 Argentina Fly Fishing Trip: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
Posted by hawk on February 18, 2009
(2904 reads)
I got lucky last week and was able to sneak into a cancellation at the last second to Kau Tapen lodge in Tierra Del Fuego, fishing the Rio Grande for sea-run brown trout. Thanks to help from some of Fins and Flies boys, I somehow made it happen. Overall the experience was as good as any I have had on a fly fishing trip. The fishing was exceptional, weather was exceptional, accommodations and food was very good though probably not worth the money if I had to pay full fare. The guides were very good and other guests where great.
The fishing was interesting. Fish seemed to turn on and off very regularly and for no apparent reason. You might be crushing them in one run and a mile away you are going fishless. Having never swung flies before it was a very new experience and i missed a couple fish right out of the gate as you really don't set the hook. I got yelled at a few times for that and for creating impressive amounts of wind knots. Once I figured that out, hook ups increased. I was pretty much only effective with my 7wt with my floating line and a sinking polly leader or just full floater. Got two real nice fish on floating line fishing glass calm water on a green machine fly fished about one inch below the surface. Very cool to
see a 10+ pound trouts' whole head and back come out of the water as it roles on a fly in those conditions. You see it all happen before you feel it. It was great to hook up to these fish and fight fish on the 7wt but was a little tricky when the winds of Patagonia reared their ugly heads. Fortunately, to our amazement and luck that did not happen too often this week. I mean it blew everyday at some point and hard some days but not at all what I was mentally prepared for. It was amazing how the fish usually turned on as the sun started setting and it was torture to have to leave the water at 10:30 every night as the fish were generally fired up and taking flies well. That was really the only thing that really bothered me. Having the morning session after fist light so we could have a big fancy breakfast was not ideal. The schedule was fish 9am to 1:30 then 6pm to 10:30. This schedule did however create an environment to get drunk twice a day though. In fact, on my best evening session I was pretty dam stewed. Overall I would say the fish were much more impressive than I had expected and I was very surprised how much they jumped and the display they put on fight-wise. Many of the fish I caught including the bigger fish jumped more than the tarpon or steelhead I have caught. The Patagonia sea-run brown trout are really spectacular fish.
Sunday AM: No fish had a take but set hook and it pulled out.
Sunday PM: Got two chrome fresh fish 6 and 12 pounds both with tags in
them
Monday AM: Big morning, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 pound fish
Monday PM: 8 and a 12 pound fish
Tuesday AM: One 3 pound fish and a real nice resident brown over 20"
Tuesday PM: One decent 10 pound fish
Wednesday AM: 4, 8, 17 and 18 the three biggest fish all from one run
called Nirvana, man that was very cool.
Wednesday PM: 4, 6, 9, 10, 15, 17,epic day all around
Thursday AM: Nadda not even a touch from a resident, crazy ... as other
rods in near by pools did fine.
Thursday PM: Straightened the hook on a good fish and landed a 13 pounder
to keep the streak alive. I also hooked into a nice beaver, took me into its
backing as it went into it's home very weird. Thank god fly came out once I
dragged it back out of its hole.
Friday AM: One 4 and a nice 12 pounder on a surface fly
Friday PM: 5, 10 and a 12 that took right at 10:30 so it was great to
finish with a quality fish on one of my own flies.
Final Tally: 28 sea runs, countless small residents and a few real nice
residents.
