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Faraway Fly Fishing organizes fly fishing travel for patagonia fishing, fishing argentina, golden dorado and tierra del fuego sea run brown trout. We know the best fishing destinations and fly fishing vacation destinations. Fly fishing in Patagonia or Argentina trout fishing with the best fly fishing trips. Try Patagonia trout fishing.

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Page 1: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

Fly Fishing in PatagoniaA Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentina

Barrett Mattison & Evan JonesBarrett Mattison & Evan Jones

Frank Amato Publications, Inc.P.O. Box 82112

Portland, Oregon 97282 503.653.8108

www.amatobooks.com

ISBN 13: 978-1-57188-435-0 $XX.xx

splendid region with this book in hand will quickly realize that it’s absolutely invaluable for

everyone from the lodge visitor to the wandering trout bum. It’s everything a guidebook should be,

and more. If we’d had a copy of this on our journey, it would have been a different story indeed.

—Ryan Davey, Founding Partner of the Angling Exploration Group, LLC.

Tighten down your drag and hold on—you are about to embark on an epic journey through

one of the last fishing frontiers on the planet. From sightfishing the gin-clear streams of the North to speycast-ing the turbid rivers of the South, this book covers a staggering variety of angling opportunities found through-out the 300,000+ square miles of Ar-gentine Patagonia. Inside you will find an extensive collection of first-hand accounts, logistical information, tips, techniques, and of course, plenty

of fish pictures to keep things interest-ing. Best of all, this entire book was re-searched and written by two real trout bums who suffered untold hassle and discomfort to bring you this informa-tion from an independent and unbi-ased viewpoint. So whether you plan on visiting a fancy lodge for a week or becoming a regular at the local camp-grounds, this book will help you make the most of your trip. Sound too good to be true? We’ll give you a minute to flip through the pages before you de-cide... http://www.muchatrucha.com/

In 2006 Barrett Mattison left the world of finance and banking in Seattle, WA and decided to pursue the life of an unabashed trout bum. His passion has since taken him all over the American West, Alaska, Mexico, Central America and above all, Ar-

gentina. He currently teaches English in Buenos Aires and during the fishing season can be found guiding on the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego.

Evan first started fishing in...wait, why are you even reading this? Surely the actual content of this book is more interesting than the pithy details of this author’s life. All that matters is that Evan spent two years roaming across Patagonia while you were at work. If you’d really like to know more, or just live vicariously through fishing photos, please visit http://www.muchatrucha.com/ or www.uchatrucha.com

Fly F

ishin

g in P

atagonia

Barrett M

attison &

Evan

Jones

Even after spending a considerable amount of time in Argentine Patagonia, I'm amazed at how

much information is in this book that I wasn't aware of. Any angler visiting this remote and

Page 2: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

Fly-Fishing in PatagoniaA Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentina

Barrett Mattison & Evan Jones

Page 3: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

Caption. Caption

photo.

Fly Fishing in PatagoniaA Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentina Barrett Mattison & Evan Jones

Page 4: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

Caption. Caption

photo.

Fly Fishing in PatagoniaA Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentina Barrett Mattison & Evan Jones

Page 5: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

Dedicated in loving memory of Kaylene Jones

(1946-2007)

Argentines:

Rodrigo Amadeo, a pro-snowboarder-turned-fishing guide whose steadfast friendship and support

opened countless doors for us; Aldo & Marita Roddino, who made us feel right at home in Junin;

Enzo Schiaverano, a random guy we met in Rio Gallegos who welded our truck back together and

then took us fishing; everyone at hostel 1004 in Bariloche for saving Evan from defeat during his

first trip; everyone at Calafate Fishing for taking us the extra mile; Mario Capovía, who took us

Dorado fishing (maybe next book); Guillermo “Willy” Ricigliano, for teaching us the secrets of the

Limay; Mario Lussich, and Alejandro Lagos from the Quillen Valley; Martín & Daniel Etcheverry,

who took us under their wing in the Meliquina Valley; Mariano Ravizza, the Beale family, Steve &

Antonia Twilegar, Lucas Chiappe and family, Juan at Estancia Monte Leon, Diego Flores, Nico &

Alex Trochine, Juan at Albergue de los Sueños, Daniel at Tolhuin Fly Shop, Raúl Diez at La

Colina, Juan Paritsis, Silvana Buján, Pancho & Dr. Sacco at Outdoor Adventures,

and all the nameless people who stopped when our car broke down.

Yankees: Frazier Coe, who traveled with us for 90 days and rounded out the A-Team; Joey Lin, for hooking

us up with the Patagonia Fishing Club in Aluminé; Jake Chutz & Shaun Jeszenka, who got us gree

access to the Rio Grande and showed us a great time; George Hill Arbaugh III, Ryan Davey, John

& Dawn Hohl, and Shawn Bratt, all of whom teamed up and fished with us at some point; Lindsay

Letts, who has the patience of a saint; Jon Tolbey, who voluntarily proofread every word of this

manuscript; Travis and Rance at Patagonia River Guides, everyone from Creekside Angling

in Seattle, Jon Spiegel at Front Range Anglers in Boulder, Mit Cadden for handing down

El Burro, and countless others for letting us couch surf while writing the book.

