This week, we welcomed guests from the USA, Canada, and Sweden. As usual, the group was a mix of returning and first-time visitors. Our host was our good friend Scott Houdek, a seasoned guest who has visited our operations multiple times, both here in Argentina and in Greenland.
Joining Scott were two sets of brothers: Chris and Rick, who were on their first visit, and Thomas and Peter, long-time guests. Also visiting for the first time were Brian and our ‘Doctor Duo,’ Bill and George. The rest of the group included regular guests Susan and Jack from Canada, along with Håkan and Göran from Sweden. Göran was beginning the second week of his annual two-week stay with us.
It’s always fascinating to see how each group brings a unique dynamic to Las Buitreras. One thing was clear from the start – Scott’s guests were here to relax and enjoy the experience. The group included anglers with varying levels of expertise: some were seasoned veterans of the Rio Gallegos, while others were just beginning their journey into the world of Spey casting and the pursuit of Patagonian sea trout.
This week, river conditions were dramatically different from the previous weeks. On Saturday morning, we woke up to a significantly risen river, which continued to rise throughout the day, peaking at around +40 cm. The heavy current brought in mud and debris, limiting water clarity. Fortunately, the river here usually only takes around 2 days after a bigger push to be in shape again, so by Sunday morning’s first session, most of the debris had cleared, leaving us with a fishable, albeit slightly colored, river. The fear of a complete ‘blowout’ quickly turned into excitement, as experienced anglers know that a dropping and clearing river often means great fishing ahead.
The weather forecast for the week looked promising, with relatively stable wind conditions. On Sunday and Monday, we had west-southwest winds, followed by a light northeast breeze on Tuesday. By Wednesday, the wind shifted back west and remained stable for the rest of the week. Air temperatures ranged from 8–19°C during the day and dropped to 3–8°C at night. The sky provided plenty of autumn sunshine, perfect for the colored water, though some sessions were slightly overcast.
Tactics & Fly Selection
Tactics this week differed from previous weeks. While we primarily used floating or intermediate heads/lines, we paired them with much heavier sink tips than usual. We started the week with sink 7–8 ips tips before gradually reducing the density to sink 5 ips, then sink 3 ips, and finally returning to our favorite intermediate tip. Leaders were kept short (3–6 ft) and ranged from 0.33–0.40 mm (20–25 lb breaking strain) at the start of the week, increasing to around 9 ft by week’s end.
On Sunday, we relied on large, brightly colored flies for maximum visibility in the murky water. Patterns such as “Yellow Yummy” and “Poison” in sizes 2–6 performed well, along with chartreuse and pink intruders, which also proved effective. As the river cleared, we downsized flies from 2–6 to 6–8. By Thursday, we returned to medium-sized “Girdle Bugs,” darker “Woolly Buggers,” “Sunray Shadows,” and conehead and bead-head nymphs, all in sizes 6–8.
Fishing Highlights
Day 1 – A Challenging Start
The first day was challenging due to the river’s limited visibility, but our upstream zones offered the best opportunities. Rick was first on the board with a small fresh-run fish from Zone U1 in the “La Curva” pool. Brian followed with two fish from the famous “75” pool in Zone 1, all caught on the “Yellow Yummy” fly. As the day progressed, conditions improved, building excitement for the week ahead.
Day 2 – River Healing & Improved Results
By day two, water clarity had improved, and the river had dropped significantly. First-time visitor Chris had a productive session in Zone 1, catching an 8 lb fish from “75” and a similar size fish in “Turning Bank,” followed by another in the evening from Zone 4 and the favorite client pool “Tiura.” Bill and George landed three fish at “75,” while brothers Tommy and Peter used the “Poison” fly to land three fish up to 8 lbs in Zones 2 & 5.
Day 3 – Breakthrough Day
With over 30 fish netted, day three was a standout. Brothers Chris and Rick had a great time in Zones 2 & 5, landing six fish between them from pools like “Barranca Blanca,” “La Corrientes,” and “La Recta.” Jack had a “red-letter day,” landing nine fish, including a very nice 12 lb fresh fish from Zone 4 at “Raquel.” Susan also landed two fish from “Puesto” and “Tiura.”
Day 4 – Swedish Bonanza
Our Swedish anglers, Håkan and Göran, had a slower start to the week but turned things around spectacularly during their morning session in Zone 5, landing six fish between them. Håkan continued his hot streak in the evening session, bringing in four more, all caught on the “Magic Black Fly.” Jack and Susan continued in Zones 2 & 5, with Jack landing five fish in the morning and another five in the evening. However, Susan stole the show by landing a beautiful 15.5 lb male fish from “Two Cast.”
Day 5 – A Day to Remember
This was a day for the record books, with over 40 fish landed. Göran had an unforgettable day, netting 13 fish, including several up to 9 lbs. Jack landed a 17.5 lb chrome female at “Bridge,” while Susan followed with a 16 lb beauty at “Outer Limits.” Most guests saw action, with Scott landing four fish in Zones 2 & 5, and Tommy and Peter bringing in six between them.
Final Day – A Strong Finish
Although slightly less intense than day five, over 30 fish were landed on the final day. Scott had a fantastic morning in Zone 3, landing seven fish on the famous “Marianne” nymph. Göran and Håkan had another great session, catching eight between them in Zone 4. Jack and Susan finished their trip with four more fish, while brothers Rick and Chris also closed their week with four fish.
Wrapping Up
As this incredible week comes to an end, we want to thank everyone who was part of it. A special thanks to Scott Houdek for bringing another fantastic group to Las Buitreras – your positive and relaxed energy was contagious! A big shoutout to Team Sweden’s Håkan and Göran for their dry humor, and to our doctor duo, Bill and George, for choosing Las Buitreras for their long-haul trip.
See you for the Week 13 report. Tight lines, everyone!
Stats of the week
Total nr. of sea-run brown trout : 152
Biggest sea-run brown trout landed: 17.5 lbs by Jack
Average size : 6.3 lb
