As we wrap up another incredible week of fly fishing in southern Patagonia, we look back at some personal bests and promising conditions towards the end of the week. It was a pleasure to welcome back so many familiar faces – annual visitors who make this trip a cherished tradition – such as Sten, Derek, Steinar, Keith or Thor. In addition we welcomed back our good friend Sylvan who brought along a great group from Canada
This week, we hosted anglers from across the globe, including Norway, the USA, Canada, Scotland, and England. As the week began, the river remained in similar condition to the previous week – crystal-clear waters with a level of approximately -30 cm. Despite this, the fish kept running into the system, spurred on by the full moon and big tides filling the estuary. It was thrilling to watch fish move through the shallow waters and settle into our holding pools.
Our anglers fished with the usual setup: floating and intermediate lines paired with long (12-15 ft.) leaders and fine-diameter tippet (as low as 0.26 mm for single-hand anglers in certain pools). Top-performing flies included the good old Copper John in sizes 8-10, size 8 flashback nymphs in the “Marianne” variation, and a selection of size 12 and 14 salmon doubles.
At the start of the week Zone 5 was the place to be, with pools like Barranca Blanca and Barranca Negra, both big holding pools here at Las Buitreras. Barranca Blanca saw several double-digit fish landed, while Barranca Negra was offering up fish on a regular basis. Keith from Scotland and his friend Frank from England had a particularly memorable session in these pools, landing a fish each in quick succession. Frank’s catch – a stunning 12 lb chrome hen – was a standout. Stripping a Sunray Shadow across the surface during golden hour, Frank was rewarded with a ferocious take and an unforgettable fight. These types of visual moments are truly special and make you hold your breath every time you swing a fly across the pool.
The highlight of the week came from our Norwegian team: Thor and Steinar (“El Gordito”). During a morning session in Zone Lower 1 they showed us that they have quite a few years of experience fishing at Las Buitreras, landing two spectacular fish with an average weight of 20 lb! Steinar started it by hooking a remarkable 21,3 lb sea trout in Molino Pool, initially mistaking it for a brown trout. After several violent headshakes and a long upstream run, he realized he was connected to something special. Steinar did an excellent job showing a lot of patience during the fight which paid off as he landed his personal best sea-run brown trout. Congratulations, Steinar! Thor also landed a perfect 19 lb fish the same day and had an outstanding week, landing a 17 lb fish on Monday in Upper 1 and another magnificent 17 lb sea trout in Old Bridge Pool, Zone 2.
Towards the end of the week, Zone 1 really turned on and everyone got a little extra excited for their sessions upriver. Pools like 75 and the famous Kitchen Pool were teeming with both fresh and colored fish that had entered the system earlier in the season. With the right wind conditions, fishing these pools in a single session offers an excellent chance to connect with a dream fish plus featuring one of the most beautiful surroundings on the Rio Gallegos.
Michael from the US had his lucky day on Thursday while fishing Heavyweight Pool in Zone 3. After a thrilling fight filled with acrobatic jumps and long runs, he landed a pristine 13 lb female sea trout – a perfect specimen that swam away strongly after a few quick photos.
On Friday the river rose slightly and took on a brownish tint, something that gets our heart rates up. Long-time Las Buitreras regular Derek made the most of his final session in Zone 2, landing a stunning 20 lb hen sea trout in Little Corner Pool – a spectacular way to end the trip.
As we conclude another unforgettable week of trout fishing at Estancia Las Buitreras, we would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for a fantastic week here at our second home. We can’t wait to welcome you all back for another week down in southern Patagonia. As we are writing this we are experiencing a big push of water from the mountains. You all know what that means! More updates are coming soon.
Stats of the week
Biggest sea-run brown trout landed: 21,3 lb by Steinar S. from Norway
Top rod of the week: 24
Average size: 10,1 lb
