spirits were understandably low.

But by mid-morning, the fog began to dissipate. Finally, the captain gave us the green light to fly.

As the day progressed, opportunities began to appear. There was action. The fish were willing.

Now we had to do our part.

Fishing Tariquía takes some getting used to.

Casting from a raft, sitting on a high seat, stripping with very little room to move, maintaining constant tension and then, when a dorado decides to attack the fly, being ready to deliver a solid strip-set. None of this is easy.

Some anglers get it sooner than others.

The first to put it all together was Hillard. After losing a couple of opportunities, he finally connected with his first dorado, setting the hook solidly and fighting the fish all the way to the net.

Minutes later, Don found himself in almost exactly the same situation, fishing from the front of the raft.

A violent take.
A perfectly timed strip-set.
A hard fight.

And after several minutes, the fish finally came to Fede’s net, with Don following his guide’s instructions throughout the fight.

A quick photo.
And straight back into the water.

We were finally fishing Tariquía.

Day Three | Another Side of the Yungas

One of the birds of the Yungas, photographed while the fog lifted

Photographs kindly shared by our guest Tom. Thanks, Tom!

The third day looked like it was going to be a carbon copy of the previous one: heavy morning fog slowly dissipating, finally allowing us to fly around mid-morning.

But when you have a photographer in the group, time is never wasted.

So we went looking for birds. And we certainly found them. While we waited for the river to open its doors, the Yungas gave us another reason to keep looking around.

Perhaps the delay even worked in our favor.

By the time we reached the water, temperatures were improving and everyone still had plenty of energy for the afternoon, something worth having here.

Tom with the female dorado of around 90 cm

As the water warmed, more and more action began to appear.

Thomas and Hillard had a busy afternoon, losing a few fish but eventually landing one each.

Tom, meanwhile, was clearly making the most of his previous experience fishing for dorado. He adapted quickly to the conditions and to the particular techniques Tariquía demands.

Among his fish was a beautiful female of around 90 cm.

Bob also had his moment, landing a medium-sized but hard-fighting dorado.

And by the end of the day, Tom had clearly found his rhythm.

Day 4 | Everyone Connects

Hillard with his fish after a demanding fight

Don with one of the dorado of the fourth day

By the fourth day, the weather had finally settled.

Clear skies and pleasant afternoon temperatures gave us the combination we had been waiting for, and the dorado responded. This time, everyone in the group connected with fish.

Don and Hillard had particularly good moments, each landing a beautiful dorado after the kind of demanding fights this river is becoming known for.

After the fog and delays of the first days, Tariquía was finally giving the entire group a full taste of the river.

Day 5 | The Reward

One of the strong fish landed on the fifth day

Working the fly from the raft as the action picked up

The fifth day followed the same pattern: clear skies, good afternoon temperatures and plenty of action. Hillard, Bob and Thomas all connected with strong fish, and opportunities continued throughout the day.

By now, something else had changed.

The group was fishing differently.

Casts were becoming more precise. The retrieve was more controlled. Tension was being maintained. Strip-sets were finding their mark.

Tariquía demands concentration and physical effort, and there is very little room for mistakes.

But when everything comes together, the reward is worth it.

Day 6 | One Last Cast

Frank with one of the two fish that closed his week

By the sixth and final fishing day, everyone was feeling the week.

Countless casts. Long days on the water. Hard fights. And perhaps a few late nights thrown into the mix. Still, there was enough energy left for one more day.

Tom finished strongly, landing three dorado in shallow water, while Frank closed his week with two beautiful fish, including one that gave him a fight he won’t forget anytime soon.

Then came our final evening together.

The traditional dinner with the guides was, once again, one of those moments that make the lodge part of the fishing experience.

Gonzalo served classic Argentine empanadas followed by Italian pizzas.

There were toasts. Photographs exchanged. Stories retold. Some of the photographs featured here were kindly shared with us by Tom and offer a glimpse into his passion for wildlife photography.

And the inevitable promise that we would meet again somewhere in the world, fly rod in hand, chasing another fish in another river.

For a group of friends who have been doing exactly that for decades, you tend to believe them.

Gear & Flies

Lines: Floating and intermediate clear-tip lines were the most effective setups this week.
Flies: Large sábalo patterns in gray/white and yellow/green worked best early in the week, while black streamers became increasingly productive as the days progressed.

Fishing Technique

This week was another reminder that fishing Tariquía is not only about finding fish.

Casting from the raft requires anglers to manage limited stripping space while keeping the rod low and maintaining constant tension throughout the retrieve.

When the take comes, there is very little time to react.

A solid strip-set, delivered with the rod pointed toward the fly and without releasing tension, can make the difference between moving a dorado and putting it in the net.

It takes some adjustment.

But as this group discovered throughout the week, once the pieces start coming together, Tariquía becomes a very different game.

Old Friends, New Waters

Almost without realizing it, another week in the Yungas had come and gone.

There were good fish. Difficult conditions. New techniques to learn. Birds to photograph while the fog kept us grounded. Long days on the river and long conversations back at the lodge.

But perhaps the best story of the week had already begun long before anyone arrived in Tariquía.

Six friends.
Some of them have known each other since school.
Seventy years later, they are still packing their fly rods and heading somewhere new together.

This time, it was Tariquía.

Something tells us it won’t be their last river.