Because I live in Argentina, I have had the pleasure of fly fishing some of the most incredible fishing spots in Patagonia. I must say I enjoy them most when I get to show them to my friends who come to visit me from the United Sates. I especially enjoy meeting them at the airport and seeing them get off a ten hour flight loaded to the gills with fly rods and flies. I love everything about it. I love Checking out all of my maps and contacting all of my friends who are passionate fly fisherman or guides here in Argentina. I enjoy doing my research and asking them how the fishing is and what flies are working and when the optimum time is for each river. Here in Argentina, my circle of fly fishing comrads contact one another through email or text messages and it works really well for us. They tell me what has been working fly wise, so I go and tie fifty of those flies. Then I talk to another guide and he tells me another fly so I tie fifty of those. Not that it is entirely necessary but I love the anticipation of tying a fly that will be swallowed by a huge Patagonia sea run brown trout. In just a few short weeks my friends Ray and Ed and (maybe Jeremy) will be coming Here to fly fish with me in Argentina. Ray and Ed are no strangers to Argentina. They have come here to fish with me on several occasions. On this trip we will be going to two of the most famous rivers in Argentina for big sea run brown trout. We will be fly fishing the Rio Galleagous and the Rio Grande. These rivers require a fly fisherman to be prepared to face high winds and use heavier rods such as 7, 8 or 9 weights. In addition to fly tying, I also enjoy building my own fly rods. I build my sea run brown trout rods using longer blanks that are 10 and half feet and a new one that will be finished soon is an 11 and a half single handed arm buster. In our quest for sea run brown trout we use floating line and nymphs or intermediate clear heads on the Rio Gallegous. The Rio Gallegous is a little shallower than the Rio Grande. On the Rio Grande we often use teeny lines 200-300 grain when the water is high and we throw big monster wooly buggers and ugly zonkers leaded like a bullet. I must say I enjoy all facets of fly fishing whether it being on the river tailing a huge brown that my friend just landed or tying flies, building rods or planning the trip. This is the beauty of our sport. These are some pictures that my friend Pablo just sent to me. Pablo is my good friend and fly fishing companion who joined me on my last fish tale about chasing the rainbow trout in Argentina. Pablo is from Argentina and lives in Rio Grande. Pablo is an amazing fly fisherman and the pictures show that he is obviously doing well the sea run brown trout. So, to my friends who are coming to fish in a few weeks, here is what is waiting for us. Can’t wait for you guys to get down here.
Amen.
Alex,
Please take some video and post it. I love Argentina having spent 10 weeks there many years ago, but I never made it to the “land of fire”. That is a fishery I would love to get to at some point, but until then I would love to expereince it vicariously via your upcoming trip. Now go and hammer those chrome pigs.
alex – those fish are so sweet .. chrome .. from the ocean … big … amazing scenery surrounding them …. just amazing … the stuff dreams are made of for sure …. so summer is coming to an end huh? moving into fall now in argentina (i think)? …. what will the temps be in patagonia next month???
ALex,
sweet fish, those are some hogs. Do any of them when hooked take flight or do they just pull like tug boats?
Mickey
And all I can think about since fishing in Argentina was how awesome the fish were there! Please. Cry for me Argentina… all I caught today were twelve inch Browns….. And then you post pics of brown chrome… Alex, you are torturing me!
Thanks for the teaser to your trip, looking forward to Jeremy’s vid ( get there if you can man!)
Paul Helmbold
Alex, you are fortunate to have a close knit group of fly fishing comrads down there on the edge of the earth. Those fish are amazing! Looking forward to seeing some vid…hopefully I’ll catch up with you in the salt this year….safe travels.
Alex, those are some sweet fish!! You are one lucky man!! As was already requested earlier please take some video of your excursions because they would be well recieved and viewed often!! For you lucky guys that are going down there have fun and goodluck!!
Holy Cow that looks awesome!! I can only imagine how those fish fight!
Keep the tales coming, i got cabin fever and good fish stories ease the pain!
Great Fish!!!! I want to play down there! How do I pull it off!
Holy Cows!
My mouth is watering. My nerves are jangled and I’m not even there casting to those hogs! In some of the most untouched, unspoiled wilderness in the world, none the less!
I HAVE to get down there someday. Tight lines, y’all. Cannot wait to hear and see about this.
Nick
Alex, that is some great stuff, Any reason that you do not build a double hander and spey cast the bigger flies and tips? From the water in the picture it looks like it would be tailor made to bomb a spey even if you do it overhand casting?
They look like magnificant fish!
Spey rods there are becoming the norm and have been very effective with high winds and is a great tool to have I will be building a spey rod called the Rio Grande this year.