Golden Dorado with SET Fly Fishing - TRIP REPORT

My hosted trip with SET was very enjoyable. We fished at two lodges in completely different locations during the week. The guides, lodge staff, and food are some of the best in the business. And, of course, I love fishing for Dorado; they are one of my favorite freshwater species.

SET Fly Fishing, an outfitter in the Argentine Patagonia area, offers golden dorado and trout fishing trips to lodges and overnight float trips for trout. SET has five lodges in Argentina, three of which are golden dorado lodges along the Parana River system north of Buenos Aires.

We stayed seven nights at two super nice lodges as part of the Golden Dorado Experience fly fishing adventure. The package included three charter flights: a 2.5-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Corrientes (near Itati Lodge), a 45-minute flight to Goya City, and a 1.5-hour flight from Goya back to Buenos Aires. We enjoyed six full days of guided fishing and three nights at each Lodge.

On Friday afternoon, March 29th, our group of five anglers met in the Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel lobby in Buenos Aires. That evening, we explored the charming Recoleta neighborhood and had dinner at one of the excellent restaurants nearby. Even though our hotel has a nice restaurant, we wanted to experience the local dining options.

The five anglers in our group included Keith, a Texan, my roommate and fishing partner for the week; Mark and Pat, a father and son who have also fished with us on the Agua Boa River in Brazil; and Ken from Pennsylvania and his son Dyan from Colorado. Golden Dorado were a new species to the group, so I knew they were in for an exciting experience!

After an early breakfast at the hotel on Saturday morning, we met in the lobby around 6:00 a.m. for the shuttle ride to San Fernando Airport. Around 7:30 a.m., we boarded a very nice ten-passenger Cessna Grand Caravan for the 2.5-hour flight to Corrientes.
From Corrientes, we took a 45-minute shuttle bus to Itati Lodge. There is no fishing on arrival day, allowing guests time to settle in, explore the premises, and acclimate to Argentine time. The Lodge has a swimming pool, wildlife viewing, and birdwatching opportunities.

Itati Lodge sits along the banks of the Upper Parana River. The air-conditioned rooms were very comfortable and much appreciated, especially considering the hot weather outside. After settling into our rooms, we enjoyed a nice lunch that Chef Orlando and his team prepared. It was a pleasure to see Orlando again, as he was also the Lodge chef during my exploratory trip in 2019. Following lunch, Lucas, one of the fishing guides, provided a professional orientation that outlined our fishing schedule for the week. During the presentation, a slideshow featuring pictures of the guides and staff at both lodges acquainted us with the SET guide team. The Parana River, the second longest river in South America, is renowned for its intricate network of marshes and channels, diverse ecosystem, abundant vegetation, and Golden Dorado.

Northern Argentina and the Parana River system experienced a drought between 2019 and early 2022. Fortunately, the water levels have risen, and the fish population has recovered. SET has another operation in the Ibera Wetlands, which we had hoped to fish as one of our two options, but the water conditions were not very good during our stay. Due to SET's other lodge, we were seamlessly redirected to more favorable fishing conditions.

During our first evening at Itati, we were treated to a welcome dinner featuring local cuisine and seafood dishes prepared by Chef Orlando and his culinary team. All beer and wine is included in the package.

I was happy to see that the guides I had fished with back in 2019, Carlos and Salta, were still at Itati Lodge, as well as Andy and Marcelo, partners of SET Fly Fishing. A pleasant surprise was the addition of Juan (Chubi), who had guided me at Tsimane Lodge in Bolivia in 2022.

On Sunday morning, we set out on the Lodge’s North Carolina Skiffs with 90 HP motors. Each boat accommodated two anglers, one in the bow and the other in the stern. The guide, positioned in the middle of the boat, operated an electric trolling motor using a remote control hanging from his neck on a lanyard. The guide skillfully maneuvered the boat to allow us to cast our flies toward the logs, rocks, and other structures along the riverbank as we slowly drifted downstream.

Smaller North Carolina Skiffs used at Jetu’u Lodge

During the morning session, from about 7:00 to noon, we caught Dorado. Our guests were amazed by the Dorado's aggressive nature and how they aggressively attacked the flies. The Golden Dorado we caught at Itati Lodge ranged from a couple of pounds to the mid-high teens over the three days. Throughout the season, guests have caught Dorado over 30 pounds. One night, right before dark, when Keith and I were fishing along some submerged rocks, he hooked and lost one that was over 20 pounds.

We used 8 and 9-weight rods with floating lines and sink tips, based on the water conditions. All flies are included in the package and hand-tied by the guides and kitchen staff, Paul and Brian.
We stopped for a break around noon for lunch and a siesta. We would then return to fishing around 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. and continue until sunset around 7:15 to 7:30 p.m. Parana River sunsets are spectacular, with vibrant orange, pink, and purple hues, making for a memorable boat ride back to the Lodge.

For our first two days of fishing, the weather was very hot. Tuesday was cooler and a welcome relief.

Our hosts organized a wonderful surprise on our final night in Itati: a delightful dinner on a sandbank directly across from the Catholic Basilica, Our Lady of Itati. The shrine and its dome are one of Argentina's most prominent Catholic pilgrimage sites, visited by about 300,000 people annually. The construction of this building began in 1938 and took over 12 years to complete. I have only seen this church from the water, but it is an architectural marvel and an integral part of the area.

On Wednesday morning, we left Itati Lodge for our second and final lodge of the trip—Jetu’u Lodge in the Isoro Marsh. After breakfast, we took a 45-minute ride in two of the guides trucks back to the airport in Corrientes, and from there, we took a 45-minute flight to a grass airstrip outside of Goya, where three guides met up with us. (Chubi left Itati on Tuesday night and took our luggage to Jetu’u Lodge.) We took about an hour's drive from the landing strip to Jetu’u Lodge.

Diana, the hostess, met us. We checked into our rooms, enjoyed a nice lunch, and got our fishing gear ready. The water had been quickly dropping while we were at Itati and was very low. The Parana River flows into the area known as the Isoro Marsh. Other smaller streams also affect this area. SET recently acquired the Lodge, formerly Dorado Cua Lodge, and has made some very nice upgrades to the lodge and the fishing program. I went to Dorado Cua in 2017. I enjoyed fishing in the area and liked the lodge, so I was pleased when I was told that SET had acquired this place. I recognized another fishing guide, Agustin (Tette), who I had also fished with in Bolivia.

Jetu’u Lodge uses North Carolina skiffs with 40 HP motors, as this is the limit set by the national park.

Keith and I fished with Nico, our guide, on the first day. We started out fishing in small channels, and then the real adventure began when we decided to disembark and continue our pursuit on foot, walking along the banks. This allowed us access to smaller channels where the elusive Dorado are known to hide. I stepped off the grass onto a muddy bank in one area and quickly sank to my knees. My flip-flops came off, and I had to pull them out of the mud. I was a mess and scrambling around; it would have been hilarious if anyone had been watching.

The Dorados we caught in these smaller channels were on the smaller side, weighing 2 to 4 pounds, but we found good numbers in most places. Dorado are so aggressive; even the smaller ones are exciting to catch on the fly.

As the water levels dropped, the fishing slowed as Dorado like fast-moving water. So, on Friday, the six of us went to the main Parana River and caught some Dorado. For our last day at the Lodge, we had a fantastic barbeque lunch on an island.

After breakfast on Saturday, we loaded our bags into the guide's trucks and drove back to the airstrip outside of Goya. We took a 1.5-hour flight back to San Fernando Airport, where a driver picked us up. We then had a one-hour ground transfer from San Fernando to Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires for our flights back to the United States.

I plan to host another Golden Dorado trip next year: November 15 to 22, 2025. The trip can accommodate a group of seven anglers plus myself for the week. We will be fishing in the Upper Parana River and/or the Isoro Marsh and or the Ibera Wetlands, depending on water conditions. We will stay at two lodges, and the package includes three domestic flights.

I'll be arriving in Buenos Aires a few days before the group. I travel with a lot of fishing equipment, and arriving early helps ensure my bags get here before the trip start. There is a four-hour time difference from where I live, east of Portland, Oregon, and the extra time allows me to acclimate.

For those who arrive a day early, I can arrange an affordable city tour that includes the famous Recoleta Cemetery, as well as government and other historical buildings in Buenos Aires. The tour includes a nice lunch at a local restaurant.

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

Request a SET Fly Fishing
Information Packet  

Dylan Vallino at Itati Lodge - Upper Parana River

Peak golden dorado season runs from the first of November through April when the weather and water are warmer. Argentina's seasons are reversed to ours in the U.S.

Our Group of Five, plus Host

SET's Itati Lodge - Upper Parana River

Keith at Itati Lodge - Upper Parana River

Ken Vallino - Upper Parana River

"Our experience was fantastic. The lodges and staff were tremendous. The guides were all first class. Brad was a great host. It was a trip of a lifetime. Can’t thank you all enough." - Ken Vallino

Dylan Vallino - Upper Parana River

Ken with a jumping Dorado at Isoro Marsh

Dorado are ambush predators, and you will typically be casting toward structure, so an 8-weight rod is recommended.

Sunset on the Parana River

Sunset Dinner

The Group Took Two Smaller Cessna Planes to Goya.

SET's Jetu'u Lodge - Isoro Marsh

The friendly staff at Jetu'u Lodge

The Great Room at Jet'u Lodge

Ken Vallino at Isoro Marsh

Host Brad Staples at Itati Lodge - Upper Parana River

Join Brad's 2025 Hosted Week:
November 15-22, 2025
7-nights and 6-days guided fishing
$8,350.00 per person
(Includes three charter flights in Argentina)
You are not restricted to our Hosted Weeks.
Book anytime.
Click here for SET Fly Fishing's
The Golden Dorado Experience.