Spring Time in Patagonia

WWW

World Wide Wooly's

An Homage to what works.

Rivers run high and the pools deep. In iconic streams like Chile’s Simpson River where Los Torreones Lodge is located many sections offer deep undercut banks. Kilometers of underwater structure from fallen “Coigue” logs left by the great fire of the 1930's offers splendid habitats for large and territorial browns.

For many, The Wooly bugger generates controversy similar to the debate surrounding the Imperial vs. Metric measurement systems.

Inch or centimeter? Pound or kilo? Mile or Kilometer?

So, for those of you who hate Wooly Buggers: Stop here!

Whatever tips your scale it really doesn't matter. Why?

The resident browns and rainbows have no ongoing debate, and seem to agree. They love em! In Patagonia we like what works.

If you strip well and have a good assortment of “Wooly’s” size 6-8, you'll do fine on your next trip to Patagonia.

Two must have Recommendations:

Gold beaded Wooly Bugger  (Black, White, and Olive)

Bead Headed Flash a Bugger (Brown, Green, Olive)

Where to buy? In Colorado a great place is Trout’s.

The 2016/2017 season is off to a huge start and bookings are coming in every week. It's going to be a fantastic year on the rivers. Come join us, we saved a spot for you. 

Abrazos, 

Philip

Fly Fishing Adventure in Patagonia-Chile

Along the western coastal bays and spectacular fjords of the Chilean Andes, numerous rivers run to the sea. The Aysen River and its extensive watershed flow majestically into the Pacific at the port of Chacabuco. Adventure begins here.

The Coyhaique-Aysen region is internationally known for fly-fishing.  Anglers come from around the world from October to late May to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience.

If you are a beginner or have wanted to learn to fly fish this is a fabulous opportunity. A perfect activity for couples, a time to make new friends, or go solo. The people living in Patagonia are warm and guides at lodges like Los Torreones Lodge are experienced, patient, and passionate. They love what they do and wish to share the beauty of Patagonia and joy of fly-fishing with one and all.

There is always a packing list.  Usually we focus on 'things'. Stuff.  What we bring back from our trips and adventures though, isn´t material, or tangible. Memories and feelings seem to make it into the carry on luggage back home.

Here´s my emotional packing list to help make sure we keep in perspective our gear and the reasons we are mid stream in the first place.

Emotional Packing List:

Humor.  Hook yourself or your dog? Fall into or out of the boat? Bring lunch but forget the plates? Drive off and leave your gear and one of your buddies behind? Catch a bat in mid cast?... Amos and Andy wouldn't have been able to top what happens spontaneously on a God trip… Be prepared for a good 'hoot and an howl'.

Patience. You can run out of goop but the angler who runs out of patience is no longer fishing. He´s complaining on some level. Unpleasant for companions and I've noticed the fish don´t seem to care when I've lost it.

Flexibility. Yeah you need it to get over, or under barb wire fences occasionally.  Or scramble onto log structure at the edge of a must cast into pool. But more than that I find with I bend and relax my inner flow mirrors, the river and my sense of self can merge with the stream, wind, floating line and whispering willows. 

Passion. You define it. It's yours. Personal up close. Never, ever , EVER forget to honor it.

Pro-Guide Tips from Patagonia

Diego Salas grew up fly fishing in Patagonia. When your dad is one of the early legendary pioneers who opened up Chilean fly fishing to the larger world and runs Los Torreones Lodge, it's easy to understand the family love affair with Patagonia.

1.   What two tips would you share with an angler who is considering fly fishing in Patagonia?

Don't worry about the wind! It will always be around and in fact can be used in our favor. Secondly, you want to be well prepared with gear and clothing for different types of weather on any given day.

2.   What does fly fishing mean to you?

Fly Fishing for me is the best thing that could ever have happened to me. It makes me feel grateful. It's a way of seeing life differently.

3.   How does it make you feel when your client lands a big brown?

When a client lands a big brown? Well happy! Feliz!!!  Nothing better than a big fish you work together to get. Happy client, happy Guide!

4.   When you first step up to a big river in Patagonia what to you look for?

When I first see the river, I read the water so we can understand the conditions that day. The way the river flows, behaves.  A lifetime of experience comes into play. Once you get that, you can plan the way you going to fish and what fly are you going to use (according to skills and physical condition) All this so you can make the best of it and enjoy.

5.    How do you fish differently now from ten years ago?

Ten years ago I just wanted to run and cover as much water as I possibly could. Now I take my time. The river isn´t going anywhere…. and yet moves constantly. I can spend all day working to catch a special fish in a special hole. And if I don´t get him, well even better! I have a mission for the next time!

6.What one word comes to mind when you think “Fly Fishing in Patagonia”

“Fishing in one word?...Hmmmmm….MAGIC!

At least fishing in Patagonia…..oops sorry that´s four words!”

Dreaming of Patagonia

It's the names that resonate.

Torres del Paine. Los Torreones.  Rio Simpson. Manihuales. Parque Pumalin. Puyuhuapi. Coyhaique.

Language flows like the Rio Simpson in spring.  Strong current ripples place language, like swollen streams. Banks burst and gorge out deep pools.

Questions surface and circumscribe the minds surface like trout at evening hatch.

