Happy New Year from EEFF
Happy New Year from Patagonia! The heart of our summer season is upon us. We are enjoying long warm days, wonderful guests, and exciting dry fly fishing for feisty trout.
Heavy rains and early season snow storms in November produced higher than normal flows on our home river, the Rio Futaleufú during December. Big water meant big hatches of March Brown mayflies and exceptional dry fly fishing. We found great fish rising in foam lines, back eddies, and flooded willows. High flows also put big brown trout into hunting mode, and streamer fishing has been terrific.
Guests have found some beautiful fish on the home river. In fact, several of the best fish we’ve seen were caught within sight of the lodge.
Stillwater fishing on our region’s lakes has been on fire so far this season as well with the annual dragonfly hatch reminding visiting anglers just why they traveled all the way around the world to fish in Patagonia.
Few things rival the thrill of targeting a large trout that’s on the hunt for dragonflies. It’s a visual game, and the suspense of the pursuit is generally rewarded with a violent rise at the surface.
In addition to warm hospitality, stunning scenery, and wild trout, the wind is a key component to any Patagonia fishing experience. It’s a fact of life here. But with a little practice and some coaching, the wind can easily be tamed and even embraced. In fact, there are many situations where the wind provides a tactical advantage, and we welcome it. Nowhere is this more true than during the dragonfly hatch. Wind breaks up the surface of still waters and provides large trout the cover and comfort they need to hunt for these massive bugs out in the open. Wind also concentrates food into feeding lines in a lake making it easier to locate feeding fish.
This December was a windy one here in Patagonia, and we enjoyed some fantastic fishing because of it.
So, don’t let the wind worry you. Spend a little time practicing your cast before you get here, and then let our talented guides give you some instruction. They are all wonderful casting instructors and spend time every year honing their craft with industry experts like Tim Rajeff from Echo Fly Fishing.
Early season fishing has been great at the Brook Trout Basecamp. We’ve enjoyed good flows on the camp’s home water, the Rio Corcovado, and fun fishing for fat Brookies and feisty resident Rainbows.
We’re spoiled to have such good waters literally steps away from Basecamp, but when you consider all of the options within a 2 hour drive, there’s a whole world of fisheries with the possibility of landing the trout of a lifetime.
Patagonia is big, wide open country and with that comes the potential for some long drives to access remote fisheries. At the BTBC we’re strategically positioned minutes from some of Patagonia’s most acclaimed fisheries, eliminating the need for long drives. However, our network of hidden gems extends far beyond the waters that are close to camp, and we encourage guests to spend a day or two when they are at camp exploring these remote fisheries. You’ll get a sense of the real Patagonia, and experience an authentic Argentine fishing adventure.
As we dive head first into our summer season, we are excited to see many returning guests who have become close friends over the years and welcome all of our new guests to the El Encuentro family. If you have an upcoming trip, and there’s anything we can do to help, please let us know. If you’re interested in planning a trip, we’d love to chat about the El Encuentro experience.
See you soon in Patagonia!
— El Encuentro Fly Fishing Family