Argentina

South America

Neuquén

Rio Negro

Santa Cruz

Chubut

Tierra del Fuego

© 2008 Barrett Mattison & Evan JonesALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical

reviews and articles. All inquiries should be addressed to:

Frank Amato Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 82112, Portland, Oregon 97282503.653.8108 • www.amatobooks.com

Photographs by the authors unless otherwise noted.Book and Cover Design: Kathy Johnson

Map Illustrations: Kathy Johnson

Printed in SingaporeSoftbound ISBN-13: 978-1-57188-437-4

UPC: 0-81127-00269-6

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Acknowledgments

Page 6: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

Dedicated in loving memory of Kaylene Jones

(1946-2007)

Argentines:

Rodrigo Amadeo, a pro-snowboarder-turned-fishing guide whose steadfast friendship and support

opened countless doors for us; Aldo & Marita Roddino, who made us feel right at home in Junin;

Enzo Schiaverano, a random guy we met in Rio Gallegos who welded our truck back together and

then took us fishing; everyone at hostel 1004 in Bariloche for saving Evan from defeat during his

first trip; everyone at Calafate Fishing for taking us the extra mile; Mario Capovía, who took us

Dorado fishing (maybe next book); Guillermo “Willy” Ricigliano, for teaching us the secrets of the

Limay; Mario Lussich, and Alejandro Lagos from the Quillen Valley; Martín & Daniel Etcheverry,

who took us under their wing in the Meliquina Valley; Mariano Ravizza, the Beale family, Steve &

Antonia Twilegar, Lucas Chiappe and family, Juan at Estancia Monte Leon, Diego Flores, Nico &

Alex Trochine, Juan at Albergue de los Sueños, Daniel at Tolhuin Fly Shop, Raúl Diez at La

Colina, Juan Paritsis, Silvana Buján, Pancho & Dr. Sacco at Outdoor Adventures,

and all the nameless people who stopped when our car broke down.

Yankees: Frazier Coe, who traveled with us for 90 days and rounded out the A-Team; Joey Lin, for hooking

us up with the Patagonia Fishing Club in Aluminé; Jake Chutz & Shaun Jeszenka, who got us gree

access to the Rio Grande and showed us a great time; George Hill Arbaugh III, Ryan Davey, John

& Dawn Hohl, and Shawn Bratt, all of whom teamed up and fished with us at some point; Lindsay

Letts, who has the patience of a saint; Jon Tolbey, who voluntarily proofread every word of this

manuscript; Travis and Rance at Patagonia River Guides, everyone from Creekside Angling

in Seattle, Jon Spiegel at Front Range Anglers in Boulder, Mit Cadden for handing down

El Burro, and countless others for letting us couch surf while writing the book.

Argentina

South America

Neuquén

Rio Negro

Santa Cruz

Chubut

Tierra del Fuego

© 2008 Barrett Mattison & Evan JonesALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical

reviews and articles. All inquiries should be addressed to:

Frank Amato Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 82112, Portland, Oregon 97282503.653.8108 • www.amatobooks.com

Photographs by the authors unless otherwise noted.Book and Cover Design: Kathy Johnson

Map Illustrations: Kathy Johnson

Printed in SingaporeSoftbound ISBN-13: 978-1-57188-437-4

UPC: 0-81127-00269-6

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Acknowledgments

Page 7: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

10 Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentian

11Part I: Preface

(albeit slowly at times) the entire length of Argentine Patagonia from Aluminé to Ushuaia, and most places in-between. Although Patagonia is roughly defined as the southernmost portions of both Argentina and Chile, we chose to focus solely on Argentine Patagonia. Excellent fishing certainly exists on both sides of the border, but from a fishermen’s perspective, Ar-gentina is generally more accessible, affordable, and practical than neigh-boring Chile.

Fishing mostly independently and entirely self-funded, we camped most of the time, ate almost nothing but pasta, got punished by weather, went on countless grueling marches, and got stranded in the middle of nowhere more than once—all in the search for salmonids. Our hope is that we can use our experiences to inform

some exotic trout fishing unlike any-where else in the world. Oversized trout chasing down equally oversized dry flies frantically skittered across the surface, explosive 20lb sea-run browns, or a unique run of Atlantic steelhead are just a few examples of the unparalleled fishing that Patago-nia can offer.

