DAIWA 2025 SALTIGA TRAVEL JIGGING RODS

 

Quality travel fishing rods are a must for the International angler. Long 1 piece rods often are not allowed on International flights or small domestic charter flights.  Or, airlines charge a small fortune for oversize baggage.   However, these are often very difficult to come by.  In 2025, Daiwa has introduced the Saltiga Travel jigging rods.  These are 3 piece rods in either spinning or casting.  Both come in either medium or medium heavy action.  These rods are constructed of HVF nanoplus graphite blanks which are extremely light in weight yet packing incredible power.  I recently purchased the 6ft 6in casting model in medium heavy.  The rod is extremely light.  It reminds me of a slow pitch jigging rod.  I plan on using the rod in my upcoming trip to West Papua/ Indonesia casting for Papua New Guinea bass and barramundi.

EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA

 

During my fishing adventure travels, I often spend a few extra days visiting friends and sites.  I always spend a few days in El Calafate on my way to Jurassic Lake Lodge.  Calafate is the jump off town to places like Glacier National Park, El Chalten, and even tours to the South Pole.  Calafate is about a           3 1/2 hr flight from Buenos Aires.  It sits on the southern border of Lago Argentino, Argentina's largest lake. 

The town is near the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Fields located in the Santa Cruz Provenance.  In 2022, Calafate says said to have 23, 000 residents.  Most work in the tourist industry.  During my stay I always take a walk in the Laguna Nimez which boosts having over 100 different species of waterfowl.

  Here, numerous pink flamingos can normally be seen.  It takes around 2 hours to walk the trails.  There is a small fee which goes toward the research of these birds.  There is also a boardwalk around the Southern Lagoon of Lago Argentino where numerous waterfowl can also be observed.  The walk can take over 3 hours.  This September, the lagoon was void of water so not many flamingos were seen. 

Numerous restaurants and hotels exist in town.  The main street is full of tour booking agents.  I always head to the Patagonia Brewery to quench my thirst and walking around Lago Argentino.  The favorite meal here is Patagonian Lamb which is delicious. So, on your next visit to Argentina, make sure to fly down to the town of El Calafate.  Also, on your next fishing adventure make sure to spend some extra days in local towns and see the sites as there is more than just fishing!  

PARQUE NATIONAL LOS GLACIARES

 

During my recent trip to Argentina, I spent a few days in the town of El Calafate.  Here, I took a bus tour to the Parque National Los Glaciares to observe the Puerto Moreno Glacier.  The National Park is 45 miles from Calafate and sits southwest of Santa Cruz in the Patagonia Region.  The Park was created in 1937 and sits in an area of rugged towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes including Lago Argentino which is Argentina's largest lake.  The Puerto Moreno Glacier is the most famous of the 48 glaciers fed by the southern Patagonian ice field and I believe the 3rd largest in the park.  This is the 3rd largest continental ice field on the planet today.  An entry fee is required to enter the park which can be purchased on-line or in person at the park entrance. 

There are 3 colored grated trails in the park to observe the Moreno Glacier.  In the last year the Moreno glaciers has receded somewhat due to higher-than-normal temperatures and lack of precipitation.  The Moreno Glacier is longer than the entire city of Buenos Aires. 

There are a restaurant and a cafe on the grounds.  If one gets lucky, they will see part of the glacier break off and fall into the water.  There is a boat option to get very close to the glacier.  I have visited this glacier numerous times and am still in awe by God's beautiful creation.  So, the next time you visit Argentina, make sure to visit the Parque National Los Glaciares as it is much better than the glaciers in Alaska in my opinion. 

