Looking for Golden Dorado

February 3, 2013

At breakfast at 7 o'clock, I met guide Nacho. He can hardly speak English, but I know a bit of Italian, so we manage quite well. Our boat is perfectly equipped and is moored at the boat dock directly below the lodge. It has a 115 HP engine, ample space, and an electric motor with a remote control to keep the boat on track while drifting. Very professional. Nacho checks my gear and my self-tied giant flies. He explains the fishing to me, we set up a rod, and then we're off.

My plan is to fish the Corrientes for the first two or three days and then explore the Delta and the Rio Paraná. The Paraná and the Delta are currently not ideal for fishing: the water is a light chocolate brown and heavily segmented, which doesn't sound optimal. In my trip preparations, I read that the Paraná is known for especially large Dorados, so I'd prefer to go there.

The water in the Corrientes is not very clear either, but it turns out to be quite suitable for this time of year. Visibility is about 50 cm, not much more. The water color is light brown but not heavily segmented. We go about two kilometers upstream and stop.

The fishing technique remains more or less the same. We mostly fish from the boat. Nacho keeps the boat about 15-20 meters from the shore, parallel to it, and we drift with the current. I cast my line close to the steep bank, ideally within 10 cm. We look for spots where the water has movement and current. Dorados love the current and prefer places with many obstacles in the moving water.

The strike occurs within seconds after the fly hits the water, about 90% of the time. I'm using flies that are 20 cm long, which make quite a commotion. The Dorados stay near the drop-off edge, and the splash triggers their attack. So, you have to be ready for a quick strip strike, preferably two or three times, immediately. Everything happens extremely fast. // The most impressive thing about fishing for Dorados is undoubtedly the strike. The attack and the bite happen fast and brutally. You lose at least every second fish in the first few seconds. A Dorado's mouth is rock-hard. I'm using flies with Tiemco 600SP and Owner AKI saltwater hooks in sizes 2/0 to 5/0.

A good start: I had my first attack after only five casts! I more or less missed the strike because it came so quickly after the fly hit the water, and I wasn't prepared to make a strong hook strip. Five minutes later, I cast into a calm river inlet, and my guide laughs. Where the water is calm and there's hardly any current, that's where the piranhas are. So, I start with a piranha that completely destroyed my fly. Very interesting: you can't see the razor-sharp teeth of the piranhas at first; they are hidden.

Then, finally, my first Dorado. Cast, splash, and attack! During the first strip strike, the fish pulls the line through my fingers with brute force – a lesson learned with a burn. What do I learn from this? Pay attention or wear finger guards. // On that day, I caught six more Golden Dorados, but they were all around 2.5 kilograms, so more like Doradillos. Our boat ride back in the evening takes us through hundreds of birds at sunset. All sorts of migratory birds make a stop in this area. It's a breathtaking spectacle of nature.

February 4, 2013

After breakfast at 6:00, we head upstream. Not a great day: I had many bites but couldn't capitalize on them. But that seems to be something you have to accept when Dorado fishing. Five Dorados and a few piranhas, that's all. Plus, it's extremely hot and almost windless. In the evening, I have a slight sunburn.

February 5, 2013

My plan to fish at the Paraná or in the Delta doesn't make much sense. The guide is in constant contact with his colleagues in Esquina, who assess the chances of catching fish as very low. It's better to stay on the Corrientes. The water on the Paraná has deteriorated even further, making it nearly unfishable. It's disappointing; I would have loved to experience that. – So now I've also been caught in suboptimal water conditions.

In the morning, we head downstream and turn into a side channel. There's a tree stump sticking out of the water in the middle of the river – that's a top spot. Nacho steers the boat into casting position, I make a perfect cast to the optimal spot, and immediately I get a massive strike. // I manage to set the hook, and the Dorado jumps out of the water. Pure adrenaline! It's a great fish, around ten kilograms, which I can feel from the fight and the fish's strength. I curse when the fish gets off the hook after several jumps. I'm briefly disappointed because I couldn't capitalize on this opportunity, but it's in my nature not to give up and I'm immediately motivated to try again.

In the morning, I catch five more Golden Dorados, and in the evening, I catch another one. The fish weigh between one and a half to five kilograms. We head back, and I experience another breathtaking sunset.