Hearing of the incredible fishing and hoping to quench our appetites for big trout and a little adventure, we too were irresistibly drawn to the exotic remoteness of Patagonia. Trad-ing in cubicles and neckties for rivers and waders, we left our stable jobs in exchange for the uncertainty of trout bumming for extended periods of time in a foreign land. First in a 1984 Renault station wagon and again the following season with a 1974 Ford Ranchero, we extensively covered

But Patagonia is much more than simply a South American reflection of our American West. The distinct Latin culture; an exotic austral sky; the seemingly incongruous mix of immense glaciers encircled by bam-boo rainforests; curious native fauna such as guanacos, pigmy deer, and rheas; or fishing under the watchful eyes of Andean condors in a trout stream ringed by parakeets and fla-mingos—all are uniquely Patagonian experiences.

Patagonia is also a land of awe-in-spiring immensity as vast as it is var-ied, and offers every conceivable type of fly water and scenery. Character-ized by dramatic contrasts, Patagonia offers everything from turquoise riv-ers cutting through temperate rain-forests to tea-stained chalk streams meandering over desolate steppe, and from sight-fishing in a technical spring creek to spey casting in a mas-sive glacial river. It is also one of the last remaining fly fishing frontiers on earth, and in its more remote areas is still a sparsely inhabited frontier land as trackless and wild as it was centuries ago, where many lakes and rivers remain relatively unknown and unexplored by fishermen.

While the trout may technically be the same species as their Northern Hemispheric cousins, 100 years of uninterrupted adaptation within dis-tinct environments has resulted in

PATAgONIA IS mORE THAN just a spot on the map. The mere mention of the word “Pa-

tagonia” captivates the imagination, invoking thoughts of adventure and exploration in a fabled far-off corner of the world. Since magellan first set foot on its barren shores near present day San Julián in 1520, Patagonia’s mystique and raw beauty has irresist-ibly drawn explorers, mountaineers, prospectors, naturalists and wander-ers alike. With the wildly successful introduction of trout at the turn of the 20th century, a new frontier was opened, adding fly fishermen to that rarefied list.

Aesthetically speaking, Patago-nia and the North American West share many parallels: immense tracts of unpopulated wilderness, grandiose mountain ranges and endless prairies, intemperate climates, a frontier his-tory of rough-and-tumble lawlessness complete with cowboys and Indians, homesteading and cattle ranching; and perhaps most important to fly fishermen, pristine streams swimming with large, eager trout. In some ways, Patagonia is also like stepping back into the American West of generations past—a past where horses and oxcarts are still standard modes of transporta-tion, where rickety old trucks bounce down unpaved roads, and where many of its uncrowded rivers still flow free-ly, untamed by dams.

Preface“Patagonia is the farthest place to which man walked from his

place of origins. It is therefore a symbol of his restlessness. From its discovery it had an effect on the imagination something like the

Moon, but in my opinion more powerful.” Bruce Chatwin

The Cholila Valley in Chubut Province (once home to famous outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is strikingly similar to the American West.

Photo Credit ? ? ??

Page 8: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

10 Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentian

11Part I: Preface

(albeit slowly at times) the entire length of Argentine Patagonia from Aluminé to Ushuaia, and most places in-between. Although Patagonia is roughly defined as the southernmost portions of both Argentina and Chile, we chose to focus solely on Argentine Patagonia. Excellent fishing certainly exists on both sides of the border, but from a fishermen’s perspective, Ar-gentina is generally more accessible, affordable, and practical than neigh-boring Chile.

Fishing mostly independently and entirely self-funded, we camped most of the time, ate almost nothing but pasta, got punished by weather, went on countless grueling marches, and got stranded in the middle of nowhere more than once—all in the search for salmonids. Our hope is that we can use our experiences to inform

some exotic trout fishing unlike any-where else in the world. Oversized trout chasing down equally oversized dry flies frantically skittered across the surface, explosive 20lb sea-run browns, or a unique run of Atlantic steelhead are just a few examples of the unparalleled fishing that Patago-nia can offer.

Hearing of the incredible fishing and hoping to quench our appetites for big trout and a little adventure, we too were irresistibly drawn to the exotic remoteness of Patagonia. Trad-ing in cubicles and neckties for rivers and waders, we left our stable jobs in exchange for the uncertainty of trout bumming for extended periods of time in a foreign land. First in a 1984 Renault station wagon and again the following season with a 1974 Ford Ranchero, we extensively covered

But Patagonia is much more than simply a South American reflection of our American West. The distinct Latin culture; an exotic austral sky; the seemingly incongruous mix of immense glaciers encircled by bam-boo rainforests; curious native fauna such as guanacos, pigmy deer, and rheas; or fishing under the watchful eyes of Andean condors in a trout stream ringed by parakeets and fla-mingos—all are uniquely Patagonian experiences.

