Golden Dorado River Cruiser
Finally someone has figured this out!! Fishabout has been exploring the tributaries of the Parana in Northern Argentina since the mid 90’s. The fishery is amazing, but very sensitive to seasonal water levels. The owners of Estancia Laguna Verde have launched the Golden Dorado River Cruiser, all but solving the water level issue and presenting a unique operation that will completely change the way you pictured Golden Dorado fishing! As of October 2016, you can be part of this amazing Live Aboard Adventure. The mother ship strategically moves up or down the Parana River system targeting the best Golden Dorado fishing while you enjoy the friendly and professional first class attention that ELV team is known for. Golden Dorado are, unarguably, among the finest game fish on the planet. Their striking beauty mixed with their strong, aggressive and acrobatic behavior make Dorado one of the best fly fishing species the world has to offer.
Combine that with world class lodging provided by a full service Mother Ship, with guaranteed mobility to some of the hottest and most remote fishing spots in the Parana River system, gourmet meals served with some of the finest wines of Argentina, top notch hardcore guides, and you have yourself some of the best fishing trips for Golden Dorado money can buy.
Come on board the Golden Dorado River Cruiser and follow the currents to golden dreams.
MOTHER SHIP SET UP – MOBILITY MEANS BETTER FISHING
In order to understand the marked advantages of this program fly fishing for Dorado lodging at a moving Mother Ship rather than at a static cottage, you need to understand the geography of the amazing Paraná River. The Paraná River is born in the south of Brazil and, on its way south, as it enters Argentina it receives water from several smaller rivers and tributaries, finishing at Plata River near the city of Buenos Aires, forming one of the largest deltas in the world. This large river system is the second biggest in South America, after the Amazon, with a total length of over 1500 miles. Several small towns and cities are settled by this huge and complex river system, and as it is normally the case, the further away you are from civilization, the higher your chances of experiencing the best fishing. Being repeat visitors at several famous locations at Parana River in its different parts of Argentina, we have encountered, over the years, that many factors could affect the fishing either improving it or ruining it, and with that idea in mind, location becomes a key factor in the success or failure of a trip. After careful investigation and lengthy discussions with several guides and expert Dorado anglers who grew up in these regions, they all agreed that: MOBILITY IS THE KEY. If you could move up or down the river according to seasons, rains, droughts, weather conditions, arrival of bait fish, Dorado migrations, as well as many other important factors, you have the key to the best dorado fishing the Paraná River system has to offer, which is a lot to say!
Fishing Guides: This is a seasoned first-class professional guide crew, sight fishing oriented,with many seasons guiding on the Parana, all of them English-Spanish speakers are ready to share with you their invaluable Dorado fly fishing expertise.
THE FISHING
Golden Dorado are extraordinary hunters. They are always in search of an easy prey that happens to go by their holding spot (even a smaller Dorado!). They like moving water, and most times stalk close to river structure. The Paraná River is a huge water system, with hundreds of tributaries, deltas, marshlands, lagoons, side channels, full of fantastic flora and fauna, providing the most exciting adventure in this unique part of Argentina. Each day you will be fishing new waters, working different locations in its various forms, like runs, inlet/outlets of lagoons, small side channels, tributaries bringing bait fish, and on and on. Chances are that if you put a good cast close to a hot spot like a log, a bank, a rock, vegetation, a fast run, to name a few, and start stripping as soon as the fly hits the water, a nice Dorado could be charging your fly in a tenth of a second. So you better be ready! These are not timid fish. You will definitely know when a Golden Dorado has hit your fly, and you should be prepared to viciously strip set the hook, pulling hard on your line or you´ll end up with nothing (rod sets are like tickles for the “wooden mouth” dorado). And that’s just the beginning… Once you set the hook, the fight is ON right away. No warm ups here! Dorado are tackle busting, mean, acrobatic fighters. Be ready to put pressure on these guys right from the start (20 to 40 lb. shock tippet is used). Catches range from 5 lb to 20 lb Dorado, with chances of bigger fish during your trip. Fishing is done from brand new boats, specially designed for fly fishing, with two casting platforms that allow comfortable casting and fishing of two anglers at the same time, with remote operated electrical engine done by the guide. Besides targeting Golden Dorado, there are also the added bonus of fishing other exciting fish too like Pacu, Pira Pita, Tararira, Surubi, Chafalote, and other freshwater species, which provide fantastic sport.