JURASSIC LAKE LODGE, ARGENTINA PATAGONIA

 Had the opportunity to fish for monster rainbow trout at Jurassic Lake Lodge during September 20 to 27, 2025.  Jurassic Lake, a.k.a. Lago Strobel is without a doubt the greatest rainbow trout fishery on earth.  Here, 20 lbs rainbows are caught on a weekly basis.  Lago Strobel is about a 5 hour drive from the town of El Calafate.  Jurassic Lake Lodge sits next to the Rio Barrancoso which is the only inlet in Lago Strobel.  Here, tens of thousands of rainbows make the push for spawning in September. 

September is the beginning of season while May is the end of the season.  Strobel is known for strong winds which can make fly casting a challenge.  Spinning and or casting gear is allowed in the lake.  The best places are on either side of the river mouth. 

The fishing during the week was good but the numbers are not what I have experienced in the past.  This was in my opinion due to the weather being too nice, no winds and high sun.  The best fishing was very early in the morning before the sun came up.  I would skip breakfast and head to the mouth wearing a headlamp.  The best fly was a white mop using an 8 wt, while casting a 5/8oz moonshine casting spoon in red bloody glow is without a doubt the best lure one can use on Strobel.  I probably have fished here over 20 times and have had numerous days exceeding 100 rainbows.  My best session on this trip was 42 rainbows during the morning with the majority landed before 8am.  The largest weighed rainbow was caught by friend, Jim, which pushed the Boga to a tad over 20 lbs.  My largest pushed the measuring tape to 36 inches.  

The water levels were low but came up the last day of the trip.  There were thousands of rainbows in the Barrancoso, but we did not fish in the river.  As you might know, last January the river got blown out with massive amounts of water rushing through.  The famous "aquarium" hole is now a pile of rocks and dirt.  The river flow changed thus pushing it's mouth down to the right about 50 yards.  

In all, the trip was fantastic.  The average rainbow in my opinion was 11 to 12 lbs.  There is no place on earth where one can constantly caught this size of rainbow trout wading with a fly rod in an isolated, pristine setting.  I will again return in May to catch the giant chrome rainbows which is the favorite time at Jurassic Lake Lodge. 

BOA System for wading boots

 

Easily tighten or loosen laces with a simple twist of a dial for a comfortable, snug fit on your wading boots.  The BOA system replaces shoe laces with a very strong thin wire which runs through a dial to tighten or loosen.  No long worry about standard shoe laces failing or having to tie in freezing temperatures.  Heading in the field or on your dream fishing trip? The BOA system is 100% guaranteed. 

One can obtain a FREE repair kit which includes laces and a dial compatible with your wading boots.  Go to www.boafit.com and answer a few questions and download a few photos of your boots which use the BOA system and the kit will be shipped at no charge.  It took me about a week to receive the kit, so fantastic customer service for a great product.

BAITRUNNER TYPE SPINNING REELS

 

Baitrunner type spinning reels are the way to go when using bait for monster species such as arapaima.  An automatic Bite N' Clutch allows a fish to take the bait and run with little to no pressure; then, when you are ready a simple turn of the handle re-engages the drag. 

With a spinning reel one has to remember to loosen the drag or pressure will be felt when the fish runs resulting often in bait drops.  I have also seen guys using bait who forgot to loosen the drag resulting in rods being pulled overboard.  Shimano makes the "Baitrunner" series, Penn the "Spinfisher" series, while Daiwa makes the "Free Swimmer".  All are quality reels which can handle mostly any species.  So, next time your planning on fishing bait, consider a Baitrunner type spinning reel.  

Fishing for Arapaima

 

Fishing for arapaima can get very frustrating.  You see numerous monsters come to the surface gulping air.  However, you try everything in your tackle box but cannot get a bite.  Only recent trip to Bolivia, we had success using bait and artifical lures. Once an arapaima is spotted casting lures such as the Jackall Gantia or the River2Sea S Waver can produce good results. 

Arapaima get easily spooked so lure placement is essential.  Others prefer to rig bait on a circle or strong J hook with or without a float. Either a strong wire, fluorocarbon, or heavy mono  leader is needed to prevent the arapaimas sharp teeth from cutting through.

