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Fishing report from Río Grande
Dear Friends!
So, I finally returned from the dream trip to the Rio Grande in Terra del Fuego in Argentina. AND it was a dream trip I can assure you! Here’s a short version trip report including both the fishing stories (interesting) and reporting on other necessities that form part of the millionaires holiday!
First of all, I’d like to point out that I had high expectations to this trip. Both with regards to the fishing profits, and also with regards to the Lodge, the surrounding land, nature and so forth. I must admit that all expectations were fulfilled to the fullest extent, plus a good deal more. It WAS a trip of a lifetime – the only minus being, that should I ever decide to redo it, expectations will surely be a lot higher!
Now, to get to Tierra del Fuego (TdF), which is the southern horn of South America (and belongs to Argentina) you need to fly to either Rio Grande (the town) or in case the ONLY daily flight is full (which it often is), to Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world.
Before that however, I needed to fly from Brasil and my home town of Montes Claros to – Belo Horizonte – Sao Paulo – Buenos Aires, and stay overnight in both Belo Horizonte and Buenos Aires.
I’m glad I was a late booker, because I had to fly to Ushuaia and home from Rio Grande. I’m glad because you simply haven’t seen TdF if you haven’t seen Ushuaia and crossed the Andes Cordillera to get to the plains of fire.
By the way, there is no fire in TdF. The land is called so, because when the first Europeans arrived they seemingly (according to the naval annals) observed fires all along the coast line - fires lit by the local Indians to welcome the strangers.
Well, back to the story. Well off the plane at 10:15 on Saturday morning, I was met by a happy taxi driver whose sole responsibility was to get me safely to the San Julio Estancia on the Rio Grande river some 290 km’s to the north. Passing Ushuaia was easy – a seemingly sleepy town of about 35000 inhabitants situated on the Canal Beagle. Living of the rich eco tourists who flock to the southern most town to view penguins, glaciers etc., all prices seem to be in US dollars. BUT they do have a fairly large commercial trawler fleet to harvest the rich fishing waters of the south. Ushuaia king crab is famous all the way to Japan!
Just outside town the Andes Cordillera starts. As always, Argentinian roads are great, thanks to the military regimes who (like in all other places in the world with military histories) seem to be very concerned by infrastructure and the potential problems that could arise from a lack of the same? Fantastic mountains – breathtaking views and after 45 minutes heading north east we pass the Garibaldi pass and heads down towards lago Fagnano and the northern plains. This part of TdF is not interesting really – unless you have something to do – like fishing! It is a flat, unfriendly, cold and windy place which certainly lives up to its name: El fin del Mundo – the end of the World. For the fishermen however, it is a paradise. Criss-crossed by a number of excellent streams, splattered with smaller or larger lakes, that all hold trout that were initially introduced by, - yes, the British!
The taxi driver talked eagerly in Spanish. I do understand some, based on my now almost fluent Portuguese. I was given the option of an English speaking guide by the lodge, but thinking of the other (expensive) expenses I already paid for I opted for the Spanish guide. So, the trip was nice. I understood also, that he had previously been to the Estancia, so I felt in good hands. 2 hours later, after passing numerous smaller rivers, finally the town of Rio Grande came into sight. Rio Grande is as uninspiring as a town in Greenland! No trees, houses clogged together and electricity lines hanging all over (in Denmark we bury them in the ground) – plus the litter scattered in empty lots. BUT make no mistake, there’s money here! The cars parked in front tell their tales and so do the large electronic assembly plants by Hitachi, Sony and the like. There’s also oil here. And oil workers have money – thus the town with 50000 inhabitants boast THREE casinos! The town is quickly passing and we pick a dirt track heading north-west, a sign says Estancia San Julio 57 km.
TdF is for the most part occupied by huge Estancias – ranches. They carry both sheep and cattle. The first Estancia (Ranch) that we pass is Estancia Maria Behety. Now my heart begins to pound. I can smell the sea-trout – Maria Behety is the most famous of all estancias on the Rio Grande with some 35 km’s of pristine and VERY expensive water. It is a beautiful place in its own right, who wouldn’t live here like a king of 150.000 hectares, oil pumps discretely working in the hilly landscape and on top: the best sea-trout river in the world. Don’t give a damn about the missing trees!
