12 minute read
Tsimane Revisited: Golden Dorado in the Jungle
Golden dorado have fast become one of the most coveted species that a fly fisherman can target. And Tsimane is one of the best places to fish for them in the whole world. In the following, Florian Kaiser makes his return to Tsimane to once again search for gold in the jungle.
Text by FLORIAN KAISER Pictures by FLORIAN KAISER, CHRIS DAUGHTERS and LUCIANO SALDISE
Every seasoned traveling fly fisher probably has a very special and individual happy place - a place that touches his soul, that he is addicted to and that he has to come back to again and again. For me that place is on the opposite side of our precious planet, compared to my home in Bavaria. You might guess where it is? I won’t mention it, as this article is not about my happy place - but about another place that touches my heart in a very intense way as well.
That place is Tsimane on the Secure River system deep in the secluded and remote jungle of Bolivia. You probably have read the occasional article already, seen a movie or listened to a narration about this unique place. It is a venue based on three excellent lodges developed in cooperation with the local indigenous Tsimane communities. Fishing is done by wading or from drifting wooden boats for golden dorados between 5 and +25lbs.
Golden dorado are aggressive, easy to catch the one day and spooky, sophisticated and frustrating the other day. They are hard fighting, mean, amazingly beautiful and provide superb fun on an 8 or 9-weight rod. It’s easy to get addicted to such “golden trout on steroids” – no they are not related to trout, but their shape is similar.
First Impressions
More than five years back I ran into a fisherman (down south at my happy place) that raved about Tsimane. He just said: “Tsimane is a blast!” Those few words of mouth were enough to make me think about it and eventually book my first trip to Bolivia. Carefully considering the circumstances of such a trip in terms of investment and family – I ended up going there without my fly fishing and life partner Ines, due to the fact that our son Tobias was burn just month before.
Thus in August 2012 I traveled to Tsimane: For my first time fishing for Dorado and for my first time fishing in the South American Jungle. The place was jawdroppingly beautiful, and the whole setting, scenery, service, and staff amazed me.
It was a truly magic place. The fishing was not easy at all, but I caught my fair share of dorado and some of them made a lasting impression. Besides the fish, I made a much bigger catch: I hooked a good fishing partner - and good friend ever since: Breno from Belo Horizonte in Brazil. An avid fly fisher experienced in the various South American settings. And as he was casting with his left hand and I cast with my right hand we had double the fun in the boat. Making friends, especially those you won’t like to “release”, is a special element of true fly fishing. You instantly know that you share some very important mutual principles, interests and you feel that you are soul mates.
Back then we periodically has good fishing from the old Asunta lodge and from the old Pluma lodge, one or two days of very fishing and we lost one day due to heavy and cold rain – a typical week even at one of the best fishing destinations in the world. Not every day is perfect, thus you have to make every good day count. To experience more of Bolivia than just fishing, I spiced the trip with some high altitude mountain biking around La Paz and riding the remote Choro trail, an old Inka trail from 4500m above sea level down to the lowlands and the jungle. Bolivia with these two extreme perspectives made a lasting impression. I loved it and ever since, Tsimane and a potential revisit has been on my mind.
Revisiting Tsimane
Fast forward some years of repeated trips to my happy place (I cannot stop thinking about it…) to 2016 and an offer by Daniel Beilinson, an agent from Argentina, to join him and his group for a week at Tsimane in September 2016. It took me less than a minute to confirm his offer: I was going to revisit Tsimane! To spice this trip up as well, I came up with the idea of “The Ultimate Jungle Blast” and combined it with a week at Rio Marie for Giant Peacock Bass in the Brazilian Amazon where Breno would join me. Combining two top locations, I’m sure, will become the preferred style of fly fishing traveling over the years to come, as it makes the most of your international travel time.
But the second part of the trip and that very special Giant Peacock Bass I caught is another story.
Back to Tsimane September 2016. Revisiting a location is a two-sided affair. You already have some basic experience; you now the good and the not so good, you might be less thrilled and you might possibly get disappointed in case revisiting is less good than the first trip. Nevertheless coming back for another time or for several times to one location is like a bank account: the more you invest, the more you might receive in return and the more “successful” you might be.
Most of the itineraries at Tsimane are based on two lodges combined in one week. That adds a lot to the variety of fishing and experience as you sample different river structures, settings and ways to fish.
The Secure River in the Tsimane region is reached after a good two hours flight north of Santa Cruz with a small plane. You then touch down on a small grassy landing patch in the middle of the jungle close to one of the remote Tsimane settlements. A short transfer in a wooden boat and we were at our home base for the first three nights: the new Asunta lodge. High and safely located some hundred meters above the old lodge that got swept away by a huge flood some years ago (it was in the rainy off season, nobody was hurt). As we went upriver towards the new lodge it was hot but I got goose bumps – it was that intense feeling to be back at a place that deeply touches your soul and the anticipation of the days ahead.
Life in the Jungle
Our group of six seasoned fishermen from Argentina, Oregon and me from Bavaria got settled in our comfortable safari style double occupancy tents with en suite bathroom and shower. The comfortable camp consists of several tents, huts and one big house for dinner and fish tales afterand before the fishing sessions. As the jungle is very friendly during the dry or “good weather season” as the Tsimane call it, we regularly had our after dinner Whiskey and cigar outside on the veranda.