  So, on your next trip to the jungle hunting giant arapaima consider both artificial and bait.

ARAPAIMA LODGE, BOLIVIA AUGUST 19-25, 2025

 

Arapaima has always been a dream fish.  They have the potential to reach gigantic size.  They are a freshwater species which can breathe air and are located in the Amazon jungle regions of Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, Peru, and others.  Friend, Javi Koller, or Fishing Adventures out of Buenos Aires asked if I would be interested in joining his group of 7 anglers for 5 days of fishing at Arapaima Lodge.  The lodge was recently opened after a 5-year absence. 

Prior, it was more or less a hunting lodge.  The group flew on three charter planes out of Santa Cruz to the dirt runway located about a 30-minute boat ride from the lodge.  From the plane, we could see numerous sand banks indicating the water levels were ideal.  

The lodge consists of 5 cubanas consisting of 2 beds and private bath.  There is a separate building where delicious meals are served.

The lodge currently can accommodate 8 anglers.  Next season an outpost camp is being constructed to house and additional 4 anglers.  

The boats are 20 USA flat type boats with front and rear casting desks and a poling seat for the guide. 

Arapaima are very sensitive to noise.  They can be seen when they gasp for air but are extremely difficult to tempt to bite your bait or lure.  

The fishing was excellent.  For the 5 days I landed 9 arapaima of which 2 were over 200 lbs.  Javi landed the largest for the group a monster estimated around 300 lbs.  For the group 5 exceeded 200 lbs.  

Arapaima are decent fighters.  Once hooked they normally make a drag burning run toward reeds.  They often make head shaking attempts to toss the hook.  They are excellent eating.

The trip highly exceeded my expectations.  I was hoping to catch an arapaima pushing the scales to 100 lbs.  The accommodations were very comfortable.  The meals were excellent with chicken, fish, pasta, pork, among others being served.  The Argentina group was especially friendly especially with my lack of speaking Portuguese.  

I have already booked for September 2026.  Contact Javi Koller on Facebook for this and other great fishing adventures throughout South and Central America at huge, discounted prices.

THREADING A FLUORO LEADER INTO HOLLOW CORE BRAID

 

Threading fluorocarbon or mono into hollow core braid produces an extremely smooth and strong connection.  One item to pay particular attention to is the diameter of your leader material.  For example I was threading 100 lbs Nomad fluoro into 100 lbs hollowcore. I used a Daho threading needle rated for 80 to 100# mono.  The Nomad fluoro had no issue going into the needle.  When using 100 lbs Berkley Vanish it wouldn't feed into the needle.  Upon inspection the diameter of the Berkley was larger than the Nomad fluoro.  If your in a bind, use a small piece of sandpaper and reduce the diameter on about 2 to 3 inches of the fluoro.  This small section should feed into the needle very tight.  Since the fluoro is extremely tight inside the needle, it should remain inside until you run it inside your hollow core.  So, make sure you check the diameter of your leader material and verify it is within the threading needle specifications.

Brazil eVisa

 

Beginning April 10, 2025 passport holders of the USA, Canada, and Australia will need an eVisa to enter Brazil. The application can be found at www.brazil.vfsevisa.com.  Click on "Apply eVisa now".  You will enter your email and be sent an OTP code to register.  The application is easy to follow.  You will be asked to download a clear photo of the data page of your passport, a recent photo, and travel tickets if already purchased.  They are very strict on the downloaded photo.  It must be 2 in by 2 in and have a snow white background.  Any tint or size issues they will send you an email to correct the photo.  I had to do this once as my original photo was blurred.  After correcting the photo my 10 year eVisa arrived the following day.  The cost of the eVisa is $80.90 and good for 10 years for USA citizens.  You are required to print a copy of the eVisa and present it upon arrival. Brazil recommends you apply at least 2 months in advance in case you have issues.

