Argentina Golden Dorado
2025 Trip Report

Here is my trip report from one of my favorite fishing destinations, the Golden Dorado River Cruiser in Argentina.

Since 2017, I have been fortunate to host several weeks each year on the Cruiser. However, I missed out on 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.  This year’s trip began with my departure from Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday morning, March 19th. I flew United Airlines to Houston and then took an overnight flight to Buenos Aires.

When I arrived at Ezeiza International Airport on Thursday morning, I met with two of my seven guests, Lori and her husband Bobby, from North Carolina, who had arrived around the same time.

From the airport, I arranged for a driver to take us to a nice hotel in the Recoleta area for our first two nights in Buenos Aires. The hotel was clean, had a helpful staff, was within walking distance of great restaurants, and included a delicious breakfast.

On Friday morning, a tour guide I had arranged a month in advance took us on a six-hour tour of the city. I always encourage guests to explore a Buenos Aires on a city tour before heading to the Cruiser. I have worked with three tour guides; they have all been knowledgeable and speak excellent English. They all cover the city's famous landmarks, including the fascinating Recoleta Cemetery.

Our tour also included a visit to a well-known restaurant famous for its empanadas. Argentine empanadas are crimped-edged handheld pies filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables, then cooked in oil to perfection. One of our waiters was very animated and friendly, which added to the memorable day. That evening, we enjoyed a very nice dinner within walking distance of the hotel.

On Saturday at 8:00 a.m., Adrian, the transfer driver for the Cruiser, arrived at our hotel. He had already picked up two other guests from their hotel. They were from England, and before this trip, they had fished for sea-run brown trout on the Rio Grande River in southern Argentina. Next, we went to another hotel to pick up Ash from Minnesota, who had also finished a sea-run brown trip.

From the same hotel, we also picked up Roman, one of the fishing guides assigned to us, who had just returned from his season at Estancia Laguna Verde, a sister lodge of the Cruiser located on the famous Jurassic Lake in southern Argentina.

Adrian drove us for three and a half hours to the port at Gualeguay, where we met our other three fishing guides. Our gear was loaded onto the boats, and then we took a 15-minute ride to the Cruiser.

The Golden Dorado River Cruiser, also known as the Parana Gypsy, is 66 feet long by 24 feet wide and features two levels. The twin-engine Mothership provides the comfort and services of a first-class fishing lodge. The living and dining room area have a 42-inch LCD TV. An open bar with wine/beer/soft drinks/cocktails that are included in the package.

We were greeted by the renowned chef Alan and Maugi, the young lady who served as our host, prep cook, and daily housekeeper for our rooms. We checked into our spacious rooms, which have two twin beds and a bathroom, and then we enjoyed a lovely lunch prepared by Alan.

After lunch, we worked with the guides to get our fly and spinning rods rigged and ready to fish for Dorado.

Two other guests from the States arrived late Saturday morning at Ezeiza International. Jim from Texas, and Harris, Ash’s son, from Southern California. Their transport drivers were Gustavo and Adrian. (Gustavo has helped me with transportation in the past.) For all guests, this was their first trip on the Cruiser and their first time fishing for Golden Dorado.

If you haven't fished for dorado, they’re aggressive with a ferocious strike, hard runs, impressive jumps, and great stamina.

The first afternoon, we fished on the Gualeguay River. One boat did well; the others caught a couple of Dorado. Afterward, we enjoyed a fabulous dinner prepared by Alan plus an excellent dessert.

Fabulous Desserts

The next morning, we all motored up the Gualeguay River again. Overnight, the water level had dropped about three feet. The guides had to be very careful driving the boats as there were many shallow sandbars in the river. The guides said the water level had dropped about 10 feet in four days. The Parana River system is very complicated. Most of the water comes from southern Brazil. A majority of the river systems in northern Brazil flow into the Amazon River. Over the past two years, Brazil has not experienced its normal and historic rain patterns. As a result, the lack of rainfall has impacted many rivers where we fish for peacock bass. The situation is similar in southern Brazil, affecting the Paraná River system as well.