Insects are rather few during the season. Nevertheless it is a good advice to wear long clothes during the day and at night and to use insect repellant and sunscreen accordingly. The only real danger in the jungle is caused by reckless angler behavior and a slight chance of stingrays that can be avoided by taking care. Other animals you might experience are tapir, macaw, several species of parrots, caiman, monkeys, butterflies and several other fish species such as Yatorana or Surubi.
The fishing
We were keen to get on the water, so we settled in and rushed to reach home pool. Unfortunately our first session was fruitless. The dorados simply weren’t in the mood to go for our flies but in stead were rolling on the surface to check out those fly fishing intruders. Rolling Dorado is never a good sign - most likely you will not catch any.
Next day my fishing partner Chris (a lefthander again and hopefully a good friend for future adventures to come – btw. he kind of shares my happy place) went to fish the upper sections of the Secure. The river has several tributaries and the further we went upriver the more the river changed into a creek.
We passed good Pacu water, which we left untouched for our group mates. We spotted several solitary fish or pots of Casare as the Tsimane call Dorados. As fishing for Dorado can be challenging, it took some opportunities to wet our hand for the first dorado release from our barbless flies.
The river up there is clear, remote, tight and challenging a times. A pristine place to fall in love with! We only experienced very few of those legendary feeding frenzies where several Dorado just smash and destroy schools of Sabalo. Those feeding orgies are hard to describe. You have to experience them!
Much too early we had to turn around to be back at the lodge in time well before dark. Getting stuck in the jungle at night might not kill you, but the comfort of the lodge,
a decent dinner, some Malbec or Whiskey and a real bed certainly beats an unplanned night without shelter in the Bolivian jungle. Especially since this area has one of the highest densities of Jaguar. But with two Tsimane at your side even that would not be too bad.
Making the most of things
Fly fishing and enjoying Tsimane is highly related to your level of experience, preparation and fitness. You can fish it the easy or the more challenging way. Likely, you will have fun doing it either way. But preparation is a good advice with most remote fishing locations.
On the second day we fished the river below the lodge. There, The Secure River is much more open and turns into a wider river that provides dorado holding structure such as riffles and sunken trees. Casting not just close but at times in the structure from the drifting boat is the way to go. The attack might come anytime between your fly hits the water or close to the boat. So be prepared – everything can happen and will happen! A 5lbs Dorado being chewed up by a 20lbs Dorado is a more common thing.
On the third fishing day we had to say “good bye” to Asunta and transferred downstream to reach the Aqua Negra Lodge some 45 kilometers downriver. Thus we only had half a day of fishing but I finally got my very first Pacu: A strong fighting fish with high endurance and strength. Rather uncommon it took a deceiver.
As we went downriver we saw clouds forming on the horizon. Those clouds made us worry as my fishing partner Chris (The Caddis Fly Shop, Eugene, OR) and I had planned a headwater camp out for the following nights. Two of the Tsimane said that would mean nothing and two said that would bring rain. Unfortunately the last two were right. A horrendous rainforest storm hit the whole catchment the following night. The Secure River came up more than a meter and the tributary we wanted to explore rose more than four meters.
Our dream of fishing the remote headwater section of a tributary literally got swept away. Again: make the best of the good days you have!
Wrapping it up
Luckily we all only lost one fishing day. The day after, Chris and I started towards our camp out and went for the long half-a-day tramp upriver, swimming at times in high and murky water, crossing the river back and forth many times. All the time we were not sure if our camp out would have survived the flooding.
After four hours of pushing upstream we reached the camp and were relieved, as most of it was still there and useable. We instantly continued to fish upriver and meter-by-meter the river seemed to become clearer. It was still murky but we started to have fun catching fish in a river that had the structure of a medium to small trout stream in alpine regions – except it was filled with Golden Dorado between 10 and 25lbs.
In one big, deep, slow gliding pool, Chris caught a good-sized Pacu. My idea was to imitate him and catch a Pacu as well. After a couple of casts I got a solid take: No jumps but a very strong and constant pull. Clearly a Pacu, at least until we saw the fish in the surface. Luciano, the guide, commented in amazement: “Wow! That is a true cow!” The cow turned out to be a 96cm and +28lbs Casare aka Golden Dorado: One of the top fish of the season for Luciano and the lodge.
At night we had some beers sitting around our “white man bonfire”, telling fish tales, staring into the fire and listening to the sound of the jungle… The sound of the jungle woke us the next morning as hundreds of parrots and macaws discussed their plans for the day. Our plan was clear: fishing upriver, where the creek became clearer and clearer for each step: A truly marvelous place.
Far too early we had to turn around to reach the Aqua Negra Lodge before dark. Tramping and drifting back to the lodge Chris and I were already dreaming of coming back the next year …
Practical advice
Some final words for preparation: take three to four rods in the 8 or 9 weight range such as a T&T Exocett, two WF floating and two intermediate tip lines each and one sinking line. 40 4/0 flies in different weights and lengths. Add some fruit or surface flies for Pacu.
The leader should be 40lbs level with 30 or 40lbs wire shock tippet. Bring stripping finger gloves, long nose pliers and good fitness to cast heavy lines for a week. Felt soles with studs will give you the best traction, Vibram is not enough. Take a warm jacket and a real rain jacket, as cool days tend to be both cool and wet.
Last advice: book your trip to Tsimane soon - you will have a blast!
Contact:
Tsimane is an Untamed Angling destination and all details can be found at
www.untamedangling.com
If you have questions or want to join the author for a hosted trip:
