 Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
Posted by alex on November 11, 2007
(4028 reads)
Argentina Video
The crew was my dearest friend Miguel Sanchez and Matias Picapietra both born and raised in Bariloche, Argentina and incredible fly fishermen and fly fishing guides. Then you have Gustavo Morales and Wilfredo (homero) Yaconis and our workhorse Pepe from the south of Argentina. We met up in search of fresh native and wild trout in the most precious lakes still left relatively untouched by man due to the difficult measures it requires to access them. One must have four wheel drive or chains on there tires to cross windy dirt roads with massive deep ravines with snowmelt streams ripping through them on very dramatic declines. Also it is very dangerous tailering a boat which is critical to access the campground where we were going. There are no cell towers just stars and incredibly strong fighting trout. We brought in all the necessities we needed; lots of wine, cigars and Argentine beef. We started out each day towing the drift boat behind the power boat. We would seek out the honey holes and then break into two teams ready to catch one beautiful specimen after the other; fresh chromed rainbows, vibrant big brook trout and prized golden brown trout. It is very important to focus your eyes and ears on what they call here Arroyosos which are glacial snowmelt streams trickiling into the lakes which create underwater streams full of oxygen and food supplies. It is here that one can find big fish coming out of the lake in search of food and relatively close to shore. In the Spring the water is cold so you have to be patient and make sure you allow enough time to let the fly get down while still maintaining good line control and tension. We used heavier shooting heads and big monster flies to attract the trout. Generally speaking,
fast stripping and creating fast action on the flies worked well for the rainbow trout. Whereas, for the brook trout and brown trout we would cast way up from the drift boat letting the fly sink as much as possible and strip very slow with longer motions and when they hit it was like you locked horns with the titanic. The rainbows would leap to break free, and the brookies and browns just maintained their ground. We would fish early, (not too early) and then in the late afternoon row along the shoreline trying to maintain a constant drift while casting as close to the shore as possible. The key difference in my eyes was the time you aloud the flies to sink. If your fly was not getting deep enough, you really were almost out of the game. Summer here can be just as effective with dries (ie dragonflies and big terrestrial patterns). The rods we used were longer blanks 10.5 which cast easier and helped to keep the tip out of the oars way while rowing to maintain a more consistent drift. The flies I tied were big gnarly olive buggers and massive black, yellow and red zonkers loaded up with lead. It truly was amazing to see these flies in the mouths of fish and not on my wall. Here in Argentina we are blessed with incredible mountains covered with fresh snow and crystal gin clear lakes. The weather was perfect spring time fly fishing weather and I even slept under the stars for four nights next to the fire and was in heaven. We cooked huge asados, drank mate and lived like Kings. We all worked together as a team, and its amazing what happens when you fish with great fly fisherman. So thank you from my heart Miguel for sharing your backyard with me, I am still dreaming about it now. To top it all off the last day I got to fish my favorite river, the Rio Limay. I fished it with Matias Picapietra whose daughter is named Limay. He taught me some single handed spey casting techniques and we caught an incredible jewel together, a rare native brown trout that definitely has never seen a fly in its lifetime. It was an incredible trip with my dearest friends. One can’t ask for anything more.
|
|
|
| | The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content. |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by jeremy on November 11, 2007 http://www.fliesandfins.com | Alex, Miguel, Matias, Gustavo, Wilfredo:
Pesca asombrosa de la mosca que usted tiene en la Argentina y le bendicen para tener tales buenos amigos y pescadores de la mosca a pescar con. Amaría visitar la Argentina y experimentar un viaje de la pesca de la mosca con usted. Pescados hermosos, país hermoso y buena gente. Ésa es todas las necesidades de un hombre. También, Matias tiene un solo molde dado asombroso del spey. Quisiera hacer que él me demuestre algunas de sus técnicas del bastidor del spey; él hace le mirada fácil. ¡Pozo hecho! La Argentina es un lugar hermoso.
--------------- english version -------------
Amazing fly fishing you have in Argentina and you are blessed to be able to have such good friends and fly fishermen to fish with. I would love to visit Argentina and experience a fly fishing trip with all of you. Beautiful fish, beautiful country and good people. That is all a man needs. Also, Matias has a amazing spey cast. I would like to have him show me some of his single handed spey casting techniques; he makes it look easy. Well done! Argentina is a beautiful place. |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by wrh on November 11, 2007 http://www.theanglersnet.com | | Beautiful video and pictures. Patagonia is a special place, very wild and stunning with its mountains, rivers and lakes. While I remember the fishing, the things that stick in my mind all these years later are the people, tha increadibel land, the beef and last but not least the beautiful women of argentina. Keep the vids coming. |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by alex on November 11, 2007 http://www.patagoniaflies.com | I also wanted to thank my dear brother Pablo Formaioni who I stayed with in Bariloche and who owns www.basesurrentacar.com.ar
|
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by waterwhippa on November 11, 2007 | | Alex, Amazing. Everything about that place looks pristine. The water, fish, forest, snow caped peaks. A true paradise, thanks for putting that together. |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by Austin on November 12, 2007 | | hey alex! great video and some killer content......the scenery and fish were too cool. i would love to fish with you and your crew down there some day for giant sea run browns, brookies, rainbows, dorado, etc etc. Your in heaven! |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by greg on November 12, 2007 http://www.fliesandfins.com | WOW! I want to get into that game! Great video Alex, I'm saving it to my desktop and believe me there are only a few there! Congrats
Greg |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by Agustinyaconis on November 13, 2007 | Hi!! i'm homero's Brother and friend of the crew(sorry for my english but i'dont study for years)so i don't now you,but my brother(wilfredo) talk so much of you,i really like the video you post,and i want to now where i can find the music.You made it??
well with no more to say. see you and good fishing. |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by Boz on November 13, 2007 http://www.maineriverguides.com | Alex-
Sweet tale and video too. You guys do it right down there...remote and stellar locations, Big fish, plenty of wine and beef... I may have to start migrating south next year!
Killer post. |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by simpson on November 15, 2007 | | alex great video and love the rig. looks very familar. i look forward to fishing with miguel and gustavo again this year on the grande and the limay. what beautiful water and you captured what patagonia is all about. talk to you soon brother. -Ed |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by elmosquero on January 01, 2008 http://www.patagoniaoutside.com | muy buen video , y muy buena pesca, aunque se mas detalles de los que figuran en el video, lo mas importante es que la pesca en esos lugares es monumental, las fontinalis y marrones que se pueden tentar con secas grandes en increible.
muy bueno muchachos y espero que la proxima pueda ir con ustedes.... |
|
|
Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Shooting Heads, Monster Flies & Hungry Trout
by greg on December 11, 2009 http://www.fliesandfins.com | Amazing story and the video was great! I'll watch it a few more times before I can rerun it in my head. You guys look like your having a great time and enjoying who and where you are, thats a great thing.
Thanks
Greg |
|
|
|
Post
Tweet
E-mail
Submit Your Fish Tale
