Overview: The Aqua Negra lodge is well suited to the angler that wants to experience Tsimane in a simple yet elegant jungle setting. This lodge is tailored made for smaller groups of up to four anglers per week and is strategically located to provide access to a wide variety of water on the Secure and Agua Negra Rivers. We like to think of Agua Negra as a smaller version of the Pluma Lodge because it is similar in terms of the opportunities that it offers for huge Golden Dorado, as well as good numbers of Pacu and the hard-fighting Yatorana. Agua Negra also capitalizes on the heart of the adventurous angler by offering an established camping program that focuses on the pristine, upper stretches of the Agua Negra River as well as an intimate jungle fishing experience on a small clear water creek that is teaming with smaller dorado and numbers of Yatorana that are hard to imagine. These are the reasons why this lodge is in high demand and sees a large percentage of returning anglers on a yearly basis!
FishFurtherTravel Expert Advice: We are often asked if this lodge offers less fishing opportunities in terms of the variety of water and size of the fish because of the price difference between a week fishing here in comparison to the more expensive Pluma Lodge. There is nothing further from the truth and your opportunities at numbers and size of fish are not reduced. Think of Aqua Negra as a smaller version of Pluma, and the reduced cost is a purely a function of that it takes less money to operate the simpler infrastructure present at Agua Negra.
The Lodge: Comfortable Accommodations in the Remote Jungle
The lodge is situated in clearing on a bluff that overlooks and faces the Secure River. The jungle canopy and meandering flow of the Secure is the first sight that will greet you as you emerge to the deck from a comfortable night’s sleep! The accommodations consist of a large, elevated wooden platform and main lodge that was built from milled lumber that was harvested from the nearby rainforest. The lodge room/dining area is flanked by a total of three large, safari-style tents that provide comfortable accommodations and sleeping quarters for your stay. Each tent includes comfortable bedding, lighting, nightstands and storage bins/organizers for your clothes and equipment, and a private bath/vanity/shower with hot/cold water. The tents are equipped with multiple flies that promote airflow during the comfortable nights that are typical in this area of the jungle! The surrounding deck has ample seating and is also a favorite place to relax at night to take in the sounds of the jungle and view the stars in an area of the world that is devoid of light pollution. Considering your remote location, you will not find more scenic, comfortable and well-planned accommodations!
The lodge is also supported by a primitive spike camp located on a sandy beach in the upper reaches of the Aqua Negra River. The camp is reached by boat travel up the river and is too long to reach/fish on a day trip out of the lodge. The camp utilizes simple yet comfortable pole-framed tents that are prefect for keep you dry in the humid jungle environment. There is no electricity or running water at this camp; however, simple-fold out chairs, tables, and other essentials (coolers/ice) compliment the tents to provide reasonable comfort to the adventurous angler. To fully experience the amazing fishing that this section of rivet has to offer, it is best to plan on a 2-night stay and 3 days fishing. In our opinion, the upper Agua Negra River is the crown jewel of the fishing program and forgoing the creature comforts of the lodge is well worth the effort to experience the amazing sight-fishing opportunities that this portion of the river offers for trophy-size dorado and pacu.
The Fishing: Variety is the Theme
The fishing at Agua Negra includes the clear waters of the Agua Negra and the tea-colored stain flows of the Secure River. All are productive spots for trophy-sized dorados; however, different equipment and tactics are necessary to up your chances of success! This lodge also offers the opportunity to fish lighter weight rods and flies in a small jungle creek that is load with dorado and yatorana. To clearly explain this, we have broken each section down to provide an accurate preview of your Trip to Tsimane Aqua Negra!
Aqua Negra River
This is a moderately-sized, clear water freestone river that is a stone’s throw from the Lodge. The lower section has a gentle gradient with long placid runs that transitions to faster water and larger pools as you work your way up the river. Wooden dug out boats powered by either long-tail motors or push-poling are used to transport the anglers to productive sections of the river, and then the fishing is almost exclusively done on foot. Ample sight fishing opportunities exist for trophy-sized dorado holding in shallow water, and the easily visible large black shapes of the pacu that are often seen cruising the pools. There are also blind casting opportunities to prospect the productive pools and riffles/runs, and often a cast will be met by a rushing school of dorado that was masked by the glare or fast water of the river.
The fishing tactics and fly patterns for the clear water streams of Tsimane are virtually the same. The overriding theme is that the clear water demands more stealth, accurate casts, and longer leaders to keep the line away from the fish. You will not get away with slapping the water on multiple errant casts. Often you will work closely with your guide to get into position for a cast and then discuss how to present the fly to a holding fish or a school of them! Imaging being on your knees with your heart pounding as you prepare for a 30-40-ft cast to a dorado that will go well over 20-lbs!