During our trip, the Parana River was very low, which, in turn, caused some of its tributary rivers to drain out as if someone had pulled the plug out of a bathtub. Dorado prefer moving water. While they can be caught in still water, my experience is they tend to hold better in moving water.

The advantage of the Cruiser trip is the flexibility in positioning the liveaboard near optimal fishing areas, plus the guides, chef, and staff are some of the best in the industry.

Fishing Guides:  It was nice to see Martin again. He has been a fishing guide on the Cruiser for a few years. He has guided at Estancia Laguna Verde Lodge in Argentina and the Brazilian jungle. Malcolm, one of the fishing guides who has been with the Cruiser since 2018 and serves as its captain when needed, moved us a few hours to the northwest to get closer to the moving water. We fished that afternoon with very poor results. Altemar has been guiding on the Cruiser for two seasons. He is from Brazil and has worked as a Peacock Bass fishing guide for 25 years. He is now married to a woman from Argentina.

Altemar consulted with some friends about a fishing spot the guides typically use during normal water conditions. However, reaching the location required a two-and-a-half-hour one-way boat ride.

Unfortunately, the water level was too low for the Cruiser to access the area recommended by the guides. The Cruiser requires about three feet of water, and we would need an additional three feet for safe operation. So the Cruiser would remain put.

I asked the guests what they wanted to do, and they decided on the long boat ride since we had nothing to lose. During the 2.5-hour boat ride, we saw many cattle grazing along the river system. There are various bird species and numerous honeybee hives/boxes, as the locals harvest and sell the honey.

It turned out to be an incredible experience! We observed Dorado swimming and feeding in the small creeks and streams that drain from lagoons. For the most part, the Dorado were relatively small, weighing just a couple of pounds, but Ash and Bobby managed to catch Dorado that weighed around six pounds. They used flies and gold- and-silver Johnson Minnow spoons to catch them. We returned to the same spot for the next two days, and everyone caught a good number of Dorado. The five-plus hours spent riding in the boats were definitely worth it.

On Thursday evening, as we boated back to the Cruiser, it became clear that a major storm was approaching. The guides increased their speed in hopes of beating the storm. Thankfully, we made it back to the Cruiser minutes before the storm hit, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. The following morning, it rained intermittently, so we decided to wait for the weather to clear. That afternoon, we fished near the Cruiser, but unfortunately, we had no success.

Despite the challenging water conditions, all our guests caught fish and had a memorable adventure in Argentina.
I will be hosting two consecutive trips next year;
March 20-28, 2026, is SOLD-OUT.
March 27 to April 4 has room for six guests at this time.

I can loan fly rods, reels, and lines if needed, but you will need to bring your own flies. I can send you samples if you'd like to tie your own. If you don’t tie flies, they are available on the Cruiser for about $100.00 per dozen. Plan for about two dozen flies for the week.

If you are a spinning angler, I can lend you everything you need, including lures.

This liveaboard adventure is one of my favorite fishing trips. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. I hope you can join us in 2026.

Brad Staples
1-800-205-3474  ext. 3
Cell (503) 250-0558
Email:  brad@fishingwithlarry.com

Guy Schoenborn
1-800-205-3474  ext. 1
Email:  guy@fishingwithlarry.com

Bobby with Golden Dorado

Jim with Golden Dorado

Golden Dorado are extraordinary hunters and one of the best-fighting freshwater fish on the planet.

Bobby with Golden Dorado

Lori with Golden Dorado

Lori with Golden Dorado

17.5-ft. Carolina Skiffs with 90-HP Yamaha engines

Bobby with Guide Malcolm

Guide Malcolm and Ash

Chef Alan's Delicious Appetizers

Guide Martin and Bobby

Bobby with Golden Dorado

Harris with Golden Dorado

The fishing guides, Malcolm, Altemar, Host Brad, and Martin

Host Brad Staples and Lori with Golden Dorado

Click here for the Golden Dorado River Cruiser main page.