Golden Dorado Fly Fishing Adventures in Bolivia

The significance of this milestone was not lost on the family, so we began to explore a host of “what if” scenarios. We quickly progressed from a holiday in southern Mexico to a safari in Africa, eventually landing on bird hunting in Argentina followed by a week of golden dorado fly fishing in Bolivia. Sign me up—that’s what we all said.

Team South America was to include my dad, my two sons, and myself (Toby Swank) as the fishing program coordinator—three generations on the road for a few weeks, sharing their love of the sporting life that has kept our family tightly bonded for decades.

The hunting story is for another time and place. Ducks and dove hunting at the world-renowned Los Ombues Lodge near Rosario, Argentina, was the theme of the week. We’ve been there a few times, and they always surpass our expectations with their service, lodging, meals, guides, and hunting experience. Reach out if you have any questions or would like an introduction to the Los Ombues team.

Team Swank became our nickname as we traversed our way from the Paraná River marshlands to the headwaters of the Amazon River, deep within the Bolivian jungle. Somehow, water is always involved in our adventures.

We arrived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on a cool, rainy evening and made our way to the Los Tajibos Hotel for a couple of down days before heading to Tsimane. The hotel’s central location is great for cursory explorations of city life in Santa Cruz on foot.

Settling In

Here, we met up with a group of new and old friends from Tailwaters Fly Fishing in Dallas, Texas, for a week of heli-fishing out of Untamed Angling’s Pluma Lodge. Our original itinerary was at the Agua Negra Lodge, but we were able to pivot to Pluma thanks to a few cancellations with the Tailwaters group. For what it’s worth, both Untamed Angling and Tailwaters were extremely accommodating during this short-notice change.

Tailwaters has been a fixture in the fly fishing travel scene for over 30 years, tracing its origins to the original rendition of West Bank Anglers. Their Texas fly shop is one of the marquee storefronts in the country, renowned for personalized service and an expertly curated gear selection. With nearly 20 years in retail and decades of experience in fly fishing travel, they truly have it “dialed in.”

The new ensemble of characters piled into the legendary Tsimane minivan under the watchful eye of Untamed Angling’s “man on the ground,” Zoltan Loecsey, and headed back to the Viru Viru International Airport for our jungle departure flight. The hour-long hop north in a Pilatus single-engine turboprop was smooth, landing without issue on the Oromomo Indian Village airstrip. From there, we quickly departed for Pluma Lodge via a duo of Robinson R-44 helicopters, arriving just in time for lunch and a relaxing afternoon before fishing.

Tsimane Fly Fishing

Day one of angling marked the end of the “easy, peaceful” part of the trip! Other than the helicopter flights to and from the river each day, the week was packed with adrenaline-filled moments spent wading, crawling, and climbing over rocks, boulders, trees, and cliffsides while fly fishing for golden dorado. These hard-fighting apex predators of the jungle rivers will test even the “coolest customer” with their ferocious strikes and acrobatic runs through riffles and rock gardens.

We fished different rivers or river sections—many of which are only fished a few times each season—each uniquely beautiful and equally unspoiled. Jaguar and tapir tracks greeted us in lieu of the familiar “Vibram” boot prints that line our home waters near Bozeman. The jungle here is dense and lush, from the highest peaks to the riverbanks, and rings with the sounds of birds, reptiles, and mammals during all but the hottest hours of the day. This is the place for any angler who has ever wondered what the world might look like without humans—amazing only begins to describe it.

Fishing here means slowly stalking the banks in search of dorado that patrol the edges in small packs, hunting their primary quarry, the sábalo. These baitfish migrate up the river systems in endless schools during the dry season, bringing massive numbers of golden dorado along the way. The slow wake and golden hue of a dorado’s adipose fin are telltale signs of a belly-crawling hunter in the shallows. The water erupts in a violent explosion when they launch into an unsuspecting school of baitfish. The stealthy angler watches closely to time the cast just before the onslaught occurs—get it right, and the next few minutes are chaos.

These freestone rivers offer a mix of riffles, rapids, pocket water, and long glides between deep holes. Anglers typically work upstream, watching the edges and shallow riffles for signs of hunting behavior. Blind casting along deep seams and mid-river structure with baitfish or topwater flies is also effective, often producing adrenaline-pumping chases and unanticipated feeding frenzies.

Essential Gear for Tsimane Fly Fishing

A simple selection of flies, some 40-pound fluorocarbon, and 40-pound bite wire are daily essentials. Reliable dorado fly patterns include jungle classics like the EP Sábalo, Andino’s Deceiver, Jungle Love, Major Mullet, Cruiser, Pole Dancer, and Bad Attitude, preferably on 3/0 or 4/0 hooks. Carry these in your waterproof backpack along with water, snack bars, a raincoat, GPS device, small first-aid kit, and camera to be properly “kitted” for the day.

This is 8- and 9-weight fly rod country. An intermediate sink-tip line is the standard for dorado fishing in Bolivia. A 9-weight rod with a floating line is usually carried by the guide for trophy pacu that inhabit the deep, slow-moving pools between dorado runs. The St. Croix Evos Salt, Sage Igniter, and G. Loomis NRX+ fly rods all excel here. Rio’s Elite Warmwater Predator fly lines—durable, easy-casting, and designed for big flies in jungle heat—are highly recommended.

Choose gear you know and trust. Hatch and Abel fly reels check both boxes for me. If you like these brands, invest in a quality pair of their pliers as well. Golden dorado have teeth and hard mouths, so pliers are essential for removing even debarbed flies. Integrated wire cutters are equally critical for trimming leader material.

The Report Summary

The fishing varied daily as the weather was unsettled. Cool mornings made for comfortable angling but slowed fish activity on some days. We lost a full day after heavy rains sent sediment surging downstream, raising river levels by over six feet in hours. Dense fog and cloud cover grounded the helicopters, keeping us from the clearer headwaters. As in most stream fishing, stable or dropping water levels are best—hope for dry weather, but remember, this is wild, remote country with no guarantees.

On average, each angler brought 5–10 dorado to hand per day. The best days saw 15–20 landed. Most fish were in the 3–6 pound range, though our group caught several in the 20–25 pound class. Even the best anglers miss their share—dorado strike hard, and their mouths are tough.

A handful of pacu were landed as well. These black-bodied giants stand out clearly in the clear jungle waters. Omnivorous in nature, they were caught sight-casting with dorado flies in long, deep runs. Floating flies or fruit imitations aren’t necessary here.

Pluma Lodge as a Base

Pluma Lodge offers both boat- and helicopter-based itineraries, plus blended weeks when available. The helicopter option reaches the most remote waters, though that doesn’t always mean better fishing—sometimes the surprises are fewer fish, tough crossings, or long hikes. The boat program, in place for over 15 years, benefits from guides who know the waters intimately.

We’ve done both and would almost always choose the helicopter when possible. Getting here is neither easy nor cheap, so “aim for the frontier” is my motto.

In the end, our week in Bolivia and the broader South America trip was one for the ages. The joy of listening to my sons relive their daily misadventures over evening cocktails was unmatched. I even got to fish with each of them—though my old knees, shoulders, and elbows reminded me I’m not as spry as I once was. With my dad smiling silently in the background and my kids fully immersed in the moment, I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend the end of June 2025.

Suggested Resources and Booking Resources for Bolivia Fly Fishing :

- Untamed Angling

- Tailwaters Fly Fishing

- Fly Water Travel

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