Link to More Pictures:
Click Here
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by jeremy on February 18, 2009 http://www.fliesandfins.com | | Wow! Are you kidding me? What an epic trip. I wanna fish the "Nirvana" run. Nice work man. I laughed when I read about the beaver! Too funny. I also like the trip log, as I never knew those kind of numbers were possible. That picture of that fish is just gorgeous. That fish looks fresh and healthy. How far were you fishing from the actual saltwater? Glad it worked out for you man. It's pretty cool to see all of the pre-trip discussions etc.. in the forums and then see the end result of the trip - end up as a beautiful fish tale like this. You had a last minute opportunity, you grabbed it, went down there to Tierra Del Fuego and crushed sea run browns! Now, you are back - and you have yet another another species of fish under your belt! I definately would love to experience something like that someday and a sea run brown trout like that is most definately on my "fish wish list." Killer job, great fish, great story. |
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by kory_k on February 18, 2009 http://www.fliesandfins.com | Hawk,
Great story, I relived catching those fish as I read your story. Fishing tierra del fuego for sea run brown trout has been on the top of my list for some time and this just fuels the fire! Nice work, those are some great pics and a great story. |
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by shubacka on February 18, 2009 | | Photo album is priceless and is a great way to complete the awesome article! That must have been an exhilariting shock to find out that all of a sudden through a cancel you were going to what I would call every trout bums true fantasy. Really liked how you recapped each day's results and per my slim understanding of that fishery those numbers on both the production and size were well above average. I have to agree that any time you can through a few back on more than one daily occasion is alone a good day but I too would have peferred rising earlier for what sounded like the good bit near dark in lieu of the elaborate breakfast. Great stuff. |
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by greg on February 19, 2009 http://www.fliesandfins.com | Great read and pictures! And the day to day account was a great! The additional pictures were great! Just a great story and pics, Thanks
Greg |
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by waterwhippa on February 19, 2009 | | Way to go Hawk! Last minute trips always seem to be the best. Glad the conditions were mellow for the most part and you were able to get it done in a big way. See you in the Spring! |
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by saltydog003 on February 19, 2009 | | sounds like a truely awesome trip Hawk! I really really really REALLY want to get down there sooner or later. Your pictures and words have made me want to get there sooner, rather than later! I understand you swing a lot of flies here, is this correct? Is that how you caught your fish? Do dead drifts produce any fish? (just as many?) |
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Re: Patagonia: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by wrh on February 19, 2009 http://www.theanglersnet.com | | Wow, Nice trip. That is the one place I would love to hit. Swinging flies for those chrome fish is nirvana. |
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by Boz on February 19, 2009 http://www.maineriverguides.com | Hawk,
Thanks for sharing you expeirence...
That photo is amazing!! Most pictures I've seen of Big Tierra el Fuego browns seem to be backed by firey skys...love it!
I dont' know that I've ever caught a brown that jumped much... But now I really want too...
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by hawk on February 19, 2009 | | Hey guys thanks so much for the comments I am still trying to mentally get back there and think I will have to make this one last for a long time with the current state of the economy but super glad I got down there. We were about 20-50km from the salt and seemed like most of the fish caught were very fresh...I would recommend this time of year if you are more interested in fresh fish. As for the jumpers I was very surprised at what they delivered and how lucky I was as I only lost one or two to jumps. Every really fresh fish gave up at least 5 good jumps and some many more....very cool for +10 pound brown trout. I do think my numbers were on the higher side based on the other rods at the lodge but not by much and I also think I might have focused a little harder than some, that said another guy did way better with numbers and size and I know he didn't log nearly as many casts, clearly I was on the lucky side and suspect he was much more skilled as he was a pretty seasoned Atlantic Salmon guy. Pretty much everything was swinging though I did pick up a few fish one morning session dead drifting when the water temp had dropped dramatically over night. |
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by KodiakCommando on February 20, 2009 | | Wow that's killer. Funny how those last minute trips can turn out so great. I hope i can make it down there someday |
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by chromefinder on February 21, 2009 | | Very cool, thanks for sharing. A fly fishing trip to that part of the world has been on my radar for a while now and your trip log and detailed account of the fishing really helps. |
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by joey on February 23, 2009 http://www.fliesandfins.com | | Sweet fish tale and what a fish, I would love to fish for the sea run browns some day. I was fishing with a fella who guided down there for a year and told me the exact same thing in your fish tale about the hours of fishng. Pretty wild wind down there so I have heard. Thanks for sharing your experience it was a fun read. I like the part about being 3 sheets to the wind for the evening session...too funny. |
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by TheWeeklyFly on March 05, 2009 http://www.theweeklyfly.com | | I filmed for a week (didn't get to fish) last april at Aurelia Lodge upriver from Kau Taupen. TDF is an amazing place and the sea runs are amazing fish. I envy you you're opportunity. If you'd like some scientific data the Flathead Lake Biological Station was commissioned recently to study the Rio Grande. Also, we have a couple of flies that their guide tied for us filmed and in the pipeline at The Weekly Fly. Thanks for the report. |
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Re: Patagonia, Argentina: Rio Grande Sea-Run Brown Trout, Spectacular!
by troutaddict1 on March 18, 2009 | | Insane story but especially the pic. Those are the pics that we all dream about: the kind to frame. Thanks so much for sharing. |
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