HOLLOWCORE BRAID

 

On my recent trip to Columbia, I spooled my Daiwa 8000H Dogfight with 100 lbs. Diamond hollow core braid.  This was my first experience using hollow core.  I found it to be much better than solid braid.  The main advantages of hollow core is 2 spools can be spliced together using an appropriate size threading needle. 

So, no more leftover short spools like when using solid braid.  With the use of a threading needle your fluorocarbon or mono leader can run through the hollow core making a knotless connection which produces smoother casts.  The diameter of hollow core is generally smaller than solid braid thus allowing for more line capacity.  A disadvantage is hollow core costs more, but with the splicing capability it is cheaper in the long run.  So, next time your spooling your reel give hollow core a consideration.  

BAHIA SOLANO, COLUMBIA MAY 28 TO JUNE 5, 2025

 "IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU MUST FLY, WALK, SWIM, SAIL, OR DRIVE.  JUST GO AND SEE THE WORLD."

Fishing topwater with poppers or stickbaits can become very addictive.  They are nothing better than seeing a top water explosion on your lure by a monster fish.  I have been extremely fortunate to wet a line for Giant Trevally, Dogtooth Tuna, YellowFin Tuna, and other species which destroy poppers.

Good friend, Javi Koller, of Fishing Travel based in Buenos Aires asked if I could join him and his 7 friends for 5 days of YellowFin Tuna fishing out of Bahia Solano.  We would fly out of Medellin to Bahia Solano then take a boat to Hotel Yubarta.  Here, Javi has hired 2 boat captains who own extremely nice fishing boats.

We had 2 exceptionally fantastic fishing days.  One morning, guide Elvis, motored about 3 hours into the Pacific to reach dolphins.  Here, casting poppers resulted in constant hook ups on 60 to 90 lbs YellowFins.  They are extremely strong and some of the best eating species on earth.  For the day our boat of 4 kept 10 tuna and lost numerous others due to bent hooks, breakage of leaders, or just simply the tuna won!  

During rough seas we fished inshore for snappers, jack crevalle, smaller tuna, bonito, and tried for sailfish.  One morning, Elvis, spotted numerous large patches of orange colored fish.

  We immediately casted poppers into the school and hooked up into giant Mullet snappers and an occasional cubera snapper.  The action was non-stop often resulting in the 5 of us (Javi joined the group) hooking up at the same time.  The action continued throughout the morning. Our arms and shoulders were so tired we decided to take a rest for lunch and pull into a nearby island.  After lunch, the action again was nonstop.  I believe we broke the all tackle record numerous times, and I weighed one at 53 lbs. and it was not the largest for the day.  I lost count after 35 snappers being landed.

The following day we motored back to this area, but the snappers were gone.  In all my great days of fishing, this is near the top.  The action was unbelievable!  If a snapper missed your popper another attacked it.  Once I reeled in as fast as possible only to be followed by at least 10 huge snappers.

The Hotel Yubarta was wonderful.  It consists of 6 bungalows each with 2 private rooms, private bath, and A/C. Laundry is done each day.  There is a separate dining building where meals such as tuna steaks, pork steaks, other fish species, and of course lots of sushi.  Breakfast was at 6am and ordered as you liked consisting of eggs and bacon, omelets, fruit bowls, and ham and cheese sandwiches.  Lunches were provided on the boat.  All soft drinks, bottled water, beer, and some liquors are provided in the package.  We stayed at the Hotel Acqua Medellin on the way in and took Moon Charters to Bahia Solano.  The package included 5 days of guided fishing (we paid $200 USD each for an extra day), accommodations in Medellin on way in, accommodations and meals at the Hotel Yubarta, the charter on Moon Airlines to and from Bahia Solano, all drinks on the boat and hotel, and use of all fishing tackle.  So, the trip exceeded my expectations, and I already booked for 2026.  I highly recommend getting in touch with Javi Koller of Travel Fishing as you will pay a fraction of what US agents charge for the same trip.  

