Tuku lodge
SAn FernAndo Fishing Lodge by Tuku Lodge: Argentina’s most exciting and exclusive Dorado Fly Fishing
After a strong and nutritious breakfast, just as dawn breaks all over the lush mountains, we walk or ride on our special river vehicles (Can-Am, Polaris or 4-wheel drive trucks) into the river of the day (Seco or Dorado). From the word go, you are already building up with
anticipation: the energy of both rivers is so evident and powerful that you will be swooped away in raving fashion. Although the Dorado River is revered by many Argentine anglers, most have never fished it. Most would love to fish here. A surreal feeling of privacy and silence come
together here to create a powerful and unique environment. More and more anglers are blown away by both the lodging quality at San Fernando and the amount and size of dorados and sabalos (Dorado's favourite prey).
Owned and operated by Tuku Lodge, San Fernando Fishing Lodge is set in the heart of a private jungle atmosphere, located near the small but booming agricultural town of Las Lajitas, and some 2½ hours drive from Salta. San
Fernando Fishing Lodge hosts only six rods at a time to ensure small groups and privacy, and it offers very high standards of comfort and service given its remote location. The Yungas (meaning the local jungle) is home to a wide diversity of plants and animals, including South American tapirs, ocelots, toucans, and white-lipped peccaries. There are only a few ways to catch dorados here (techniques familiar to the Paraná River or the Iberá
Marshlands are less effective here, almost impossible). Why is fishing here so precious and challenging?
Because the waters of both Dorado and Seco rivers run with such clarity much of the year. These witty dorados are very aware of your presence, so the mere vibration of the line will spook the dorados. Even a splashy dry-fly cast can shatter an opportunity. Our local expert guides will share with you the most
effective techniques to be successful on both rivers: you will need to fish upstream, with mouse or dry flies. That will increase your chances of catching some big dorados here. You will need to use sight-fishing techniques similar to those targeting brown trout in the New Zealand backcountry. Those abilities are appropriate here on the Seco and Dorado rivers. Similarly, the requisite camouflage clothing is a must as Dorados are always
on the move here. They are apex predators that feed primarily on a prey fish called sábalo. Where there is sábalo, there is dorado too. So, do not spook the sábalos, because then the dorados will vanish like lightning. To increase your chances of a good cast and catch, you need accuracy and a delicate presentation of your line. In other words, you will need to present your dry fly with finesse: nine-foot, 40-pound-test
leaders are the standard. Use an Albright knot to connect the leader to a 12-inch length of 30-pound wire tippet. The ideal scenario in a surprise cast situation is to present the fly six inches upstream of the fish. If you can manage that, the response is often immediate. In 2024, we are opening new trails in the jungle, so this will imply that your experience will be vastly improved: riding on any of our vehicles will take you in no time to the best
spots along the river without having to walk to them, and same on the way back to the lodge. In other words, less walking means more fishing time, and also means more time relaxing at the lodge with your friends and guides. The fishing season on the Dorado river runs from March 1 to Nov. 30. Dorados spawn between December and February. Water levels must rise and remain elevated for several weeks to initiate the spawn. While most fisheries
and nearby rivers have been decimated of dorados by poaching, the Seco and Dorado are in a league of their own. And the reason they remain a pristine populated fishery is due to its remote location (which makes access difficult), also due to the fact that Tuku Lodge owns both margins of these two rivers, and above all because of the dedication and hard work of San Fernando's guides who care deeply for these rivers and its fish so
they protect and cherish this amazing natural gem.
The wildlife, especially the tapirs, the peccary, and the toucans, makes these two rivers so unique and special.
One catch of a big dorado here equals the joy of many fishing days. You are coming here alerted of the sigh
fishing, the walk, the temperature or the bugs, but the excitement of one catch only will fill your heart with joy that will not disappear easily. Remember that we are talking of the best dorado fishing in Argentina, and surely the most challenging and enticing.
CONTACT US
info@cAvAtortigiorgio.it https://www.tukulodge.com/ https://www.instAgrAm.com/tukulodge
