Destination Report: Remote Waters and Golden Rewards in the Ibera Marsh

Despite having wanted to go to Argentina’s Ibera Wetlands from the moment I first heard about them, the “fish gods” had other plans. The issue was that for the past several years, northern Argentina has experienced a severe drought, which luckily provided enough cover for the Dorado to thrive, but not enough water for the guides and boats to access them. Fortunately, a return to normal rainfall patterns this winter provided enough water for the marshland to once again enable access to this incredible fishery and wetland wilderness. 

Getting There:
My trip from the US was painless and simple. I flew nonstop from Houston, arriving in Buenos Aires early in the morning, where I was met by the team at SET Fly Fishing. They took care of the transfer to the domestic terminal and had set up my flight to Corrientes. They take care of everything, and they do it with amazing attention to detail and skill. After arriving, I was transferred to La Alondra Lodge, which is a super cool and authentic facility located very near the marsh. 

The Ibera Wetland
The Ibera Wetland is an enormous marsh ecosystem that is roughly twice the size of the Florida Everglades (over 3 million acres). SET Fly Fishing is the exclusive outfitter in this area of the park, and the guides literally laughed when I asked them if we were likely to see anyone else while we were on the water. 

The amount of wildlife I saw was staggering. I can’t count the number of birds, caiman, capybara, and other wildlife I encountered. 

No one would describe Dorado flies as small or subtle. These fish regularly hunt baitfish that are half their size, so flies can be HUGE. This is streamer fishing on steroids! We chucked big baitfish up against the massive lily pads and ripped them back with speed and gusto, often having our rhythm broken by the splash of an unseen caiman spooking from a nearby bank.

Fishing for Golden Dorado:
Anyone who has done this type of casting and stripping knows how quickly you are lulled into the rhythm: cast, strip, strip, strip… cast, strip, strip… until you are ripped from your focus as a Dorado does its best to literally chew your fly to pieces. Everything about this type of fishing is explosive. The take is violent and often visual. Water sprays as what was once an angry predator now combines fear into the fight and does everything in its power to break free. Jumps, runs, and a stubborn unwillingness to come to the boat are more reminiscent of saltwater species than our favorite freshwater species. 

Stripping and casting large flies can be challenging, but the casting distances are doable for most anglers. Making this easier is the fact that the fishing day is broken into two sessions, with a delicious hot meal and siesta during the heat of the day. This also ensures that the hours spent on the water are during the most productive windows (early and late). 

The remote nature of the location, lack of public access, and high-quality law enforcement have combined to create a feeling of ‘unspoiled’ wilderness. To access this fishery efficiently, we headed out to “sleep with the fish.” My group fished our way out to two remote camps. The first consisted of small cabins, and the furthest camp was a tent camp with wooden walkways, which enabled us to fish further into the marsh. For folks who like really being out there in the middle of no-man’s-land, this experience is hard to beat. 

I recall walking back to my tent on the second evening and stopping to stare at the enormous, swirling Milky Way rising above it, as the sound of marsh grass and insects played in the background. 

The marsh itself is broken up into countless channels, lagoons, and rivers of Dorado habitat. We fished from stable skiffs, each equipped with a lean bar for comfort and safety. You will spend the bulk of your time in the marsh, but this trip begins in a tiny town at a funky (super cool) lodge called La Alondra. Given the remoteness of your location for most of this trip, the food and accommodations were fantastic. Even the most rustic out-camp was very bearable. I only spent one night in a tent that lacked air conditioning, and even then, I had a private tent, complete with a cot, nightstand, and battery-powered fan. The food is excellent, and the staff is always willing and enthusiastic to provide you with anything you need. 

Tackle & Equipment:
The tackle selection for this trip is wonderfully simple. Anglers should dress like they’re going on a tropical saltwater trip (think bonefish or tarpon clothing) but won’t need any kind of wading footwear. 

A nine foot 8-weight, Sage SALT R8 with a full floating RIO Elite Warmwater Predator line was spot on. Sometimes I prefer the way the intermediate tip line casts, but a full floater allows more versatility with topwater patterns.