Untamed Angling was founded in 2001 by Marcelo Pérez.
The first company’s project was La Zona, the famous giant dorado tail water fishery in Argentina. An unpublished project was born in La Zona, which would perfect itself into future destinations of Untamed. It was a completely new model in the market, which combined catch & release fly fishing in exclusive areas, with a significant social benefit to local populations and the preservation of natural environment.
This model project allowed Untamed to explore the best areas for sport fishing and develop there international destinations even if they were natural reserves, national parks, or Indian territories. As these areas were generally found in remote locations with very hard access, Untamed also developed a singular capacity to design logistics of high complexity, and provide at the same time a first class guest’s service. With the same project model, Untamed developed venues of great repercussion in the international market, such as Far End Rivers (Argentina), Desroches Island Fly Fishing Adventures (Seychelles), Tsimane (Bolivia), Kooi Noom (Argentina), Marié (Brazil), and more recently Kendjam, Xingú and Pirarucú (Brazil).
Marcelo Pérez | CEO & Founder
Marcelo is an Argentine architect who has been passionate about fishing since childhood, is dedicated to Dorado fly fishing. He continuously explores new jungle environments throughout South America in pursuit of this prized fish. As the founder and CEO of Untamed Angling, Marcelo developed the company’s concept and business model, which emphasizes an equitable and transparent partnership with indigenous communities. His approach also prioritizes the conservation of vast areas of Amazonian forests through catch-and-release fly fishing tourism. Before founding Untamed Angling, Marcelo contributed articles about Dorado fly fishing to magazines in Argentina and Spain for many years. He has designed and developed internationally recognized fly fishing tourism projects, including La Zona, Far End Rivers, Desroches Island, and Tsimane. More recently, in collaboration with his friend and business partner Rodrigo Moreira Salles, he has introduced new venues such as Kooi Noom (Patagonia), Marie, Kendjam, Pirarucu, and Xingu (in the Brazilian Amazon). Lately Marcelo appeared with a strong influence in social media channels, with original short videos of his many adventures along the Amazon headwaters in search for the mythical Bolivian dorado.
Rodrigo Salles | CO-Owner & CEO of Brazilian Operations
Brazilian by birth, engineer by training, and an angler by passion, Rodrigo Salles has spent his entire career immersed in the wild, fishing the waters of the jungle for Freshwater Dorado, Peacock Bass, and other elusive jungle species. A partner of Untamed Angling alongside Marcelo Pérez since its inception in 2004, Rodrigo has been instrumental in positioning the company within the most discerning fly-fishing markets worldwide. As head of sales, he spearheaded the brand’s marketing strategy, establishing its presence among the world’s most demanding markets. Since 2013, Rodrigo has led the development of Untamed Angling’s projects in Brazil, assuming the role of CEO for the region. His deep knowledge of the Amazon ecosystem and commitment to sustainable sport fishing with Indigenous collaboration has driven the expansion of the company’s exclusive destinations and influenced the broader industry’s understanding of fly fishing in the jungle. Rodrigo has contributed to leading Brazilian and U.S. fly-fishing publications, sharing insights at a time when jungle fly fishing was still an uncharted frontier. His passion lies in exploring untouched waters alongside native communities, discovering new species, and unlocking the full potential of fly fishing in the world’s last great wilderness - the Amazon jungle.
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