Darien Lodge is a secluded lodge on the coast of Colombia near the Panama border. To get there, you have to take a flight from Medellín to a small airstrip on the coastline, surrounded by jungle. From there, you’re picked up in a small panga and taken out to the bigger boats waiting beyond the surf. From there, you head north to the lodge, where pangas are ready to take you to shore. When you land on the beach, you’re just 100 yards from pure luxury — a lodge with a vibe that screams big fish.
The Decision
When I was first contacted and offered the opportunity to film at Darien Lodge, I thought it would be a cool place to experience. My next thought was that all I really knew about Colombia came from drug-smuggling films and series like Narcos. Since my Spanish vocabulary was non-existent, I gave Duolingo a try. After a week, all I could confidently say was “the boy is drinking milk” — not particularly useful at a fishing lodge in Colombia.
I was intrigued by the lodge and the wild fishing for tuna and other bluewater species, but still a little skeptical about the stories I’d heard about Colombia. After a few days of research, I decided to accept the offer. With only three weeks until departure, I had to go into intensive prep mode.
I needed to figure out what gear to bring. I packed my Sony A7R V, a monitor, a few lenses, a drone, and some SmallRig accessories. Looking at all that gear, I thought about how it would hold up in a panga racing through the waves chasing schools of tuna. The decision was made — now I just had to find a way to make it work.
The Journey
Looking at my tickets, I realized I’d be boarding a flight from Copenhagen on a cold Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m. and wouldn’t arrive at the lodge until Thursday sometime. I knew this was going to be an adventure. I grabbed a coffee and thought, Game on, Colombia.
I arrived in Bogotá, then caught a connecting flight to Medellín, where I spent my first night in Colombia at a hostel after 20 hours of travel. The next morning, I caught a plane to a small airstrip near the lodge, where staff would pick me up. From there, we took a small boat to a larger panga that carried us to the lodge. When we arrived, it was the other way around — a little dinghy ferried passengers and gear to the beach.
The Lodge
Arriving at the lodge was an amazing experience. The boat ride in was awesome, and when you see the lodge appear, you can’t help but feel like you’ve done something right — like karma is paying you back. The lodge is nestled between the beach and the rainforest, which surrounds it on three sides. I got checked in, talked to the guides, and learned that the clients I’d be filming would arrive the next day. That gave me time to unpack and get my gear in order.
La Tuna
The next day, after a quick lunch, the newly arrived clients geared up and headed for the pangas. I was assigned to a boat with a couple of cool guys from Florida, one of whom had been here before. They quickly found out that large Pacific swells are something to be reckoned with. On the ride to the fishing grounds, we could see the other pangas disappear from time to time behind massive waves. That made tuna spotting tricky, but the captain — a seasoned pro — soon found birds and dolphins, and within 30 minutes of leaving the lodge, we were on tuna.
The chaos that followed was insane. A giant pod of dolphins and a school of tuna attacked a bait ball from below while sharks joined the frenzy and birds dove in from above. The anglers stripped line as fast as they could and shot their flies right into the middle of the madness. A few fast retrieves later, and a tuna inhaled the fly just a few yards from the boat. The reel screamed as the tuna raced into the deep, the Nautilus drag system proving its worth. After 35 minutes of hardcore fighting, the tuna finally tired and began circling toward the surface. As it came up, we could see a bite mark — likely from one of the sharks shadowing the school. Moments later, the fish was in the boat, and the captain hit the throttle. We were on the hunt again.
This time the school had moved half a mile, and the scene repeated itself. The teaser hit the water, drawing in a pack of excited tuna. As soon as they were within range, the teaser was pulled and the fly replaced it. A few short strips and the tunas ganged up on the fly — the winner got to wear out another fly angler. Nearby, a drifting log held more fish, and while one angler fought his tuna, the other cast to the remaining school, still in a frenzy.
As the day went on, more species showed up — dorado of all sizes, tripletail, Spanish mackerel, roosterfish, and rainbow runners. It was nonstop action.
The Gear
The tuna school up and attack bait balls at a certain time of year — and when that happens, all hell breaks loose. The average tuna weighs around 60 pounds, so you need gear that can handle serious pressure. A 12-weight rod with plenty of backbone is ideal for casting large flies and lifting tuna from 200 feet down. Pair that with a saltwater reel that can handle blistering runs and has a drag strong enough to stop an angry tuna in deep blue water.
Effective flies are big 4/0–5/0 patterns that resemble fleeing sardines. White is always a solid choice, but any color that contrasts well in the bluewater will work. The goal is to catch the tuna’s attention amid the chaos. Poppers are also great, mimicking injured baitfish on the surface.
Clothing matters too. You’re in the sun all day on the water, and if you’re not careful, you’ll burn. I wore Howler Bros long-sleeve tech shirts rated 50+ UPF — they kept me protected all day.
Lodge Life
Every day we came back to the lodge completely worn out — and the staff knew it. As soon as we hit the lounge area, we were greeted with cold refreshments while swapping stories from the other boats. Before long, tuna ceviche was served, and we’d grab drinks from the Yeti coolers by the bar. As the sun set, dinner was served — a treat every night. We had tuna prepared in ways you wouldn’t believe, each dish better than the last. There’s something special about eating a tuna you caught just hours ago, surrounded by great company.
Final Thoughts
Darien Lodge was more than just a filming gig — it was an experience I’ll never forget. From the long journey to the explosive bluewater action and the warm hospitality, it was unforgettable. Today, more fly anglers can travel and discover remote places more easily than ever. That means more people get to experience incredible destinations once out of reach. It’s getting harder to find untouched places these days, but Darien Lodge is certainly one of those rare gems.
Peter Husted
www.wemproduction.com
WhatsApp: +45 22 37 62 36