The road gets worse! The taxi is small and the only other vehicles we meet are 4by4’s. What the heck it takes a bit longer than planned and the landscape is – well, scenic! 1 ½ hour later we reach Estancia San Julio – no river in sight, though. When the driver asks for directions from a ranch head in a passing truck, it becomes clear to me that he never really did this trip before. OK, no problem – the ranch head smiles and points – Toon Ken lodge is at the end of the road – easy 15 minute drive.
After 30 minutes we hit a fork – three roads part! Hmm, the taxi driver stops and groans, he finally picks the left fork and goes off. Luckily I brought my GPS and I can now see that the Chilean border is 12 km’s away to the east and we are heading west again – on top of this I seem to remember a bridge crossing the river – but there is no river in sight. After a mile or so I notice that the road – barely a track – has no traction marks from other vehicles – STOP! After explaining this to the driver, he sees my point and we head back. We now take the middle road. Better – traction marks! We head east, the Chilean border is now 6 km’s off and we drove 30 km’s since San Julio. We’re wrong – I think. But then we cross a small river and a fence gate. OK says the driver, ”lady at lodge tell me: one fence at river crossing then 5 km’s to lodge!” GREAT – now he claims to know where we are. I’m happy as long as we do not cross the border – now 4 km’s east on the GPS – and still head south in the general direction of the river.
And there it is - damn, situated on a sloped hill overlooking the mighty Rio Grande – the Estancia San Julio Toon Ken fishing lodge. We stop in front – exactly 6 hours after leaving Ushuaia and are greeted by Stella the (beautiful and young) camp manager.
Then I am greeted by German Pacho – the head guide and 4 fellow fishing companions – two Norwegians (Harald and Jan), a Jersey man (Ben) and an Icelander (Thorfinnur – also called Finni) – all eager to get me settled in at the waiting afternoon tea!
To add to this story, my last fishing companion (Mr. Reef Hogg) arrived on a flight to Ushuaia at exactly 16:15 and took the same trip as me with a taxi. They arrived at the fence gate at 22:30 at night and the driver, not realizing that he simply had to lift the chain to open the gate (and being only 3 km’s from the lodge), turned back and stopped on the outskirts of the main Estancia. They spent the night in the car without even asking at one of the Estancia houses and arrived at the lodge at 8:00 the next morning (Sunday)!
Day 1 (Saturday):
After having been greeted, I settled in to a cosy room, unpacked quickly and joined the others in the living room in front of a roaring Patagonian fire. Nice! My companions – as it turned out to be were all top flight guys, retired and managers of their own financial estates. I was the only guy with a boss at home! Except for Finni, who is the driver and general hand at the Lax-Á operation in Iceland. BUT, fishermen are fishermen - they all share the passion for the game and so we quickly forgot our financial differences.
Stella now announced that the guides would start a tour of the river at 17:30 - get your gear out guys! So, quickly rods were assembled and teams were paired. My partner for the week was to be Finni, as the two Norwegians fished together and Ben would team up with Reef (who as you already know, was to spend the night in the car).
The Toon Ken is situated on the upper border of the water, and so all fishing is to be done on a 15 km stretch downstream. We head out each day in 4x4’s with one guide per 2 fishermen. The San Julio water (on the northern bank) is shared with three other estancias on the southern bank in a rotation system, so that both banks can be fished. OK. Bordering to us on the upstream side is Ted Turners (CNN etc.) Estancia which also has a fishing operation.
We all head out in the sunny fresh late afternoon – no wind – excellent. Just for the record: It was to be the last day with no wind! Finni and I head towards one of the middle pools with head guide German Pacho. Good start – German is famous and has 7 years experience on the Rio Grande.
After a 20 minute drive on a bad road (intense rains in the weeks before has ruined the roads and raised the river considerably) we reach a NICE classic river bend pool. I will not use the Toon Ken pool names, simply because I do not remember which was which!
Eager to start fishing, German instructs me to start at the top of the pool, and yeah, the rubber leg no name girdle bug “look-alike” fly I picked up in Buenos Aires looks good enough to him. The casting is easy with my perfectly tuned shooting head. (All this was done in the Condominio pool in Montes Claros the week before – hope the trout can not smell the chlorine!). I know where the fish is in such a classic pool, and yes, 5 casts with good presentation – a short stripping of the fly and I get a direct hit! Phenomenal fight, a bit nervous – wouldn’t like to loose the first fish – God what a fish! German nets it and the scales tip at 12 pounds! GREAT, - a personal record in less than 10 minutes. No more dreaming – this is reality, Son!
Immediate reaction: total relaxation, a fish like this and your trip is in reality done. But you get greedy! And I know that a fisherman who caught one fish will catch another – and so I did – two more fish – none larger than the first however - were landed that evening. GREAT START!
