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Hello friends, once again we’re checking in from this magical corner of the world.
It’s hard to believe, but our sixth week of life has already gone by. Time flies in a place like this — where one could easily get spoiled by big fish. I still refuse to take them for granted. This is not normal fishing… this is extraordinary
We kicked off the week with the pleasure of welcoming true friends — people who’ve followed us from other places, with whom we share stories, adventures, and even a few close calls (like Stan’s “field surgery” episode that made me dust off some old guiding school lessons).
Most of them old pals: Bill, Ryan, Stan, and Shawn from the U.S., joined this time by Fred from South Africa and Steve, also from the States. For these last two, it was their first encounter with golden dorado madness.
Saturday was a warm and lazy day — perfect for rest, stories, and catching up after months apart. After a fantastic welcome lunch and the classic siesta, we gathered to check rods, sort flies, stretch lines, and dive into tall tales of past fishing days.
And then, it was time for the real business: the relentless hunt for Tarija’s golden beasts.
We had a slight delay due to helicopter maintenance — a short wait that’s always worth it when safety is involved.
Once airborne, anticipation ran high.
Bill and Ryan started slow, but Fred and Steve hit the ground running. They landed three dorados before lunch. The highlight came when Fred, from the back of the raft, executed perfectly what his guide Fidel had instructed: “Drop it on that tail-in, and if you get a strike, put pressure — don’t let him run downstream.”
He did exactly that.
A solid eat, brutal set, and a hard fight that ended with a nearly one-meter golden beauty safely in the net and then back to the river. A textbook team effort!
Meanwhile, Stan and Shawn were on fire. They hooked into multiple fish, including one that left guide Fede in disbelief. After an epic battle through a fast run, the fish — the biggest Fede had ever seen — came unbuttoned just as it seemed secured. Heartbreaking and breathtaking all at once.
But the team bounced back, landing some big ones and redeeming the loss.
Day two was a near copy of the first. Fred and Steve, fishing the middle section, kept their momentum going. Stan and Shawn had steady action in the canyon. Bill and Ryan, though, still struggled to connect — but as every angler knows, fly fishing always gives second chances.
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Stan and Shawn decided to hike up one of Tarija’s dreamlike tributaries — the Picabuey. It’s the kind of stream that looks painted rather than real. The morning was quiet, but the afternoon brought life: healthy, flawless dorados in crystal water.
On another beat, Steve found his glory moment — a flawless fight that ended with a massive 90 cm dorado in hand, perfectly executed under Fidel’s guidance.
His South African partner Fred also had a banner day, picking fish methodically from the back of the raft.
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And then came the turning point for Bill and Ryan. After a couple of tough days, their persistence paid off. While working one of countless structures, Bill ceded a shot to Ryan. On Ryan’s first cast, an imitation of a sábalo barely hit the water when it exploded in a detonation of gold and foam.
At first it felt like a medium fish, but when it dug deep and refused to move, everyone knew — this was the real deal. After long minutes of tension and precise teamwork, a true giant, close to a meter long, was netted by guide Juanchi.
Bill also scored a stunning dorado later that day, wrapping up what would become one of the most rewarding sessions of the season.
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If Wednesday had felt special, this day proved unforgettable. As if sensing the coming storm, the fish went wild.
Steve lost two good fish in a row — both breaking the leader — but soon after found redemption with a solid dorado.
Meanwhile, Fred seized the moment: as Steve reorganized his line, he dropped a black streamer into the current and — boom! — a torpedo of a fish hammered it mid-swing.
Perfect fight, flawless technique, and another beauty to the net.
Everyone had remarkable action — but the spotlight, without a doubt, belonged to Bill and Ryan, who landed two absolute monsters measuring 1.03 m and 1.05 m.
The fights were fierce and spectacular, the kind that leave scorched fingers and permanent smiles.
To crown the day, our chef Diego treated us to an Argentine-style whole pig roast by the fire. The perfect ending to a perfect day.
The morning arrived with threatening skies and the smell of rain. With the helicopter on standby, our anglers made the most of every cast. Despite the shortened day, there was plenty of action. We had to pick up the teams earlier than usual, just like the day before.
Even so, both our anglers and guides were razor sharp, making perfect use of the available time — several solid catches, a few break-offs,and the joy of another successful day on the river.
and the joy of another successful day on the river.
That evening, as tradition now dictates, we shared our final dinner together — guests and staff — enjoying Diego’s delicious local empanadas and plenty of laughs around the table.
Overall, the weather was kind to us — cool mornings and evenings (around 59°F / 15°C) and hot afternoons peaking near 97°F / 36°C. Toward the end of the week, storms rolled in, bringing rain on Friday.
• Floating and intermediate clear-tip lines on 9-weights worked best.
• Productive flies: black, chartreuse, and orange/green streamers.
• The undisputed winner of the week: the black streamer.
And suddenly, this truly exploratory season comes to a successful close. Success, in this case, means being able to meet and exceed our guests’ expectations — something we owe entirely to the incredible team we’ve built. This Tariquia family has been made possible by the best guides in the world, no doubt about it: Juanchi Salazar, Fede Pelech, and Fidel Moreno. Alongside them, our service staff — Diego, our brilliant chef, María Pía, with her warmth and empathy, and David, with his commitment and positive attitude — have all played key roles. We also want to thank the local helpers whose contribution brought immense value to this operation.
We can rest proud and happy knowing that through our relentless work and this sustainable project, we’ve done our part to help preserve biodiversity, and to inspire some of the local community members to shift toward low-impact, environmentally friendly activities — and away from others that harm this blessed and beautiful mountain jungle known as la yunga, one of the few left on the planet.
I want to thank everyone who trusted me to lead this adventure, all the guests who came with open hearts during this first exploratory season, and all of you — our loyal readers — who’ve followed us week after week.
God willing, we’ll meet again next year — here, or wherever we can raise a fly rod in pursuit of a fish.
Thanks for following along — see you all next week from the banks of the Tarija River.
Jp and the entire Tariquia Lodge family
