David Siskind | Sunday, 23 August 2026
I’m looking at Martyn’s Ghostbuster which brings to mind the flies I’ll need for my trip to Argentina in November. I’m running out of time to get ready. I can’t believe it’s late August already. I’ll be fishing for dorado. Apparently, in the rivers I’ll be visiting, they feed on smaller fish at night but while laid up during the day will reactively eat cicada and big hopper imitations. More often they’ll ignore all offerings. Like fishing for carp, it’s supposedly best to stalk stealthily looking for a cooperative fish rather than changing flies to hopefully fool one who’s disinclined, whatever the reason. It’s a walking, spotting, and presentation game. Only the first cast counts.
I need to buy and tie some of these flies in the next two weeks or so to see how to handle them - I’m pretty sure I’m not going to get more than a few shots and I won’t convert many without some training. The outfitter claims these flies cast best on a 7 weight line recommending the SA GrandSlam or the Rio Elite Warmwater Predator on a six or 7 weight rod. I’ll accept the line recommendation but need to see for myself which of my rods casts these flies best from 30 to 60 feet.
There will be a lot of walking between fish and I’m concerned about shoes. Approach shoes are the ticket but most that I see have rigid soles. I don’t like that. Over the last five years I’ve fallen in love with various brands of barefoot shoes. There’s one I’ve been wearing for nearly five years, the Vivobarefoot Tracker - they are leather but if sufficiently waterproofed might make a great approach shoe. They have a lugged sole that is thick enough to offer protection from sharp rocks, and coral but are flexible enough to fold in half easily. I call them my “adventure shoes.” I believe, if they could withstand hours of immersion, and would somehow drain, they’d be fabulous. But because they’re not designed for wading I bought a pair of Patagonia River-Salt boots. I wore them only once fishing Fremont Canyon in Wyoming, wading wet, NZ style. They were comfortable enough but my legs were tired at the end of the day. My feet felt fine - much better than the flat’s boots I wore in the Bahamas but still not what I’m looking for. Paul has recommended his Bestard Canyoneering approach shoes - but they too, like the River-Salt appear to have rigid soles. Because I plan some moderate hiking on the Perito Merano Glacier and the area around the Iguazu Falls with Jackie before sending her home and heading out to fish, I think I’ll spring for a new pair of Vivos AND will bring my River-Salts. Both might come in handy and I could give them each a rigorous test while fishing. I’ll report what I find here.
For conditioning, I’ve stuck with club training, added my kettlebells into the mix, and have increased the aerobic load while using them. The clubs especially are interesting. I feel something is happening. It’s a movement practice and just by repetition I’m learning to improve the efficiency of my basic throwing patterns under load which inform my casting strokes while at the same time improving my muscular endurance. A familiar back pain arising after casting for 5 or six hours seems to have disappeared. I’m delighted.
I'm still in NY but am planning to be back home Tuesday night. I’ve managed a few practices here in Riverside Park but the heat and some impressive rains seem to have encouraged the no-see-’ems. The park is only available early in the morning after which the summer camps and soccer (football) leagues take over. It’s gnat prime-time and they have been eating me alive. I have itchy welts from the knees down, and all over my arms. Awful. I pine for bug-free Los Angeles. I go years between bites. (I may be exaggerating). I shouldn’t complain - living large for the present. So far so good.
Cheers,
David Siskind