Bolivia

TARGET SPECIES: Golden dorado, pacu and yatorana MAJOR AIR HUBS: Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: Valid passport and a Bolivian visa (purchased upon arrival) and proof of Yellow Fever vaccination SEASON: The dry season of May through October LANGUAGES: Spanish and Tsimane CAPITAL: Sucre

We can tell you from personal experience that our Bolivian golden dorado programs collectively offer some of the most incredible freshwater fishing found anywhere on the planet. With three different location and lodge options, Tsimane offers anglers access to the wildest of fish in the wildest of environments! The theory is that this specific population of dorado migrated from the Parana River Basin prior to the last glacial era, eventually finding their way to the headwaters of these Bolivian mountain rivers. The end result is a strain of fish that has been virtually untouched by civilization for eons: a voracious fish that today can be targeted and caught on the fly all throughout Tsimane’s areas of operation.

After first launching in 2006, the Tsimane program (a joint development between the operators and the Sécure River Indigenous Association) now features three separate lodge locations, giving anglers a choice between basing out of the Secure Lodge, Pluma Lodge or the Agua Negra Lodge. All three are offered as standard weekly packages of seven nights with six days of guided fishing, and all deliver exotic jungle angling action, comfortable accommodations, and amenities that are definitely unexpected in such remote and isolated settings. In all of these fisheries, dorado and other jungle species such as pacu and yatorana are plentiful, and the fishing throughout the region presents endless opportunities for the adventurous angler. It should be mentioned that anglers traveling to the Bolivian jungle should be in fairly good shape: able to walk, wade and hike on rocky banks in a jungle environment.

With extraordinary natural beauty, Bolivia is one of the most wild and adventurous countries in South America. The remote nature of the fishing in this specific area, the exotic wildlife, the culture of the Tsimane people, and the overwhelming magnificence of the jungle all combine to create an angling and travel experience that is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting and unique in the entire world of destination fly fishing.

As if the Bolivian dorado experience was not exciting enough, we are pleased to introduce the all-new Tsimane Heli program for 2022. With daily helicopter fly-outs, guests can now reach area rivers and tributaries that are wild, untouched and completely inaccessible to most people. The program includes two nights in a fivestar hotel in Santa Cruz, seven nights all-inclusive at the Pluma Lodge in single rooms, and six days of helicopter fishing in and around remote area headwaters. Capacity is limited to only four anglers per week, during a window that runs August through October.

With this eight-person program, anglers have access to three different fisheries, including the Pluma River, the Itirizama and the lower Secure River. This diversity of waters means that anglers can expect to fish new (and rested) sections each day. While fishing on foot or (occasionally) out of the boat on both the Pluma and the Secure, anglers primarily target trophy golden dorado, as well as pacu and yatorana. The smaller, remote Itirizama is considered by many anglers to be the “jewel in the crown” of the Tsimane program, affording anglers some of the best sightfishing that Bolivia has to offer. The lodge itself features four double occupancy rooms, a main social area and a huge deck directly overlooking the Pluma. This program offers the perfect mix of fishing moderately sized, crystal-clear freestone rivers and larger, debris-filled waters that hold some of the largest dorado in the entire watershed.

The Agua Negra River is an important tributary of the Sécure River. This is a stream of clear, shallow waters running from East to West: a classic small-water fishery that offers relatively easy wading. The Lower Agua Negra has features similar to a low gradient, flood plain river, meandering through a jungle river valley with numerous sandy beaches, deep runs and cover to hold strong populations of dorado and yatorana. The middle section of the Secure River offers plenty of structure, and the Chimoro Stream is ideal for yatorana and mediumsized dorados on lightweight tackle. A third option includes the Upper Agua Negra Spike Camp. The lodge accommodates a maximum of only four rods per week – perfect for small inclusive groups of anglers. Guests stay in safari-style tents that are connected to a main lodge building via a raised, wooden boardwalk. Agua Negra offers what are arguably the best waters for sightcasting in Tsimane, with big dorado in shallow waters.

With a maximum of six anglers per week, Secure Lodge is located far upstream from the other two Tsimane camps, providing access to the Upper Secure, Middle Secure and several tributary streams including the Maniquicito and Ashahana. Over the course of a standard week, guests may also have the opportunity to travel “out of bounds” to fish the very upper reaches of the Secure River. With this option, anglers will overnight at a remote headwaters out-camp. This broad variety of waters and pools allow groups to fish untouched waters every day, and rarely, if ever, repeat the same fishing section. The lodge features safari-style wall tent cabins, a large social area and dining room, satellite Wi-Fi, and hot water that is generated by a solar system. One of the biggest draws to fishing this drainage is the sheer numbers of dorado that are found in the immediate area. The Secure is also considered to be the best river to target and catch large pacu.