Top Fly Picks for Golden Dorado Fishing at Tsimane
Posted by: Alex
Date: 10/13/2025
Fly fishing Tsimane in Bolivia is one of the most unique freshwater experiences in the world. Every fish here demands power and precision. Having the right flies can make all the difference in a place this wild and unpredictable.
Golden Dorado On the fly
Golden dorado are built to hunt. They’re one of the most aggressive freshwater fish you can target on a fly, known for explosive eats. They attack in packs, ambushing bait and crushing anything that moves like prey. The fish itself acts like a brown trout in the fall, but due to their larger size and sharp teeth, they require a bit more technique. The dorado’s main prey in Tsimane is the sábalo, a silvery baitfish that runs through the river systems during the wet season. These runs are the backbone of the ecosystem, luring golden dorado into every river system of the Isiboro Sécure National Park where Tsimane's Pluma lodge is located.
Fly fishing for golden dorado in Bolivia is all about preparation. You want to bring enough flies that if the fishing is hot, you won’t run out, and if it’s slow, you’ll have options. The trip itself isn’t cheap, and the flies aren’t either, but this is one destination where showing up underprepared is a mistake. The right hook is more important than the prettiest fly in your box. Dorado destroy gear, and a weak or narrow-gap hook won’t last a single eat. Large, heavy hooks with a wide gap are essential for holding fish and standing up to repeated strikes.
Helpful Guidelines for Tsimane Fly Selection:
- Bring a variety of flies tied in colors that stay on the darker and natural side, with accents of red, purple, or orange when you need contrast.
- Nothing overly flashy.
- Flies between 6 and 8 inches tied on 4/0 to 6/0 hooks.
- Plan on packing 20 to 30 flies for a week-long trip.
- Smaller flies are great for clear water or finicky fish, but the big streamers are what make this fishery famous.
Pro Tip:
A pro tip for getting flies ready for your golden dorado trip is to look through what you already have from past saltwater destinations. If you’re a seasoned angler or have done other big game trips like tarpon, GTs, or even peacock bass. Many of those baitfish patterns will work just as well in the Bolivian jungle. They make great backup flies and often end up being the right ones when conditions change. Bringing those proven saltwater streamers can help fill your box.
Our Top Flies for Golden Dorado Fishing at Tsimane
Dorado Sabalo
The Dorado Sábalo from Enrico Puglisi is one of the best all-around flies for golden dorado. It’s tied with synthetic fibers that move naturally and dry quickly, making it easy to cast. The fly’s translucent profile mimics the sábalo baitfish.
Kinky King Muddler
The Kinky King Muddler is a durable baitfish pattern designed with a synthetic head that sheds water and keeps the fly light to cast. It swims with a natural kick and pushes plenty of water, which makes it a great choice for clear-water.
TK's Doctor Davis Deceiver
The Dr. Davis Deceiver has a clean, tapered profile that imitates a wounded sábalo perfectly. Its balanced movement and longer tail give it lifelike action that works well in both slow and fast water. It’s a reliable fly when fish are being selective.
Jungle Love
A good option to have on hand for lower or clear water conditions in both the black and purple color ways. This smaller profile baitfish pattern still gets the fish's attention just fine and is easier to cast than most golden dorado flies, plus it works on Pacu, too.
Major Mullet
Tied to imitate big baitfish, the Major Mullet gives off a wide silhouette, which helps it stand out in pocket water and off-color conditions. This is a great option for anglers fly fishing in Bolivia to prospect through deep pools and rock gardens with a sinking line.
Andino's Deceiver
This style of golden dorado baitfish pattern remains relevant today, particularly when rivers are high and off-color. Available in many colors, the black/chartreuse, black/orange, and black/red are highly recommended flies for Bolivia fly fishing.
Predator Pounder
The Predator Pounder is a big, heavy fly built to move water and get noticed. Its bulky head and long profile make it perfect for golden dorado. It pushes a lot of water, triggering aggressive eats. Also available in black/red or black/orange, too.
Pole Dancer
This topwater fly makes commotion by its darting, zig-zagging motion when retrieved correctly. Golden dorado attack this fly with abandon when fished near structure like submerged logs in fast runs. Go for the Firetiger or Black color with 3/0 hooks.
Cruiser
The Cruiser series of baitfish flies is a jungle favorite of ours for Bolivia and Brazil. Synthetic materials dry quickly for easy casting, yet the fly has a nice, full silhouette underwater. The purple, red, sardina, and chartreuse colors should all have a place in the fly box.
Flies for Pacu
Pacu are one of the most underestimated species in fly fishing. They’re big, aggressive, and surprisingly smart. The first time you go tight to one, it’s a shock. Anglers and guides look for fish feeding near the surface in deep pools. Sightcasting while they are near the surface with light ot heavy flies is both effective, depending on the fish's behavior.
Equipped with large, sharp teeth, pacu demand a totally different approach than golden dorado. They’re methodical feeders that often eat like trout but fight like saltwater fish, using their large profile to dig deep and using the current to their advantage.
