The Lodge: Comfortable Accommodations in the Jungle.
The lodge is located on the banks of the Pluma River, which provides relatively quick access to the Secure, main-stem Pluma, and the clear water jewels of the Upper Pluma and Itirizama Rivers. The lodge, built from a mixture of native wood and materials that were flown and subsequently transported up the Secure/Pluma Rivers, consists of a large lounge/dining area and four attached, spacious cabins. These cabins include comfortable bedding, ample dressers and organizers to store your clothes/equipment, and a private bathroom containing a hot/cold water vanity and shower. The lodge is wrapped by a wooden deck and each room has outdoor chairs for lounging after a long day on the water. Meals are prepared by a trained chef with lunch taken on the river and breakfast and dinner served at the lodge family style. Various red/white wines are expertly paired with the gourmet dinners, and a self-service bar contains ample spirits and plenty of cold beer! We often hear quests describe Pluma as a 5-star lodge in the jungle!
The Fishing: A Variety of Water to Fish.
The fishing at Pluma includes the clear waters of the main stem Pluma, Upper Pluma, and Itirizama Rivers, and the tea-colored, larger 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! To clearly explain this, we have broken each section down to provide an accurate preview of your Trip to Tsimane Pluma!
Main Stem Pluma: Itirizama/Pluma to Pluma/Secure Confluences
This is a moderately-sized, clear water freestone river that is a stone’s throw from the Lodge. It widens out to a large flood plain near its confluence with the Secure River and enters a canyon as you approach the lodge. This is a great section to witness a dorado feeding frenzy and many of angler have stood awestruck on first observing the savagery that the dorado inflicts on a cornered school of Sábalo. When this occurs, we recommend that you cast as quickly as possible into this frenzy! The fishing is done by sight casting to dorado that will hold in water as shallow as a foot or prospecting the productive pools and riffles/runs. Dorado love fast water and you will be amazed at how fast of current they will hold in. If your guide tells you to cast to one of these fast flows, listen and ask questions later! The dorado is the predominant species in the lower sections and as you work above the lodge pirapitinga (i.e. pacu) and yatorana become more prevalent. The boat is used to transport you to the productive fishing spots, and sometimes float fishing is done from the lodge downstream to the confluence. The wading is relatively easy on the cobble bottom and the clear water allows you to plan your footholds.
A fast-action 8-weight or 9-weight rod matched with a reel that has a strong drag are the norms to effectively fish this water. A matching weight forward, floating line with an aggressive taper is recommended to turn over the large andino-style or other streamer flies. In our fishing, 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 40-60-ft. The clear water demands more stealth and longer leaders are necessary to keep the line away from the fish. Leaders are not complicated with 40-lb fluorocarbon attached to a 40-lb wire bite tippet. Wire is necessary for the three main species that are targeted at Tsimane!
Dorado fly selection is not complicated but specific colors with the right amount of flash up your chances for success. Andino-style flies approximately 6-8-inches long in combinations of black/yellow, black/red, black/chartreuse, and all black are highly recommended and productive patterns! Lead-eyed flies are recommended for the faster/deeper water and bead-chain eyes are useful in sight casting situations to fish holding in shallow water. All flies for Tsimane should be tied on stout, sharp hooks.
Pacu will sometimes eat the andino-style dorado flies but also come prepared with small black, weighted streamers and flies that mimic the berries that fall off the trees atop the steep rock cliffs that line select banks. These berry flies are commonly referred to as the “ball” and are very effective in specific sections of the river for Pacu. Small streamer patterns in black and white are the preferred patterns for Yatorana, and larger ones of over 5-lbs will also readily attack a dorado fly! Please contact us for more specific information on the recommended hooks and flies for Tsimane!
Itirizama River
Often referred to as the crown jewel of Tsimane Pluma because it is known for its crystal-clear waters and sight fishing to dorado that can approach 40-lbs. Spotting one of these jungle beasts holding in a small pool will cause your heart rate to increase and knees to shake. It is truly a sight to see and one of the main attractions of the Pluma fishing program. This is technical plunge pool river fishing at its best and this arena demands quiet approaches and accurate presentations. You often only get one shot and a blown cast does not offer up second chances in this ballpark. Do not expect a numbers day on this river; however, it may yield the largest dorado of your trip! The scenery is breath taking and all fishing is done on foot with careful approaches to the productive runs and pools to spot holding fish for sight casting opportunities. A trail follows the river bank and serves as the means of access to the combinations of plunge pools and runs. A day on this river involves a fair amount of walking and boulder hopping but to fish its clear waters is well worth the effort. The same rod and reel combinations, lines, leaders, and flies work recommended for the Pluma River also well on the Itirizama. We also recommend bringing large “rat” patterns as there is no better way to sight fish dorado on this river. These are not your standard commercially-tied mouse patterns but rather large articulated flies that resemble small muskrats rather than mice! If you are interested in tying the “Jocki” Tsimane Rat Fly, please contact us for pattern details and tips! You will also find good numbers of Pacu and Yatorana as you work up the river and it is best to have your guide carry a second set-up that is rigged with a small black streamer!
Secure River
This is bigger water and the best way to describe it is a medium-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 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 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 or sink tip line! Please contact us because we have specific line recommendations that have served us well on the lower Secure!
Please contact us to discuss the camping options that the Tsimane Pluma Program has to offer because camping is best arranged prior to your arrival at Tsimane.
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Season: July– October
Capacity: 8 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 lodge. 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!
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 Pluma 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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Internet and Wi-Fi access