What catches more fish, fishing streamers downstream or upstream? Check out this video from Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing for Tom Rosenbauer’s tips about how to catch more fish with downstream streamer tactics.
Fly Fishing Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum has announced its 2025 Hall of Fame inductee class. This year, Paul Weamer, Bud Lilly, Adriano Manocchia, Izaak Walton, and Walt Carpenter will be honored with induction into the hall.
The Hall of Fame includes luminaries like Dan Bailey, Ted Williams, John Gierach, Curt Gowdy, and Lefty Kreh. An induction ceremony and reception will be held on October 11, 2025, at the Museum, and you can purchase tickets here.
Weamer is a longtime writer and organizer of the Yellowstone Fly Fishing Volunteer Program. That program has been invaluable in collecting data from harder-to-reach corners of the park, informing new management decisions, and aiding park biologists in restoring native fish to their historical range. Weamer is a Livington, Montana resident, and at 53, is the youngest inductee.
Lilly pioneered catch-and-release fly fishing in the West and was the owner of the Trout Shop in West Yellowstone, Montana. Lilly’s influence on conservation is hard to overstate, and many of the efforts to protect the West’s native trout owe their roots to his work.
Manocchia is a sporting artist and avid fly fisherman whose work has appeared in numerous publications over the years.
Walton is the author of The Compleat Angler, one of the first books on fly fishing. Walton’s appreciation for nature and fly fishing has inspired scores of conservationists over the centuries since his fly fishing book was published.
Carpenter is one of the best bamboo rod builders currently making rods. He continues the tradition of Catskill-style builds, and his rods are highly-sought by collectors and anglers both.
Dorado Paradise: Fishing the Ysoro Wetlands Reserve
On our expedition to Argentina chasing golden dorado, we explored three unique fisheries. Of all the places we targeted dorado, it was hard to beat the Middle Párana River. Here, the Párana River jumps its banks, creating a sprawling wetland and countless places for dorado to hide. This area is known as Ysoro Wetlands Reserve and is the only protected stretch along the Párana River.
For anglers wanting to explore this area, SET Fly Fishing has positioned its Jetu’u Lodge, a short boat ride away. Guests have the opportunity to explore this protected wilderness, see exotic wildlife, and catch dorado all in one day.
The Fishing
The Middle Párana River and the Ysoro Wetlands are home to a plethora of golden dorado. These fish range from mid-sized in the wetlands to larger fish along the actual riverbanks. With darker water clarity, these fish also readily eat throughout the day. A typical day of fishing consists of running through the marsh and exploring different cuts and flats. Your guide will pole the boat around, positioning you for the best shots at likely holding water. There’s also no shortage of fishable water.
As you cast to areas that hold fish, be prepared—the dorado here are aggressive and plentiful. For every fish you lose, you’ll likely land two more, making it a great place to practice fishing for dorado before moving on to bigger fish. To target large dorado, you’ll want to fish along the main river channels. The cutbanks and shoals act as ambush points for the river’s top predators.
Gear
For anglers fishing Jetu’u, the gear list is slightly different from that of other spots on the river. For marsh fishing, a 6-wt is ideal. Most fish here are in the two to four-pound range, and a 6-wt is more than enough rod. With the abundance of fish around, however, you’ll want to bring a lot of flies. Common patterns include decievers and surface flies like poppers for the marsh. While you’ll be fishing with steel wire, dorado death can quickly shred a fly into an unfishable condition.
For fishing the main river, we’d recommend stepping up your rod to an 8 or 9-wt. These rods have more backbone to move larger fish and can throw the bigger flies you’ll be fishing. This section of the river is much shallower than the upper river, so tropical weight-forward lines are best. Just make sure they’re built with an aggressive shooting head to turn over large flies.
The Lodge
Jetu’u Lodge is a short walk from the dock and Middle Párana. For its guests, expect world-class accommodations, an open bar, and traditional food and regional Chamamé music. You’ll be staying at the lodge cabin, which can fit up to 8 anglers, giving the lodge a true fishing camp culture. And make sure to enjoy a few of the hand-rolled, locally-grown cigars.
Why Jetu’u?
SET Fly Fishing’s Jetu’u Lodge is the perfect place to hone your dorado fishing skills. The protected Ysoro Wetlands Reserve offers hundreds of miles of pristine habitat filled with hungry dorado. You may not catch any true giant dorado, but after each day, your arm will be sore from tangling with fish after fish.
The Flylords Podcast: Andy Danylchuk
Welcome back to another episode of The Flylords Podcast, where we sit down with anglers, guides, and fishy people to learn more about their journeys into fly fishing. In today’s episode, we sit down with biologist and angler Dr. Andy Danylchuk to learn more about his journey into fisheries biology, fly fishing, and his ongoing research on golden dorado.
