The Rio Gallegos River
is nearly 300kms 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.
Skill
Fishing in Rio Gallegos offers the adventorous angler the opportunity to pit his skills against the explosive searunningtrouts 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 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.
Spectacular
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, watercraft 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.
Guides To help you we pride ourselves on having who we consider to be some of the best guides available, now with 4 seasons experience of the beats. Very knowledgeable and talented fishermen, that today also belongs to some of the best casters and instructors we have seen, they are the epotime of what guided fishing is all about. Friendly, able to speak good English and usually with a secret flybox tucked away with unsightly but deadly creations they will ensure that you get the very most out of your trip.
As with 2007, the season 2008 saw an increase in average weight and we could also see more fish in the river, although not always easy to catch. Our work in the estuary is clearly paying off and we look very optimistic at the future in Rio Gallegos.
Loop 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-bed rooms and 2 single-bed rooms and a new annex with indoor barbeque. 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.
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 depart 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 depart 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.
Prices 2010 Regular schedule: 2 rods per beat and guide: € 3790 per rod
Non-fishing: € 995
Special schedule: 3 rods per 1 beat and guide – € 2990 per rod
Included
There is one guide per 2 rods (or per 3 rods at special schedule) and all inclusive of travel, guiding, fishing, board and lodging from city Rio Gallegos.
A free laundry service is provided and house wine and beer is available free of charge. If guests wish to consume particular spirits or have specialties they are requested to make their own provision for this. The maximum number of rods deployed on the fishery is 10 although groups are generally restricted to 8 rods / or 3 per beat and guide for reduced price.
Full paying guests are guaranteed to be no more than 2 on the beat per guide.
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.
Not Included
Flights and tips. Tips are reccomended at 5-10% of cost.
Itinerary
Arrive Rio Gallegos on Saturday afternoon and leave Las Buitreras the following Saturday morning for flight back to Buenos Aires.
You may chose to either arrange a flight from Buenos Aires late Saturday or spend the night and depart the following day
Weeks 2010
Jan 2 – Jan 9 *
Jan 9 – Jan 16
Jan 16 – Jan 23
Jan 23 – Jan 30
Jan 30 – Feb 6
Feb 6 – Feb 13
Feb 13 – Feb 20
Feb 20 – Feb 27
Feb 27 – March 6
March 6 – March13
March 13 – March 20
March 20 – March 27
March 27 – April 3
April 3 – April 10
*It is possible to arrive Dec 29 without any extra cost.