Acme Tackle, Little Cleo

 Acme Tackle purchased the Moonshine Company in late 2023.  The moonshine casting spoon in 5/8 oz in glow bloody nose coloration has caught hundreds of monster rainbow trout in Argentina exceeding 15 lbs.  However, the 5/8 oz model is no longer in stock due to tariffs on China.

Thus, I have been going crazy buying up all the 5/8 oz moonshine casting spoons I can find.  Acme does make a 3/4 oz little cleo in glow bloody nose coloration.  The little cleo has been around for over 70 years.  It has a humpbacked shape compared to the moonshine.  Will try out the little cleo this coming September for monster Argentina rainbows.  Hopefully it produces 20+ lbs trophies.  

MOONSHINE CASTING SPOON FOR GIANT RAINBOW TROUT

 

The moonshine casting spoon in the 5/8 oz size is my "to go" lure for giant rainbows at Lago Strobel.  During the end of the season month of May, the rainbows often get pushed out to deep water making fly casting extremely difficult.  Moonshine lures are painted with super glow paint making them light up a dark room.  My favorite colors are glow bloody nose and orange hunk. 

I replace the treble hook with either a strong 3/0 or 4/0 Siwash  single hook.  I also add a split ring opposite the hook end.  The retrieves are slow as the water temps are frigid during the end of the season.  The Moonshine company got sold to the Acme Tackle Company.

  It appears that the 5 /8 oz casting spoon is no longer in stock due to tariffs on China.

So, check the internet and purchase as many as possible before they are all gone.  

Jurassic Lake Lodge, Patagonia

 

On my recent fishing trip to Jurassic Lake Lodge, I experienced the best dining I ever had in all my years of travel.  Chef, Rodrigo, could get a position as head chef in the world's finest restaurants. 

We dined on beef, pasta, lamb, and pork.  His desserts were simply delicious. 

Rodrigo would tell the clients before each meal what was served. After leaving the lodge for El Calafate, I spoke to lodge owner, Carlos Casanello.  I told Charlie he must not lose chef Rodrigo!!

REDINGTON SONIC-PRO HDZ WADER

 

On my recent trip to Jurassic Lake Lodge located on Lago Strobel in Patagonia, I used the Redington Sonic-Pro HDZ wader.  Lago Strobel has caused waders to fail in the past so was very anxious to see how these would preform.  These waders have a 4-layer breathable DWR coated HD fabric.  It has zippered hand warmer pockets with fleece lining to get some relief from the harsh Lago Strobel environment.  Best of all it comes with a TIZIP waterproof zipper.  Plus, 4MM neoprene booties.  The waders exceeded expectations.  They were extremely warm and easy to put on and off. The zip functioned perfectly.  Probably the best waders I have owned.  So, consider these on your next purchase.  They run a tad large on their sizing.  

Jurassic Lake Lodge, Lago Strobel Argentina

 

Jurassic Lake Lodge is without a doubt, the best rainbow trout fishery on earth.  I have wet a line at this amazing fishery at least 15 times,visiting every September and April.  I along with 2 friends traveled to Jurassic on April 26 to May 3.  This is the end of the season when the huge chrome rainbows are in abundance.  The chromes are fantastic battles compared to spawning rainbows. 

Normally at this time of the season the monsters are out far from shore so long casts are needed.  There was a huge flood in January which drastically changed the course of the Barancoso River.  The mouth has been relocated about 75 yards to the right from last season. The "aquarium" pool has been washed away making it a pile of rocks. However, the fishing was outstanding. 

We landed numerous huge rainbows.  I landed a freak which was so wide that it would not fit in the guides net.

  The weather was warmer than normal with winds reaching 70 mph.  The lodge has expanded the main building making it very comfortable for clients after fishing.  End of April and beginning of May is the best time for huge chromes if you can put up with cold, windy weather.  Consider this when making arrangements to catch huge rainbows.