Andy grew up in Southern Ontario before moving stateside, where he would go on to become a professor of Fish Conservation at UMass Amherst. Here, he is a leading voice in global conservation, using his research to advance safe fish handling practices across the world. On our trip to Argentina with Andy, we joined him in the field to collect data on golden dorado that would help advance meaningful conservation projects. Join us as we sit down with Andy, who shares insights on why golden dorado are so unique, the challenges they face, and how science-driven conservation can ensure a future for both the fish and the fisheries they support.
On The Hunt for Trophy Dorado
Last year, the Flylords team headed to Argentina in search of golden dorado. To target these fish, there is no better place than the Paraná River. It is the second-longest river in South America, flowing over 3,000 miles through jungles, marshes, and deserts. Along the banks of the river, SET Fly Fishing has carefully curated three unique programs to fly fish for golden dorado.
While we wanted to lay our hands on a dorado, the thought of a 30-pound fish leaping through the air was sitting in the back of our minds. For these trophy-caliber fish, there is no better place to target them than the Upper Paraná River. Here, SET Fly Fishing positioned the Itatí Lodge, giving anglers the chance to fish for giants while enjoying a world-class stay.
The Fishing
The Upper Paraná is a stretch of big water, and with that comes big fish. This is due to the combination of large resident fish and migratory dorado congregating in one place. With a variety of structures and fairly good water clarity, anglers can expect shots at multiple fish over 10 pounds, with some tipping the scales at 30 pounds.
Just because these trophy-caliber fish are around doesn’t mean you’ll catch them. At Itatí, you are very much hunting for the one. The best times to target these fish, like many predatory fish, are first light and last light. During these precious hours of fishing, make every cast count. The key places to target are rock piles, undercut banks, points, and submerged sand bars. These places serve as ambush points, allowing dorado to pounce on unsuspecting bait, like sábolo.
When a dorado takes your fly, keep the rod tip down, strip set, and drive the hook home. Even big dorado can be surprisingly acrobatic, so a good hook set is crucial to keeping the fish hooked throughout the fight. These big dorado are powerful fish, so be prepared for the ensuing battle ahead.
Gear
When packing for a trip to the Upper Paraná, it’s crucial to pack appropriately. In terms of terminal tackle, you’ll want at least an 8-wt rod, but for giants, a 9-wt is preferred. Pair it with a large arbor fly reel with a crisp and smooth drag. While you don’t have to break the bank on setup, definitely don’t skimp here. After all, you may only get one shot at a trophy dorado, and you don’t want your gear to be the reason you lose it.
For fly lines, pack a mix of floating and sink tip lines. You are fishing in South America, so make sure they are tropical lines. Your cold water lines won’t hold up to the blistering heat of the Paraná. It’s also important to buy streamer-focused lines; these typically have heavy shooting heads that help roll over big flies. Lastly, for flies, you’ll want large streamers like decievers that imitate bait, such as sábalo, which dorado key in on.
The Lodge
Itatí Lodge is positioned on the banks of the Upper Paraná River, just 40 minutes from the Corrientes airport. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by a team of guides and staff ready to make your stay world-class. The lodge itself sits above the river, where guests can enjoy a cocktail, reflect on the day of fishing, and take in the waterside views. It’s also complete with a grand dining room, cozy rooms, and even a pool.
A typical day fishing at Itatí consists of getting up before light to catch the morning bite. You’ll walk the mere 50 yards from the lodge to the dock, hop aboard a skiff, and then you’re off fishing. After the morning bite slows, you’ll return to the lodge, enjoy lunch and a siesta, before returning to the water for the evening bite. If you ask us, this is as good as a fishing program gets.
Why Itatí?
SET Fly Fishing’s Itatí Lodge gives anglers a 5-star experience and the chance to target trophy dorado. While other areas in Argentina have dorado, for those anglers specifically targeting fish nearing the 30-pound mark, this is the place to be. The combination of stellar accommodations, epic scenery, and giant fish solidifies Itatí as a destination worth visiting for anglers chasing dorado.
Chasing Golden Dorado at SET Fly Fishing
Few fish draw as much attention as golden dorado. These exotic fish, found in South America, have become a sought-after target for anglers in recent years. Their aggressive nature, raw power, and impressive acrobatics check all the boxes for a bucket list fish on the fly. One group, SET Fly Fishing, understands this better than anyone. Located in the Corrientes Province in Northeastern Argentina, they have built the ultimate golden dorado fishing experience.