Patagonia is also a land of awe-in-spiring immensity as vast as it is var-ied, and offers every conceivable type of fly water and scenery. Character-ized by dramatic contrasts, Patagonia offers everything from turquoise riv-ers cutting through temperate rain-forests to tea-stained chalk streams meandering over desolate steppe, and from sight-fishing in a technical spring creek to spey casting in a mas-sive glacial river. It is also one of the last remaining fly fishing frontiers on earth, and in its more remote areas is still a sparsely inhabited frontier land as trackless and wild as it was centuries ago, where many lakes and rivers remain relatively unknown and unexplored by fishermen.

While the trout may technically be the same species as their Northern Hemispheric cousins, 100 years of uninterrupted adaptation within dis-tinct environments has resulted in

PATAgONIA IS mORE THAN just a spot on the map. The mere mention of the word “Pa-

tagonia” captivates the imagination, invoking thoughts of adventure and exploration in a fabled far-off corner of the world. Since magellan first set foot on its barren shores near present day San Julián in 1520, Patagonia’s mystique and raw beauty has irresist-ibly drawn explorers, mountaineers, prospectors, naturalists and wander-ers alike. With the wildly successful introduction of trout at the turn of the 20th century, a new frontier was opened, adding fly fishermen to that rarefied list.

Aesthetically speaking, Patago-nia and the North American West share many parallels: immense tracts of unpopulated wilderness, grandiose mountain ranges and endless prairies, intemperate climates, a frontier his-tory of rough-and-tumble lawlessness complete with cowboys and Indians, homesteading and cattle ranching; and perhaps most important to fly fishermen, pristine streams swimming with large, eager trout. In some ways, Patagonia is also like stepping back into the American West of generations past—a past where horses and oxcarts are still standard modes of transporta-tion, where rickety old trucks bounce down unpaved roads, and where many of its uncrowded rivers still flow free-ly, untamed by dams.

Preface“Patagonia is the farthest place to which man walked from his

place of origins. It is therefore a symbol of his restlessness. From its discovery it had an effect on the imagination something like the

Moon, but in my opinion more powerful.” Bruce Chatwin

Page 9: Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina guide book. Fishing Patagonia, Fishing Argentina, Golden Dorado, Faraway Fly Fishing does Fly Fishing Travel for fly fishing

12 Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum’s Guide to Argentian 13Part I: Preface

from the fishing when you get there. There are many other resources to help you with the more commercial aspects of a trip.

At the same time, this book is not meant to be an exhaustive treatise on Patagonian fly fishing. Not in many lifetimes could one fish every section of its myriad fisheries, not to mention covering them sufficiently to claim ex-pertise. We make no such claim. Nev-ertheless, we have tried our best to fill the large gap of information that hangs over much of Patagonia. Given the sheer amount of fishable water available in Argentina, it was impos-sible for us to personally gain season-long, day-in, day-out experience on any single river or lake. To overcome this, we relentlessly sought out and questioned the most k nowledgeable fishermen and guides we could find in each area, thereby supplementing our comparatively brief experience with a more holistic and comprehensive per-spective—something we are in turn passing on to you. In sum, this book is a mixture of extensive first and second-hand research, personal anec-dotes and observations, and practical tips on how to navigate this uttermost corner of the world.

Most fly fishermen traveling to Patagonia should bring a gen-eral guidebook on the region, such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. We have therefore tried our best not to duplicate information already provid-ed in those books. Subjects such as history, culture, flora, fauna, tourism and generally all things superfluous to fly fishing are not included or are mentioned only in passing. Our hope is that this information will help fish-ermen decide when and where to go based on their personal preferences.

See you there…

others of the realities of Argentine fly fishing, while helping to avoid the many pitfalls that we had to learn the hard way.

Roderick Haig-Brown once said, rather self-deprecatingly, “I am a writer who happens to fish, not a fisherman who happens to write.” It might already be apparent that we are the exact opposite. Patagonia, and fly fishing in general, has a rich history of writers infinitely more el-oquent and talented than ourselves, and we have no illusions to the con-trary. What we lack in literary prose, however, we strive to make up for with pragmatic information for fish-ermen conveyed in a straightforward manner. Having fished the major-ity of Argentine Patagonia, we feel we have a solid background from which to provide an objective view on how its various regions and wa-terways differ, and what each has to offer. While absolute objectivity is obviously impossible, operating in-dependently has freed us from the obligation to promote any one area simply because a lodge or outfitter catered to us (something you won’t find in most magazine articles or TV shows).

Even though this book may be written from the perspective of un-abashed trout bums, we realize that most anglers considering a trip to Pa-tagonia don’t have the luxury of stay-ing for six months at a time or the desire to sleep in a tent every night and will therefore go through a lodge or outfitter. Only on a few occasions did we use these types of resources, so while we have chosen to recom-mend a handful of those with whom we had an excellent personal experi-ence, this book cannot address which are “the best,” only what to expect

Frazier Coe Photo