Day 2 (Sunday):
Windy! This will select the rams from the sheep! Guide German takes us to a new pool. The wind is almost gale force – pretty normal German says, but no comfort to me – I am getting irritated. At first I don’t know how to cast at all. The fly is fishing badly, upside down and in the wrong place, hmm! Then all of a sudden I remember the old “slap cast”. This is a backwards cast often used on the windy Danish coast. You turn your side to the water, double haul and with a final back-of-your- hand “slap in the face” you shoot the line out. Now the fly swims right and just along the opposite bank. The result does not come late, I tell you! 3 fish that morning with a 15 pounder on top – excellent, we’re heading for GLORY! The bad side: My hand is getting tired and achy, 2 years without casting and slapping for 3 hours takes it’s toll – I am now in a worry state!
In the evening we pass to a new guide: Alex. Alex is young (19) and has 2 seasons on Toon Ken. Very nice guy, who possesses the same spirit and enthusiasm as I did – a long time ago. Alex takes us to Windless – a good pool that needs no wind in able to fish right! Bad choice! It blows 90+ km/h upstream and my hand is starting to swell. As darkness falls and nothing has swallowed my fly I decide that since I am the customer I make decisions of where to fish. OK with Alex. We wade across the river and I am placed in a downstream pool. After giving me some tips as to holding places, Alex returns to Finni and I start slapping. At least the wind is now coming from the upstream side – but still there is no mercy – no decrease. I cast and I cast and as darkness falls, I get more confident. I am used to hunting sea trout in total darkness – this is where you bring out your senses and fish on the adrenaline! 21:40, the rabbit long tail zonker is hit – and badly! I feel the fish racing in the semi darkness, but it never shows. Good sign - Big fish! My hand is aching and the Scott 9’ is on the braking point. I land the fish quietly on the gravel bank with no problems. Just remember that sea-trout don’t have that salmon “grabbin” tail! No guide and no weight and it must survive. I mark the tail to nose length on the rod, and carefully return the fish. A bright-grey, hen fish.
Later next day the measurement tapes measures 90-91 cm on the rod (wow what a fish – the guides don’t dare guess – but I do!). No weight was ever recorded.
Day 3 (Monday):
I am dead! The wind is driving me mad – bad presentation and no beliefs – and my hand is as big as a butchers! Alex is kind enough to lend me his 12’9” Sage. I don’t particularly like Sage rods – they have a stiff action and I am used to the more traditional Spey action – but this one sure shows it’s worth for the rest of the week. Now casting is much easier, the hand is spared, and best of all: now I can handle all wind directions. THANKS a lot Alex!
Day 4 (Tuesday):
My hand has come back to life. Double hand rods are efficient, not only easy to handle, but mending and fighting is also effortless. My lines are perfectly tuned for this rod also. In the evening, Alejandro – the third guide, who also has two seasons at Toon Ken, takes over. I hook and land 3 fish with a 15 pounder on top – we’re back on the road!
Day 5 (Wednesday):
Jorge arrives! Jorge has 20 years experience as guide on the Rio Grande, Rio Gallegos and numerous other rivers – and you can smell it! He sets the pace and you follow – period! He is quickly christened “the sergeant major”! Jorge takes over for German, who has “paper” business to do.
Nice morning (almost no wind – only 70km/h!) and we’re back with Alex. After fighting the wind in what seems to be a “dead” pool, I decide to let Alex move me to another pool – again without guide or partner Finni. Alex gives his usual directions and I start fishing to the other bank on a “sunk bank” stretch. After having worked myself downstream with no luck, I return to the head of the pool. There I notice a small “mirror” or back water pool of – say 5 by 5 meters. Such mirrors always hold fish, but my first work through is effortless. Hmm, change fly to pink Wonderbug (heavy) and start over. Almost immediately I get two small strikes – could be local residents of the lower league, but no fish. This simply can not be right - let’s pass one more time.
The fly is hit hard and strong and a 7-8 pound silver dreamer shoots out of the surface. OK, so there is fish after all. Release and cast again. A deep thug in the rod and a good fish comes straight into the air. Nice female at approximately 13-14 pounds. Release and cast again. Alex and Finni are approaching in the car – I see them and the rod is ripped from my hand. BIG fish. A dancer! It is another female, but it looks a lot bigger than the first. My brain starts spinning. THIS is the 20 pounder I have been waiting for! It’s not 20 pounds but maybe 15-17 (all three were photographed - but never weighed). Alex is on the bank, not necessary to wade across, the fish goes out again. FANTASTIC morning!
