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Rio Gallegos Seatrout
Wow, the fish are getting bigger! We have never had so many 20-pound-plus fish as we had this season! The challenge in Gallegos to land these huge sea-run browns on light tackle is what attracts more and more anglers from all over the world to make a visit to our Las Buitreras Lodge.
After this season I think it’s clearer than ever before. If possible, use single-hand rods and keep wading to a minimum. The fish are there, but splashing a long two-hand line on the surface nearly guarantees they will not bite. This is as technical as it gets, but at the same time quite easy! The cast does not need to be so long, only quiet and controlled. Keep contact with the fly and move the fly, wade as little as possible and it will happen!
We have been very spoiled using only certain sections of our available water. Tomas Ögren and I spent a week fishing new areas from both sides of the river with great success. There’s still a lot of water to be discovered under varying conditions. How many world class stretches of fishing can say that?
The season was exciting with all the big fish and as always the lodge functioned perfectly under the supervision
of camp manager Claudio Martin.
Tight lines / Christer
THE RIVER
The Rio Gallegos River is nearly 300 kilometres in length and has its origin in the Southern Andes with two pristine and very beautiful streams, the Penitente and the Ruebens. Winding its way through the wild Patagonian landscape it emerges into the surprisingly mountainous
area that encompasses the unique Las Buitreras beats, some 40kms from the river mouth. The flood plain that lies between these outcrops teems with birdlife, alongside large numbers of rheas, silver foxes, horses, hares, flamingos and guanacos.
A trip to Rio Gallegos River offers the adventurous angler the opportunity to pit his skills against the explosive sea running trouts of Patagonia. These fish can reach sizes of 25lbs and over and will reward the angler with arm wrenching takes and blistering runs, interspersed
with regular acrobatic displays.
Loop’s Las Buitreras lodge is home to the most prolific beats on the Rio Gallegos, consisting of over 40kms of both sides private water comprising over 50 named pools. The fishing is exciting and varied with pools ranging from deep stony runs to cut banks and streamy shingle flats. Relatively shallow, the river makes for easy wading, obviating the need for fast sinking lines and creating an exciting and challenging fishing environment. It is this variety in combination with the visually inspiring mountainous outcrops that makes this part of the Rio Gallegos quite simply one of the most spectacular stretches of fly fishing water in Patagonia.
Sometimes explosive, always challenging, fishing for sea trout requires a level of skill, stealth and understanding that can frustrate the average salmon angler. However, armed with the correct knowledge to unlock these secrets, the fishing on the Rio Gallegos can be immensely rewarding. To help you we pride ourselves on having who we consider to be some of the best guides in the world, now with 5 full seasons of experience on Buitreras. Each is a very talented fisherman, and they are some of the best casters and instructors we have seen anywhere. All of our guides are friendly, able to speak good English and usually keep a fly box tucked away with their secret deadly patterns they have created. They will ensure that you get the very most out of your trip.
The season 2010 we saw another year with an increase in average weight and there were more fish in the river. Our hard work in the estuary
is clearly paying off and we are very optimistic about the future in Rio Gallegos. Biggest fish 2010 was weighted at 28lb!
THE BUITRERAS LODGE
Loop has renovated a very old house on the estancia and furnished it with traditional “campo” style antiques. The living is comfortable and clean. There are 5 double rooms, 2 single rooms and a new annex with indoor barbeque and an extra room with 3 beds. In addition to the structural renovation, the entire heating, water, electrical and gas systems have been replaced. There is a wine cellar with a fantastic selection from the Mendoza and San Juan regions. It is also stocked with Cerveza Isenbeck, an outstanding local beer. Outside, there is a huge veranda, a spacious courtyard that is protected from the wind, and a large, fixed stone grill and terrace for barbeques. House wine and beer is included in the lodge rate but we do keep a wide selection of local wines not often available elsewhere and guests are welcome to purchase these at a very reasonable rate. No smoking inside the lodge.
A Few Logistical Notes:
A diesel generator supplies the electricity in Buitreras and the power is 220 volt. • The receptacles will accept common European plugs. The generator normally runs between 06.30 and 23.30. We have auxiliary battery power and there are 12-volt outlets in your rooms with lights that will function in the absence of generator power. Additionally, there are gas lamps here in the living/dining area and also upstairs in the hallway. These lamps can be used to advantage during late-night festivities!
Water is supplied from a windmill at the top of the hill and though there are no • limits for guests, we ask that they use it conscientiously. There are three very large thermo tanks supplying hot water and it is normally always available.
There is a new telephone with Internet access in the lodge. During our season, • continental Europe and Scandinavia are +4 hours and Great Britain is +3 hours. The USA is anywhere between -2 and -5 hours. NB: Telephone works when generator
is on only. Hours for this and new number will be available before season.
THE BUITRERAS DAILY SCHEDULE
Our guides and staff are quite flexible about timing but the normal schedule at Buitreras looks like this: We serve breakfast at about 07.00 and departure for the river at about 08.30. At 13.30 we return and lunch is served normally NLT 14.00. After a large lunch, we retire for a siesta until we return for tea at 16.30. Between 17.00 and 17.30 we departure for the river with sandwiches, soup and fruit and we return when the fishing is finished! Upon your return to the lodge there will be a cold buffet waiting for you.
FLIES, TACKLE AND FISHING TECHNIQUES
Seatrout can be extremely aggressive and actively pursue any fly in the area and then something changes and we find ourselves searching our fly boxes for the magic. For most of the fishing conditions we have found that traditional seatrout and salmon patterns are good and the locals also fish with a wide variety of trout patterns such as bitch creek nymphs, yuk bugs, egg-sucking leeches, woolly buggers and muddlers. Small nymphs are also used regularly when the trout become very selective. Doubles are fine, but please leave the trebles at home. Most of the fishing requires you to strip the fly.
When the water is stirred up by the wind or colored from rain, tubes and larger flies work very well. In turbid water conditions, we like bulky flies that push the water. Tubes tied in the “Temple Dog” style on plastic and/or brass in all colors and sizes are good to have along.
There are a few pools where seatrout can be taken by simply swinging the fly as one would for Atlantic Salmon, but generally speaking, these fish don’t favor the same type of lies as salmon do. They lie in quieter seams and tails and the motion imparted by stripping the fly produces some fantastic “induced” takes. We like shooting heads because the maximum effective fishing distance with each cast is much greater than with that of a normal line. It’s nice to have a two-handed rod in heavy wind, but most of the fishing can be accomplished with a one-hander. It’s a matter of personal preference. WF-line weights #6-8 Float or Loop Multi Clear Intermediate heads (full length line built like a shooting head) are the most popular depending upon the size of the fly. Bring a smaller trout rod too.
WEEKS 2011
Jan 1-8* Jan 8-15 Jan 15-22 Jan 22-29 Jan 29-Feb 5 Feb 5-12 Feb 12-19 Feb 19-26 Feb 26-March 5 March 5-12 March 12-19 March 19-26 March 26-April 2 April 2-9*
It is possible to arrive Dec 29 without any extra cost.