How we describe our passion influences it.

Patched muddy waders reveal a story

Narrative, punctuated poetry like a false strike drifts the float line at runs edge.

Any true adventure, flyfishing trip or otherwise, begins with the whisper of a wish:

“I'd love to fish the…….” Fill in the blank.

When a trip with family member or best friend, son or daughter, has the common bond of good companionship, laughter, the unexpected, it is a successful one.

When a trip throws you into transcendent beauty, a sense of wildness, and freedom then you are lucky enough to have been to a place called : Patagonia.

“Fly fishing invites you to release yourself and catch your dream.”

What are people saying about Los Torreones Lodge in Chile-Patagonia?

“This experience could not be more perfect! Thank you for sharing your beautiful country with us.”   Sarah USA

“This was an incredible experience that I will never forget. Thank you so much for this beautiful trip.”  Lee, Amsterdam

Best tour we´ve ever taken….beautiful scenery, friendly animal and lots of fun. Thank you for opening your lodge to us! Donna & John, USA

Excelente todo! La hospitalidad, el lugar incredible. Todo está preparado para pasar un buen rato. Muchas gracias por todo.” Ernesto, Santiago

Une journée inoubliable…..Merci. Merci. Merci!!!!! Sonja, France

Merci, pour cette belle balade a cheval. Je revendrai voluntiers sojourner dans votre lodge. Mireille, Suisse

“Thank you for a great day and for being a great host.” Meghan, Barcelona

“Thanks for an absolutely beautiful experience. Great guides, incredible scenery and nice horses! Thanks again for my best Chilean Experience.  Donna , USA

“Feliz de conocer este hermoso lugar, fuimos muy bien acogidos por esta familia tan cordial. …..” Gloria, Santiago de Chile

Demasiado bonito el lugar! Increible la hospitalidad! Nos encantó la cabalgata! Los recommendaremos y ojalá pudamos volver!!   Familia Valente , Santiago

Thank you for an amazing time. We all love the experience. Would come back in a heart beat.” Tish, Montreal, Canada

“We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, Great Property, Fantastic Guides, Wonderful horses. Hope to see you again soon.  Drew & Tanya Vancouver, Canada

Best Trip ever!! I want to come back and stay a week!  Georgia, US

The fishing season in review. Patagonia Chile.

Thank you one and all!

It was a fine season last year year in Patagonia and especially along the Simpson River where the lodge is located.

Fields of spring lupin

The season began Oct 15th, springtime in Chile, to high water, early running chinook, and reasonably good weather. The season ended the first Sunday of May a bit more than six months later.

Guests, many now close friends, arrived from around the world at Los Torreones Lodge: United States, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.

Many repeat clients and many new. The serious fly fishing river rats, as well as fly fishing folks crossing off that last elusive item on their Bucket List. Couples exploring the “Carretera Austral”,  and solo travelers. And of course many Chilean families who came in for long weekends via direct daily flights from Santiago to Coyhaique/Balmaceda Airport.

A summer brown

Some adventure minded travelers asked us to take the packhorses up to the remote high valleys above the Nirehuao River right next to the Argentine border. We slept in a small, well-appointed cabin and over an open fire, on brisk nights, looked up at the Southern Cross to help guide our thoughts and plan the following day fishing or horse trek.

Occasionally, early and late season, high up in the mountains, you can get dusted with summer snows, which leave a jeweled frost, glistening in the early morning sunlight on the hardy pampa grass. These special moments punctuated a special year for us.

But most clients last year came to float the legendary Simpson River, The Manihuales River, or walk the Nirehuao, and explore wading the smaller, Rio Emperador Guillermo for resident dinosaur trout.

At the end of the day walking down from the Lodge to fish the evening hatch at the final moments of light and shadow was a magic moment for many clients. An orchestrated concert of rising fish: “plop”, “thuchk” and the not infrequent “KARPlulunk”, of large browns breaking the surface and slamming mayflies or caddis; provided counterpoint tempo to the swishing current and evening breeze.

For many this is a highlight, epiphanic moment. It’s difficult to explain the symphony of motion as clouds of dry flies drop out of willows as the sun touches the last rocks in the high torreones. The Simpson hatch is simply a miracle of nature.

Usually we floated for the entire day down different sections of the Simpson and Manihuales Rivers, putting in at nearby access points. Morning floats start around 9.30/10:00am depending on weather conditions. As the season progressed river flows diminished allowing better access to secret fallen logs, and hidden banks. Last season, due to less rainfall river levels dropped significantly.

Around 1:00-2.00 pm we normally stop for a riverside picnic break with Chilean wines and first class food prepared by the Lodge chef.

River picnic with a side of fishing. 

Clients in good physical condition waded and worked the water by foot, always accompanied by a Chilean bilingual expert guide allowing for an intimate experience of being in Patagonia. Whenever possible we took time to sight fish big cautious browns usually abiding deep in the underwater structure of a fallen “cogiue” tree.

Looking back on last season, is similar to casting; it obliges one to almost simultaneously look forward to the coming year.

Patagonia remains an adventure like none other, an experience for anglers and non-anglers alike.  We send best wishes and abrazos to all who might be considering a visit, we´ve saved you some space!