Tariquía
The One That Got Away
Once again, we’re back to share another chapter from the wild heart of the Yungas.
Week 4 of our second season brought us the privilege of hosting six experienced anglers. A truly cosmopolitan crew: four anglers from the United States, one from the Netherlands and Matt Harris from the UK, all seasoned fishermen who have spent plenty of time chasing fish around the world.
With some of them, we had already shared adventures in other destinations, and there is always something special about reconnecting when a fly rod is involved. The passion is the same, no matter where you come from. Stories are exchanged, old memories come back to life, and new adventures begin before the first cast is ever made.
Saturday was all about preparation. We went through gear, fine-tuned lines and leaders, and selected the flies that would hopefully find their way into the jaws of a Tariquía dorado the following day. And, inevitably, we traded stories about fish caught and fish lost.
A perfect combination of relaxation and concentration before facing another demanding week on the river.
Day 01 | A Cold Start
Sunday, our first fishing day, surprised us with unusually cold temperatures for this time of year.
The morning started at just 38°F, cold enough that most of the anglers needed waders (and waders and dorado fishing don’t go well together). The exceptions were Jay D and Jay C, who would be floating a section with a significant amount of whitewater. For safety reasons, and here safety is non-negotiable, we strongly recommend not wearing waders in those conditions.
As always, the day began with our helicopter safety briefing, followed by a river safety and rescue briefing. Both are essential when fishing such a remote and demanding destination.
The fishing was tough, just as we expected. The cold had clearly slowed the fish down, and temperatures never climbed above 60°F. But it was the first day of the trip, and everyone’s energy bar was still sitting at 100%.
They gave it everything.
And that effort paid off.
Jay C, Bill and Matt all put their first fish on the board. For Jay C, it was his very first dorado, a moment that, of course, meant going through the mandatory rookie rituals.
Welcome to dorado fishing, Jay!
Day 02 | Pocket Water
The second morning was just as cold, once again hovering around 38°F. The difference was the clear sky, which let temperatures slowly climb through the day, although they never went past 62°F.
Spirits remained high, and we firmly believe that good attitude accounts for about 90% of success.
The remaining 10%?
That belongs entirely to the Yungas.
The fishing remained slow and opportunities were limited, but Hans and Bill, who had become a remarkably well-matched team, made the most of the few chances they had. Each of them landed a very respectable dorado.
Not a bad result for a slow day.
Meanwhile, Matt and Doug floated the Canyon with Fidel.
The Canyon is an incredible place, a section that almost feels like a completely different river: fast water, dramatic terrain and a whole new set of structures to read. With scenery like that, we can only imagine the photographs Matt came home with.
But it wasn’t all photography.
Fidel had them focused on one type of water: pocket water. Small areas of softer water surrounded by faster current, where a dorado can hold, conserve energy and wait.
Matt followed the instructions perfectly. Then, in one of the countless pockets, something big woke up. A giant dorado exploded on the fly.
Matt came tight with a solid strip-set, and the fish immediately turned the encounter into a beautiful battle through low, fast-moving water.
This is where the difference with these fish becomes obvious.
They don’t just fight.
They push.
Minutes later, the team reached the next pool, where they finally brought the big-tailed dorado to hand. A quick photo. Then back into the current.
Day 03 | Frost and Fast Water
Day 3 brought more of the same.
Another cold morning. Frost-covered grass. Definitely not what you would call ideal dorado conditions.
But nothing was going to stop us.
After a relaxed breakfast, almost as if everyone was deliberately giving the sun a little more time to warm things up, the waders went on, rods were assembled, and anglers and guides were ready to leave everything on the river.
The day was slow, but it still had some rewards waiting.
Jay C delivered the surprise of the day late in the afternoon, landing two fish back-to-back. The second was a truly worthy Tariquía dorado, the kind of fish anglers travel here hoping to find: a hard fight with several spectacular jumps completely out of the water.
Congratulations, Jay! And don’t forget the ice and some rest for that wrist. You definitely earned it.
The biggest celebration of the day, however, belonged to Doug, Matt’s fishing partner.
Doug had already put a nice dorado on the board earlier in the week, but fishing from the back of the raft, he never stopped casting, and that persistence paid off. Working through fast water, Fede positioned and controlled the raft masterfully, giving Doug the exact swing he needed.
Then
BOOM!
An absolutely violent strike came out of
nowhere.
The line came tight instantly, and Doug delivered a solid strip-set, driving that 6/0 hook home. What followed was an epic battle that took them downstream and finally ended in the next pool.
A perfect piece of teamwork.
Day 04 | Perfect Weather, Tough Fishing
The fourth day delivered what looked like perfect fishing conditions.
