Day 4

We woke up around 8am which is late for our standard.  It felt incredible to sleep through the night without waking up, in a tent on an island of Patagonian river...

After a quick breakfast, we were to continue on with the trip.  It seems warmer than yesterday and there were thousands of grass hoppers were lining up the river banks.  It turns out when the temperature reaches certain point, the hoppers tend to hop not crawl and today they were hopping so making a fly selection was no brainer.

The water levels for this area definitely went down significantly from the last 3 days we've been fishing and with the anticipation of catching bigger fish, we left the island with Capt. Gabriel's command, "Vamos!"

Within 50 yards from our camping spot, Patty yells out "fish on" and starting to struggle with the line.  After a few minutes, she lands this fat bow with bulging stomach.  Gabriel tells us they are gorging themselves with freshwater crabs called Aegla.

Maybe because of lower water level or hopping hoppers, the big fish were out and eating!  The most of the trout we've caught were a lot bigger than our previous day's catch.

It was a nonstop fishing extravaganza.  Patty was too tired to fish after a few hours of fishing so she enjoyed the whole experience from the back seat.  Although it was a short trip, we were glad to be out on this beautiful country and able to meet new people and reconnect with the old friends.

Here is an instructional video I put together.  Some of you might not approve but very effective...



Day 3

The day was warm and sunny and most of all, less wind.  Finally!  The temperature is predicted to reach 80 degree. When Travis and Gabriel came to our motel to pick us up, I've realized that they brought two boats.  One for us to fish with and the other to carry our camping gear.  Our plan is to drift down the Chimehuin river for next two day.

Our supply vessel

Day 2

Malleo River

When we arrived to the Malleo river, I was immediately connected to this river.  It had a lot of resemblance to the waters I fish back home but much bigger in size. Known as one of the best dry fly river in the world. The source of the water is fed from melted snow from the central Patagonia's impressive peak, Lanin Volcano.    

However, unlike it’s neighboring bigger rivers, it’s a lot smaller and, at least for me, a perfect trout stream as it is filled with pocket waters, riffles, pools, flats, and cut banks.  An angler can experience all kinds of fishing style and eager trout will reward you.  

After a short hike along the river, we were able to find our first fishing spot.  Patty was paired up with Travis and I with Gabriel.  We would skip a beat or two so that each other can fish all the way through without interference. From my understanding all streams and stream banks are public domain in Argentina.

Hopper dropper with a little spinner were used to fish as the beautiful pools and undercut banks accompanied by strong wind were ideal for such setup. 

This river, just as any rivers around here, supports healthy population of wild rainbows and browns and they weren't shy and going after the both flies with aggression.  I guess they were deprived from eating from the recent water level rise.

Although strong wind continued throughout the trip, willow trees provided enough protection for us to catch plenty of trout.  It was a mixed bag of rainbows and browns.

We didn't get to explore the river as much as we would like to due to high water level and the wind but I can easily see that this river can be a haven to an angler and offers all arrays of fishing experience as different sections of rivers from what I told is very distinct from one another.  

Since we have a long two days ahead of us, we decided to retire around 5pm.  Also, from all the casting against heavy wind yesterday took a toll on our body as well.

This condor's wingspan can reach to 10 feet!

Day 1

Day 1
After a relaxing day at the San Martin de los Andes, we took about 40km cab ride to the Junin de los Andes which is a small  city of 14, 000 people. It is located to the south of Neuquen Province with slow pace living and trout-filled water. The slow pace lifestyle in Argentina in general took some time for us to get used to as typical lunch starts at 2pm and 9pm for dinner.


Common transportation for the locals

Almost every house had handcrafted family signs in front

of their house

 Every street signs contain picture of trout

There are only a handful of restaurants in the town and luckily for us we only had to rely on them for dinners as the lunch will be provided by the Flotadas Chimehuin Outfit which has a long history of guiding experience at the Juinin as two generations of the family are working together to provide excellent fishing experience one angler can gain. We were able to find them through Travis from the Yellowstone who guided us during our trip to the park.

Travis with his signature smile

Travis who is an amazing person not only as a guide but as one of the most pleasant individual I've had a pleasure to fish with, married a beautiful lady who's family owns the Flotadas Chimehuin which naturally makes her very capable guide as well.  Travis and his wife Giselle works in the west yellowstone in the summer and works in the Juinin in the winter season.  The life style we can only dream about...   The weather wasn't what we have expected. The wind was a little shy of small hurricane and the temperature was high 40 degrees with occasional rains, which we found out later on that it is very unusual to have such condition at this time of the season. I guess we brought with us the cold front we've been having at the east coast...   After purchasing fishing license, we were off to the Collon Cura which is a large and wide river.  The course of the river runs through a series of valleys which is home to many browns, rainbows and percas which is a native species that are similar to smallmouth bass.  The river banks were lined with willows, rosehip bushes and volcanic rocks.

Since Travis couldn't get the guide license for this season, we were introduced to Giselle's brother Gabriel who's been guiding the Junin waters since he was 14 years of age.

Gabriel was a humorous and pleasant person and  a determined guide who will go extra length to get you with the fish. But off the bet, the we realize that the fishing will be very  difficult as there was no way we can make any decent  casts against constant gust of wind.

The willow trees that covers the river bank were dancing violently as we drift down the river. Gabriel worked the boat in ways so that the wind is behind us so that our casts will be easier. Obviously the skills and strength required to manipulate this boat on this kind of weather is something you can only obtain through years of experience

Gabriel informed us that the previous rains made the water level higher and flows faster than usual and how the fishing will be somewhat effected.  It wasn't easy but with Gabriel's coaching, we are able to figure out how to cast in strong wind condition.  I was amazed at how Patty picked up the skill and start catching trout.

In the beginning of the trip, we were catching mostly small rainbows.  Although small, they were the most feistiest rainbows I've ever seen.  I was also surprised how many fish there were in these water. 

For lunch, we were able to find an island that were well protected from the wind and unwind.

For the second half of the trip, we were greeted by bigger trout.  Because of the strong wind, grass hoppers were lining up the river edge and the bigger trout were taking advantage of the situation.

We switch our strategies to streamers from the dry flies as the wind intensified.  The added weight made the casting a lot easier and the result was a lot more satisfying as some of the browns responded well to the streamers we were flinging.   

It was an intense day of fishing but what a proper reintroduction to the Patagonia!.  Strong wind, unpredictable weather and a tons of fish.  We retired for the day around 8pm and the sun was still over our head as we were wondering what the rest of the trip will bring...