A fast-action 8-weight or 9-weight rod matched with a weight forward, floating line with an aggressive taper is recommended to turn over the large andino-style or other streamer flies. We often go up one-line size to load the rod faster on quick short casts and to also help turn over these large flies at distances of 30-60-ft while sight casting to holding fish. On this river, you will want to ensure that you have both weighted (i.e. lead-eyes) and lighter-weighted, andino-style patterns (think bead-chain eyes or lead wrapped hook shanks). The lighter weight patterns are more effective in sight fishing opportunities in the shallower flows because they land softer, and the weighted patterns will get you down to the right fishing depth in the deeper pools and faster runs where splash presentation is not much of an issue. You will also want to have a pacu fly at the ready as these powerful fish are prevalent in the Aqua Negra. The same leader set-up for dorado will work for pacu, and fly selection is not complicated with a small black streamer or berry imitation being the optimal patterns.
FishFurtherExpertTip: We highly recommend that you spend some time practicing with your set-up prior to the trip. This is especially important if you mainly fish lighter set-ups and smaller flies. A large hookless streamer pattern should be used to practice quick and accurate casts at target distances that range from 30-60-ft.
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Middle Secure River
The middle section is bigger water and the best way to describe it is a small-size river with a lower gradient that still has plenty of faster runs and pools! The river bottom is sandy, which results in the off-color, tea-stained water. Numerous down trees line the banks and some are also present mid-river. This is more of a blind-casting fishery with the focus on specific areas that are known to hold fish and targeting the numerous downed-trees that are likely holding spots that provide dorado with perfect ambush points. Dugouts with long-tail motors are used to access the fishing beats where you will exit the boat and fish the productive water. Some float fishing is also employed in select sections of the Middle Secure.
In our opinion, this is the place to leave the 8-weight at the lodge and step up to a nine or even 10-weight set-up. This will allow you to throw larger flies and make long casts with less effort. We also highly recommend rigging this set-up with an intermediate line! Please contact us because we have specific line recommendations that have served us well on the middle Secure! Large weighted Andino patterns are the norm on the middle Secure. You may also choose to bring another 9 or 10-weight set-up rigged with a large topwater fly such as a pole dancer.
To us the middle Secure, much like the lower Secure, is a streamer fisherman’s paradise, and every cast has the potential for a true brute! You many not see the fish but as soon as your fly feels like it is stuck in a brick wall be prepared to hold on for a fight that few other freshwater gamefish in the world have to offer!
Chimoro Jungle Creek
The Aqua Negra guests also have the opportunity to fish the small stream flows of the Chimoro. This is an intimate experience that resemble the upstream wet wading that is done on smaller trout streams and brooks. This is a place to fish 4-6-wt rods for small to medium-sized dorado that can go up to and over 10-lbs. This small creek also boasts a large population of the hard fighting yatorana that loves to eat small streamers and bushy dry flies. As you cast upstream you might be reminded of your favorite small trout stream; however, one look at your chewed-up fly and 20-30-lb wire bite guard will bring you back to the reality of jungle fishing in a flash! Fishing the Chimoro is a highly rewarding experience and we recommend spending a day plying its waters for the sheer number of fish you will encounter and also the potential for battling a rather large fish in a small jungle creek setting!
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Season: July– October
Capacity: 6 anglers
Day 1 (Wednesday): Depart from Home
Day 2 (Thursday): Arrive Santa Cruz, Bolivia. At the international airport you will be met by a member of the Tsimane team and transferred to a five-star hotel for an overnight stay. We highly recommend dinner at Hanzo, which provides excellent Bolivian gin-based cocktails and Asian fusion cuisine!
Day 3 (Friday): Charter flight to the landing strip in Oromomo Village. Upon landing, you will be met by your professional fly fishing and indigenous guides, who will transfer you via boats to the camp. At the camp, you will show to your tents, and given an overview of the weeks fishing. The guides will help you rig your set-ups and are experts at attaching the wire bite guards to your leaders!
Days 4 -9 (Saturday – Thursday): Six full guided days of fishing .
Day 10 (Friday): In the morning, guests will be transferred by boats to the Village/air strip for the charger flight back to Santa Cruz. A Tsimane representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you back to the hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 11 (Saturday): Transfer to the international airport for your flight home.
2022- 2023 Rate: give us a call best price guaranteed!
Lodge maximum occupancy: 4 Anglers
What’s Included
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In-country air transfers between the Santa Cruz Airport and the lodge/camp locations
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Ground transfers in Santa Cruz
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Lodging in a double occupancy room in Santa Cruz for one night at arrival and one night at departure date in 5-star hotel ( http://www.lostajiboshotel.com/ )
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Seven nights at Tsimane Agua Negra Lodge
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All inclusive meals, beverages and spirits at the lodge.
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Argentine wines, soft drinks and all alcoholic beverages in camp
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6 full days fishing with 1 pro guide and 2 local guides per 2 anglers
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Laundry services in camp
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