Unfortunately, the fish didn’t receive the memo.
It was the slowest day of the week. Anglers and guides gave everything they had, but that’s part of this game.
Sometimes the river gives.
Sometimes the river takes.
The only ones who managed to save the day, and give everyone a little hope heading into the next morning, were Bill and Hans.
One beast each.
Well done, gentlemen.
Day 05 | Back in the Fight
After the difficult fourth day, everyone had taken a bit of a hit. But heads came back up, and everyone went back out looking for the fish. The trophy. The one.
We all know this kind of fishing is difficult. But we also know the giants are out there, and for those of us who genuinely love this sport, that’s what keeps us coming back.
There is also a part of Tariquía that anglers rarely see while they are focused on big dorado: the constant movement of the rafts.
While the anglers are casting to the next structure, the operation keeps moving. Rafts are flown by helicopter to the next section, and the stretches ahead are prepared. Tomorrow’s fishing day is already being built while today’s is still underway.
Back on the river, the day brought very different fortunes to different teams.
Jay D and Jay C enjoyed an action-packed morning, generating several opportunities and eventually putting one fish each on the board.
Well done, guys!
But the loudest applause of the day would go to Fidel’s team.
Fidel never stopped encouraging, giving instructions and, when necessary, asking for just a little more. He was fishing with Doug and Matt, and their afternoon became extremely productive, with opportunities coming from nearly every structure they covered.
Matt, fishing from the back of the raft, received a violent strike and handled it perfectly.
A powerful strip-set.
A blistering run.
And then a jump for the books.
Matt immediately jumped out of the raft and onto the bank, leaving no room for error. After an intense fight, the beautiful female finally surrendered into Fidel’s hands.
A quick photo, and she was back in the river.
Congratulations, team!
That evening, we returned to one of the great traditions of the lodge: a whole pig cooked a la cruz, Argentine-style, over an open fire.
Simply delicious.
After five demanding days, nobody needed much convincing to stay close to the fire.
Thank you, Gonza and Juanchi, a truly legendary Argentine outdoor cooking team.
Day 06 | A Close Encounter of the Third Kind
The sixth and final fishing day started with heavy fog. Fortunately, it quickly burned off, leaving us a clear morning before clouds and wind moved in during the afternoon.
Fishing remained slow, although the Jays still managed to create a few opportunities.
Hans, meanwhile, made sure not to waste his final opportunities of the week, putting another beautiful dorado on the board from the back of the raft.
Congratulations, Hans!
Matt, on the other hand, had what can only be described as a close encounter of the third kind, with the biggest giant we have seen so far this season. A fish so massive it almost seemed to belong to another world rather than this river.
Fede spotted it holding just below the surface and pointed it out. Matt made a short, precise cast, a presentation the beast simply couldn’t resist.
The fish attacked the fly violently, close to the raft. Matt reacted instantly with an aggressive strip-set, determined to make sure the hook found its mark.
But sometimes the Yungas have other plans.
The fish broke the 50-pound leader, and just like that, the giant disappeared.
No photograph. No measurement. No fish in the net.
That’s fishing. There are always unfinished stories, and sometimes those unfinished stories are the best reason to come back.
There will be a next time, Matt. We have to leave something in the river for the next trip.
That evening brought our traditional Argentine-style farewell dinner.
A night of camaraderie between anglers and staff. Toasts. Stories. The exchange of photographs. Promises to return next year.
Gear & Flies
- Flies
- Light-colored streamers in the 8 to 9 inch range, tied on 6/0 hooks, continued to perform well this week.
- Lines
- WF floating / intermediate clear-tip lines were the most productive setups.
- Leaders
- 50-pound monofilament, combined with 40-pound wire.
Fishing Technique
With the cold water conditions, the most productive technique was maintaining constant tension on the line while using short, fast strips.
Weather
This was a week of contrasts. Cold mornings and frost dominated the beginning of the trip, with temperatures around 38°F during the first days and daytime highs struggling to rise much beyond the low 60s.
Temperatures gradually increased throughout the week, reaching approximately 86°F on Thursday under clear skies, before dropping again during the final days of the week.
In the Yungas, a fishing week can change quickly. This one certainly did.
One More Week in the Books
And once again, the week flew by. That’s what happens when we are fortunate enough to share the river with genuinely great people.
Thank you all for being part of another incredible week at Tariquía.
And thank you for reading all the way to the end. We’ll see you here again next week with more stories from the wild heart of the Yungas.
Some fish become memories because you catch them. Others because you don’t.
Somewhere in Tariquía, the biggest dorado we have seen this season is still swimming. And now we know where to look.
Tight lines,
JP and the entire Tariquía Lodge family
Tariquía Lodge, 2026
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