February 6, 2013

As the day begins, I already have a good feeling. Nacho jokes and says, today we're going to catch a 20-kilogram Dorado. We head downstream and start at a spot we've fished before.

In the first 30 minutes, I have six strikes. It's action-packed, but I can only land two small ones. An extraordinary start to the day. Then suddenly, it goes quiet; we don't get any bites in the next spots. Two small Dorados, that's all we have in the morning. // In the afternoon, we continue downstream to a promising spot. Suddenly, I have a massive strike. Once again, the fish takes off so strongly that I almost burn my fingers. I briefly feel its power, and I apply a lot of pressure to the rod—then the fish is gone!

The same game repeats 100 meters downstream. This time, though, the Dorado is hooked securely and jumps out of the water several times. A massive fish, maybe around 15 kilograms, as Nacho suggests. After three or four minutes of a thrilling fight, I'm confident that I can land the fish. It seems well hooked and is getting tired. At one point, I'm almost entangled with the boat's motor, but I manage to land the fish with my own hands! Fantastic, I finally have a real gold bar! It's over 90 centimeters long and weighs approximately 12 kilograms.

February 7, 2013

Visit to the lodge: Oskar Dono, along with Justi, the owner of the fishing travel agency FLY FISHING PATAGONIA, joins me. I've booked this trip and several others through this agency. Oskar lives in Buenos Aires and Bariloche. He oversees fishing operations in Argentina and organizes hunting trips to Esquina. Justi is American and brings American anglers to Patagonia.

We fish together and have a lot of fun. Since Justi joined us, we haven't had much luck. In the morning, the two of us only catch three Dorados. Perhaps we're talking too much or the boat's movements are too distracting, scaring the fish away with our laughter. // So far, I haven't seen any Caymans by the river, although there must be many. They are said to be found in the river's tributaries and lagoons. Augustin suggests going on a little safari during our lunch break. Impressive! Caymans, capybaras, antelopes, emus, and many birds, including hummingbirds, come into focus for me. A brilliant idea, especially in the company of Augustin.

In the evening, I go downstream with Nacho and catch two more Dorados. Then we drive for about two hours to the Delta and the Paraná River. The Delta is 200 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide. The fish population there is enormous: Dorados, Sabalos, Palometas, Piranhas, Surubi (a type of catfish), and Pacu, to name the most important species, inhabit the area.

I can fish in the tributaries because the water quality there is still acceptable. However, piranhas and palometas keep stripping my flies one after another. Where the Corrientes and Paraná rivers merge, I see with my own eyes that the Paraná is currently unfishable. It flows from Brazil and is approximately 2,000 kilometers long. Impressively wide and massive.

I bid farewell to guide Nacho, who did an excellent job. We had many laughs. He stays in Esquina with the boat.

February 8, 2013

Visit to the lodge: Oskar Dono, along with Justi, the owner of the fishing travel agency FLY FISHING PATAGONIA, joins me. I've booked this trip and several others through this agency. Oskar lives in Buenos Aires and Bariloche. He oversees fishing operations in Argentina and organizes hunting trips to Esquina. Justi is American and brings American anglers to Patagonia.

We fish together and have a lot of fun. Since Justi joined us, we haven't had much luck. In the morning, the two of us only catch three Dorados. Perhaps we're talking too much or the boat's movements are too distracting, scaring the fish away with our laughter. // So far, I haven't seen any Caymans by the river, although there must be many. They are said to be found in the river's tributaries and lagoons. Augustin suggests going on a little safari during our lunch break. Impressive! Caymans, capybaras, antelopes, emus, and many birds, including hummingbirds, come into focus for me. A brilliant idea, especially in the company of Augustin.

In the evening, I go downstream with Nacho and catch two more Dorados. Then we drive for about two hours to the Delta and the Paraná River. The Delta is 200 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide. The fish population there is enormous: Dorados, Sabalos, Palometas, Piranhas, Surubi (a type of catfish), and Pacu, to name the most important species, inhabit the area.

I can fish in the tributaries because the water quality there is still acceptable. However, piranhas and palometas keep stripping my flies one after another. Where the Corrientes and Paraná rivers merge, I see with my own eyes that the Paraná is currently unfishable. It flows from Brazil and is approximately 2,000 kilometers long. Impressively wide and massive.

I bid farewell to guide Nacho, who did an excellent job. We had many laughs. He stays in Esquina with the boat.