In chase of the migration

Karandá Lodge melds one of Argentina’s most renowned outfitters with some of the finest Golden Dorado guides worldwide. Situated in the middle section of the Río Paraná—South America’s second-longest river and watershed —this subtropical winter fishery (from June to December) targets the peak of the river’s legendary Dorado migration.

The annual inflow of Sábalo brings the season to life. Aggressive Dorado gorge on the baitfish, growing to sizes of 10 to 30+ lbs. After two full years of scouting, our guides are keyed in on the habits and habitats of these formidable and complex fish. You’ll sight-fish to monsters prowling the river’s long sandbars, explore remote backwater creeks, and you’ll cover everything from woody structure to cut-banks and deep channels. We at Karandá Lodge and Nervous Waters are thrilled to introduce you to a new season on this truly special fishery.

THE FISHING

Dorado are one of the most exiting species anglers can catch on a fly offering anglers strong and aggressive takes, acrobatic jumps and a good fight. Karandá’s operation is located on the best section of the Paraná for landing a monster during our June through December season. You’ll also find good sight-fishing opportunities when dorado are located on the sandbars, where they come to ambush cruising sábalo. Guest will fish primarily from our new fleet of 22-foot Carolinas’ Skiffs. These custom design boats have 2 decks (one on the front, another one on the back), so that 2 anglers can fish simultaneously.

The Paraná River is a structure-loaded system. Most of the time our guides “drift” the boats using trolling motors in order to target the nuanced natural habitat, from sunken logs and boulder gardens, to small bays and side channels. Other times, fish are concentrated on sandbanks, where they corral and attack baitfish. If this is the case, we’ll often drift-fish the sand areas or wade fish in search of action.

Strategically located on the Middle Paraná, where the brunt of the migration happens

Best Dorado guides in Argentina
Double-digit Dorado are real possibilities… and that is Karandá’s main focus
Featuring custom, comfort-enhanced skiffs specifically designed for the Paraná
High-quality loaner equipment
Sight-fishing opportunities for Dorado when located on the sandbars.
Nature in abundance. The Paraná River ranks as one of the world’s top bird-watching destinations

Fishing Seasons

Winter Season (June – August)

June marks the beginning of our season at Karandá Lodge and when the majority of the Paraná’s fish species begin their annual migrations into the upper reaches of the system. We time our season to intercept the bulk of these migrations as they pass through the middle Paraná River. As Dorado move upriver following their favorite baitfish, they feed with reckless abandon, desperately working to pack on as much weight as possible for their eventual spawning events later in the year.

As the water begins to cool down, the Dorado’s favorite baitfish, Sábalo, and Mojarra, leave the shelter of side-channel lagoons, marshes, and “bañados” to the main artery of the river, where large predators lay in wait.

Once in the main river, the baitfish gather into massive schools, seeking safety in numbers. These schooling events mark the prime time to find Dorado in the rich structure of the middle Paraná. Our favorite areas to look for holding Dorado are:

Fast-flowing channels against the bank, under cliffs, or along cut banks.
The expansive sand bars where Sábalo congregate in huge shoals.
The submerged structure consisting mostly of logs and deadfall in the middle of the river and along the banks.

It is common to watch Dorado as they hunt along the sand bars, as well as on the shoreline. During this time, sight casting for large mature dorados happens often.

Spring Season (September – December)

During late August and September, our region gets what we call “false summers”, abrupt changes in temperatures for a few days, reminding us that winter is about to end and warm weather is on its way.

Our water begins to slowly warm up and during these changes, our seasonal rains begin. Shifts in weather and air temperature normally translate into windows of phenomenal fish activity, especially when there are changes in the barometric pressure.

This time of the year temperature starts to come up, the days start to get longer, and our Dorado moves into their favorite ambush points. It is very normal to fish in more structured water like sunken logs, heads of islands, and well-defined, rocky shorelines.

By this point in the year and approaching the early summer, Dorado are very well fed, often reaching the peak of their size and strength during these months. Now is when we truly see how large these fish can get, especially the females who outgrow their male counterparts by tens of pounds, as they begin producing eggs and building mass for the coming spawn.

Pricing & Fees

4 night/3 day Packages starting at $3,900.00

INCLUDED IN YOUR TRIP

Lodging
All meals including open bar with beer, wine and local spirits
Professional guide service
All transportation during your stay
Loaner equipment (rods, reels, lines)

NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR TRIP

Air transportation
Roundtrip airport pickup/return
Fishing license
Gratuities

Trip Information

SEASON DATES: Winter (June – August) or Spring (September – December)

ACCOMMODATION: 5 star lodge

NEAREST AIRPORT: Daily flights are available from Buenos Aires Aeroparque Domestic Airport (AEP) to Corrientes (CNQ) or Resistencia (RES). These 2 neighboring airports are located 25 minutes from each other. It is a 1-hour nonstop flight to either of these airports, from there it’s a 75-mile drive to the hotel, a 1.45 to 2 hours´ drive.

TRANSPORTATION: Airport transfers will be arranged for a fee