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.