Evening! We are scared! – Jorge has been hitting Ben and Reef all morning and they confirm his military rank! Now the turn has come to Finni and me! We drive to the same “classic” pool as we fished Saturday evening with German. Jorge is in control. He sees my casting and evaluate that I will be able to reach to the other bank, OK. This is where I fished on Saturday using a long cast, classic mend, some sink and a stripping of the fly. My suggestions peal off Jorge as water on grease. No way! “Get down on your knees on the bank – no wading! Strip off line on the grass and make ready to cast, go!”. OK, I’ve done service a long time ago and I know the type.
Jorge is back. ”Ready? What fly? – Prince # 8 – good, now cast straight across to the bank, NO MEND, count to 5 – the fish will be following your fly - and then give a short nick in the line and the fish will attack, go!” “When you hook, be sure to quickly bring the fish to your own bank and down for landing, this will not disturb the pool, you can then move up and pick the next fish”. I cast, count and nick the line. I count and nick again. Jorge is shouting: ”Didn’t you listen – I said one nick ONLY!”
OK, I try again. Cast to bank, count – and now I see the fish behind the fly, nick and POW there it is. Damn he was right (But then again – I never really doubt sound advice do I?)! Jorge lands the fish, a beautiful hen at 16 pounds – only a few weeks in the river. I’m impressed – but Jorge is not. “Good job – you just have to listen, now go – there are many more in this pool” he says.
It’s my lucky night. I can feel it! I see the fish following, I nick and there we go again! It’s a dancer – and it’s a BIG hen fish again. Tango in the pool, there is no way of stopping this fish – this time I have only little control. But the many fish has brought calmness and Jorge nets the fish. “It’s BIG” he says and brings out the weight. “Champagne tonight lads - 21 pounds!” YES! It’s an amazing fish. Hen again, silver grey and shiny in the last rays of the setting sun.
Another dream come true – what more can this river bring? Jorge releases the beauty to the river – puhh, this is great!
A new cast – POW – same size fish. It releases the fly on the net frame. “You’re driving the fish too hard, man!” says Jorge. Ahh, what the heck, they have to live on and how much does one lost fish matter in this frenzy?!
Now it’s Finnis turn. A heavy fish takes the fly just below me in the tail of the pool. I put down the rod and watch the fight. Fishing is great, but watching is actually better! Jorge nets the fish and cries in rejoice. “THIS one is bigger”, he says. The scale tips at 24 pounds. Finni has lost his name: ”Finni fifteen”! He is now: ”Finni Twentyfour”!
The homecoming is celebrated with champagne – as always at Toon Ken – when a 20+ pounder is landed. Amazing: 45 pounds in two fish only! The night is quiet and dreamless – of course!
Day 6 (Thursday):
We’re back with Alejandro. After a tough morning with icy air and strong winds, I manage to hit 7 pound silver – with exceptional strength. We move to another pool, and I suggest to Alejandro to try fishing a short line from the sunk bank. I release 2m of line and the fly, rotate into position and the hit comes without notice. A 13 pound cock with an impressive hook has taken the wonder bug in a fast surface smack! The fight is hard and slow in the deep current. Alejandro manages to land one of the most beautiful males of the trip.
The evening fishing with German throws off two smaller fish (well, less than 15 pounds each!) I am tired!
Day 7 (Friday):
Alejandro takes care of us in the morning - 1 fish – Jorge in the evening. One more fish is landed – the last – a steelhead of 3 pounds. I am tired and I have a new dream: to get as far away from here as possible – It’s great that it’s over!
In total our team of 6 landed 83 fish of which many were heavy – between 15 and 18 pounds and then the two of 21 and 24 pounds. Personally I did a 21-21: 21 fish with a 21 pounder on top! A personal record - well done Son!
I never really did mention the staff headed by Stella (Stella the lodge manager’s mother!) and our cook, Diego. They were great! We all felt at home and were well taken care of. Diegos food is a story that needs to be told some other time (in the Hedonist’s gazette!) – I’ll let you all dream about it!
The home trip to Brasil was eventless, although I did miss my flight in Buenos Aires and had to spend another night there in stead of in Sao Paulo. And I couldn’t resist it: A last treat at the “Aires de Patagonia” restaurant – thank God for my great metabolism!
Henrik Strandgaard