Since its inception over 20 years ago, the team at SET has grown its program throughout Argentina. While their trout offerings extend to every corner of Patagonia, we were focused on one thing—the golden dorado. The Corrientes Province is a mix of jungle marshes and winding rivers, making it an ideal habitat for golden dorado. Every trip with SET gives you the complete experience of dorado fishing in three unique systems. These are Itati, Alondra’i, and Jetu’u. The combination of these three fisheries provides anglers with the opportunity to explore various fishing styles and target different species of fish.
After fishing with SET Fly Fishing last year, we had the opportunity to explore all three of these unique fisheries. Over the next three days, follow along as we dive into each fishery, what makes them so special, and what to expect for your own trip in search of the legendary golden dorado. Check out the full video here.
The Drift: Fishing for Answers
Whether we’re aware of it or not, I think we all go to the river, at some point in our lives, looking for a sign from heaven. We seek out the river because it’s calming, it’s soothing, it’s a place where, even though we’re not in control of the outcome, we have a larger say in the events, so it grounds us when life feels to be slipping by too quickly.
It’s not that fly fishing itself is a gate to divine communication. Fishing is just that—fishing. Instead, it’s that the simple act of going fishing is often enough to settle our minds and sort through a problem. For those of us who believe in God, it’s often a time when we’re able to slow down enough that we can finally listen to what He’s telling us.
It’s also not necessarily that formal. Part of what keeps drawing us anglers back to the water is the unexpected, and that you never know when an ordinary day of fishing turns into something you’ll never forget. Whether that’s thanks to a large trout, or a startling moment of clarity, doesn’t really matter.
I’ve been juggling my way through America’s wonderful healthcare system the past two weeks, trying to book an appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist for my four-month-old daughter. We live in the middle of nowhere, and the nearest doctor who could help her is in another state. Despite leaving messages, calling the office daily, and our local pediatrician trying to get their attention, that doctor never called us to set an appointment. Meanwhile, my daughter still needed help, and as a dad who wants to fix every problem, I found myself increasingly angry, frustrated, and no fun to be around.
I booked an appointment, finally, back in our old home of Utah. The day before we left to head down, I took a few hours and went to the local creek, where I hadn’t fished in over a month. Between house projects, the baby, and work, my fishing has been confined to a handful of days.
I wasn’t expecting much. I hoped I’d see a few fish, and maybe catch them on dry flies. There wasn’t a hatch going on when I arrived, so I defaulted to a Chubby Chernobyl up top, with a 20-Incher Stone as the dropper.
To my surprise, the fish attacked both flies eagerly, although they showed a slight favoritism for the Chubby. I picked my way through the pocket water, plucking fish from almost every spot, and nice ones at that. The creek, like everyone’s home water, has its own lunkers, but all these fish were on the larger side. Nothing to write home about, still, but fish that put a bend in the rod and made me work to get them in the net.
The action was fast and furious, and before I knew it, I was a few holes down from where I’d parked the truck. I had a grin on my face that I couldn’t wipe, and for the first time in two weeks, I felt relaxed.
That’s when I had my own moment of clarity—a sign from heaven. Between the towering cliffs and the smooth babble of the creek, I took a moment to appreciate the lack of anxiety, the absence of constant worry. My daughter wasn’t magically healed; I still had to make an eight-hour drive to get her into the right doctor, and who knew how much it’d cost us?
But in that simple moment between casts, it all felt manageable.
If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is.
Fishing Tips: How to Fish with Two Dry Flies
You know what’s better than dry fly fishing? Dry fly fishing with two dry flies! Check out this video from Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing for how to fish with two dry flies.
Florida FWC Protects Bonefish Spawning Site
Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (BTT) just announced that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will close a bonefish pre-spawning aggregation site located in Biscayne Bay National Park.
BTT discovered and documented this pre-spawning aggregation site after more than three years of work. It’s the first such site to be scientifically documented in Florida waters, and is located within Biscayne Bay National Park. This site is roughly 1.74 square miles, and it’s where bonefish gather in huge schools before heading off to spawn in deep water.
Protecting this site from any sort of fishing will ensure that bonefish in southeast Florida have a better chance of successfully reproducing and stabilizing the population.
“Protecting this site during peak spawning season is critical to the continued recovery of Florida’s bonefish population,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie. “We thank FWC Commissioners for their leadership and commitment as well as the guides, anglers, partner organizations, and fishing industry leaders for raising their voices in support of this science-based conservation measure.”
The closure will last for five years, from March through May of each year. After that five-year period is up, data will be reviewed and analyzed to determine how much, if any, impact the closure has had on bonefish spawning success.
You can learn more about the pre-spawning aggregation site, and the effort that led to its discovery, here.