Hello and welcome to the 3D Fly Fishing summary report for my Patagonian Fly Fishing adventure. As most of you know that are reading this report I was fortunate enough to be able to guide in Patagonia, Chile for our winter this year and was able to spend about four months guiding anglers from all of over the world on some of the most spectacular trout fisheries on earth. I have returned and am ready for another great season here in the Eastern Sierra's. The season in Patagonia runs from about the 2nd week of December through about the 2nd week of April. The trout fishing in this part of the world is unlike any other experience that you have ever had and each day's angling will test all but the most skilled fly fishermen. From throwing size 20 parachute ant's to size 6 Foam Dry's to size 4 articulated leeches this type of fishing will challenge you in every way shape and form. I was fortunate enough to be on the water almost everyday of the season and I was able to experience the true outdoor experience of Patagonia, Chile. This wonderful place is one of the last untouched frontiers for great trout fishing. This is a land where cattle and horses outnumber the human population. This is a place where people still live off of the land and have to cut their own wood by hand to prepare for the winter's that lie ahead. This place is truly like being in the 1800's. Oh yeah, another interesting fact about Chile is that it is still so unexplored that 95% of the mountains that are surrounding you do not have names. You can name a peak everyday that you are there and it seemed like at the end of the season that most of the peaks that were once unnamed have all but been claimed by some of my trusty guys and gals that fished with me this winter. Beleive me, some of the names that you guys have come up with were so funny that it was impossible to forget and others that were named can only be repeated around certain crowds. Ha! Ha! I saw alot of fish this year to the net with mostly the average size of fish being in the 14"-18" range with a couple of 20"s everyday and at least one fish over 24" every week. The record's for my boat were pretty good as my largest brown trout that I saw to the net taped at 27 1/2 inches and had a girth of about 14 inches. The largest rainbow that I saw to the net taped at 26 inches and was probably the most memorable fish that I have of my entire trip to Patagonia and the reason why is because this particular trout was sightfished with a size #20 parachute ant in a back eddy foam line and once it was hooked gave up the most incredible fight that I had seen all season. What a nice fish and good job to Todd Karson from Yakima, Washington who put the fly where it needed to be. I also saw tons of fish in the 20-24 inch class and more scrappers in the 12-17 inch range than you could shake a stick at. I would also say that most of the fishing done in Patagonia is with dry flies. Yes, that's right folks. Dry Flies. I am not talking about size 22 g-nat's, or size 24 Trico spinner's, I am talking about size 4-8 Foam Dry's that represent anything from a wily grasshopper to a giant beetle that is called a cantaria a.k.a. (staghorn beetle). The fish here in Patagonia are keyed in on surface flies as most of their diet consists of terrestrial insects that are being blown off of the beach, bamboo, and fushia trees that line the banks. The streamer fishing here is also phenomenal as there are plenty of salmon smolt in the river providing an easy target for the larger specimens of trout that inhabit the river. We have runs of king's, silver's, and atlantic's and these fish are constantly reproducing in the system providing a great sustenance of food for the eager trout. Needless to say this was a great experience in my career and I will most definetely be returning for another season in Patagonia next year.
I will also be booking trips for the lodge through my website this year which I feel is a great opportunity for some of my clients to experience a truly wonderful fishery with me being your host for the week. I will be posting more info. on this subject and I will have a full list of prices and programs available for you to choose from.
Best Fishes,
Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com
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