When they’re feeding subsurface, the general profile looks a lot like a tarpon fly. Leadeye tarpon toads and small, heavy-hooked fly patterns tied with marabou or rabbit strips are a solid starting point. These flies imitate small seeds and bits of fruit drifting in the current, which pacu regularly key in on. The key is to get the fly down and moving naturally, often dead-drifted or with subtle strips to mimic something caught in the flow.
When pacu are feeding near the surface, they will eat a dry fly. Flies made with foam or deer hair that can support a strong 4/0 to 6/0 hook without sinking are perfect. These imitate fallen fruit or insects drifting on top, and watching one of these fish rise and eat is one of the most electrifying sights in freshwater fly fishing. Tarpon toads and small streamers will do the trick on these surface-feeding fish when presented properly.
Finding the right flies for pacu isn’t easy; many of them don’t look like anything you’d fish anywhere else. The lodge and guides will have fruit patterns on hand if the fish are being particularly selective. But that’s part of what makes the experience so unique. In Tsimane, you’re not matching a hatch, you’re matching a jungle, and the pacu are right at the heart of it.
Our Top Pacu Flies for Tsimane
EP Tarpon Streamer
The classic rear-tied tarpon fly is one that the Tsimane fly fishing guides prefer when sight casting to pacu. Tied on a heavy hook, it can handle teh brute strengh of even the largest pacu as it heads to the deep. The purple and red colors are preferred.
Triple Threat Tarpon
The Triple Threat Tarpon is a heavily weighted fly with layered movement that gets down fast and stays in the strike zone. Its combination of rabbit and flash gives it both bulk and motion, making it perfect for pacu feeding deep or tight to structure in heavy current.
Swimming Frog
The Swimming Frog is a fun and effective fly for pacu when they’re feeding near the surface or under overhanging trees. Its buoyant head and kicking legs create surface disturbance without too much splash. It’s a great fly for visual eats and one of the most exciting ways to target these powerful jungle fish.
Fly Fishing For Surubi In Bolivia
Fly fishing for surubí in Tsimane is one of the most underrated parts of the entire experience. These big, powerful catfish live deep in the runs and undercuts, waiting for the chance to ambush prey. They aren’t as aggressive on the surface as golden dorado, but when they eat, it’s deliberate and heavy. Most anglers encounter them by accident while dredging deep pools or fishing heavy flies along the bottom, but once you’ve hooked one, you’ll never forget it. Surubí pull hard, dive deep, and use their size to their advantage, often testing both your gear and your patience.
When it comes to flies, a lot of your standard dorado streamers will get the job done, but this is one species where extra weight makes a big difference. The key is to get the fly down quickly while still maintaining a large, visible profile. Big streamers tied on strong 6/0 or 8/0 hooks with heavy dumbbell or lead eyes work best. Patterns like bulky deceivers and Puglisi-style baitfish. Darker color combinations like black and purple, red and black, or olive and gold show up well in deeper water and stained conditions.
The best time to target surubí is during lower water conditions, when visibility improves and fish move out of the deep pools. You’ll often spot them resting near structure or slowly cruising through calm pockets. Presenting the fly close and letting it sink naturally gives you the best chance at a take. The eat feels different than a dorado’s—it’s slower, heavier, and then everything comes tight at once. These fish may not get the same attention as dorado or pacu, but they’re every bit as challenging and add another layer of excitement to fishing Tsimane.
Our Top Picks For Surubi
Bad Attitude
The Bad Attitude is a dense, full-bodied streamer that sinks fast and holds its profile, making it perfect for getting down to surubí in deep runs. Its strong hook and heavy head let it cut through current while keeping a lifelike movement.
Ballok's Big Boy
Ballok’s Big Boy is built for big water and big fish. Its oversized head and weighted eyes make it one of the best options for dredging deep pools where surubí hold. The fly’s bulky profile makes it easy for these catfish to track, even in low visibility.
Jungle Junkie
The Jungle Junkie is a heavy streamer made for dirty water and tight structure. It’s an ideal pattern when you need something big and loud to get the attention of these giant catfish.
Have Variety in Your Tsimane Fly Selection
Traveling to a place like Tsimane is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most anglers, and showing up with the right flies makes all the difference. The jungle is unpredictable—one day you’re sight-fishing golden dorado in clear water, the next you’re dredging deep pools for surubí or drifting fruit flies to pacu. Having a well-rounded selection of proven patterns in the right sizes and weights means you’re ready for whatever the river gives you. From heavyweight streamers and bulky baitfish to smaller foam and fruit imitations, these flies cover every situation you’ll face in Bolivia’s jungle rivers.
Store all your flies in one box or a small dry bag to save space, as you will be carrying them all day in your pack. Oftentimes, the guide will pick a handful of flies to take each day and leave the box back at camp to minimize your gear. We recommend a small boat box for the total fly selection and then packing a few ziplock bags to carry small assortments with you in your waterproof backpack. The Yeti 28L Panga is the perfect pack for this trip.
Fins and Feathers Guide Service has been in the fly fishing industry and outfitting Montana fly fishing trips for over two decades. Over the years, we have traveled to fly fishing destinations around the world with friends, family, and guests as we pursue our passion for the angling life.
Contact us for help planning your Tsimane fly fishing trip with Untamed Angling. The right flies and gear can be hard to source, so you can contact us for referrals to the best fly shops in the game that stock the Tsimane essentials.
