25 February to 4 March: Weekly report from Tierra del Fuego
The fishing was decent despite tricky weather conditions on The Rio Grande. At La Villa the six rods landed 82 fish, 30 of which were over 15lbs and 6 over 20lbs...
LA VILLA MARIA BEHETY
By Diego Motter – Head guide at La Villa
The average weight of the week's catches was 12.5 lbs, another great average – typical for the season.
We had a great group of people with us again this week, friends and annual guests. Keith and Jean Howman were here once again, always a pleasure…
We had dirty water all week however we took a lot of fish on top with floating lines. Mostly we fished heavy sink tips and big flies, which together made for difficult casting.
Top rod of the week was Jean Howman with 18 fish on the net, the biggest of which was 20 lbs.
Robert Prentice landed the biggest fish of the week at 24 lbs.
Water Condition:
Water colour and visibility: dirty water all week, however it started clearing on Thursday.
Water temperature: 7⁰ - 13⁰ Celsius (45⁰ - 55⁰) Fahrenheit.
Water Level:
Higher then January, but the river is at a very good water level, may be same level than November.
Weather Conditions:
Wind speed ranges: The wind blew northwest as usual, it wasn't so strong.
Air temperature ranges: 2⁰ - 14⁰ Celsius (35⁰ - 57⁰) Fahrenheit
We had heavy rains throughout the week which made the river increase in height.
Fishing Conditions:
Flies that are working the best: Big flies for the last hour: Leeches, big tube flies.
The best flies of the week were intruders and chartreuse a leech.
Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc.): Skagit heads with different lengths of T-14, 17, 20
Floating lines worked well and we got some fish on top with plastic tubes, up to 15 lbs.
We used heavy sink tips, even T-20, up to 15 feet.
Length and strength of tippet and leaders: 3 to 6 feet, 12 to 15 lbs.
Most of the fish were in the lower and middle part of the river, we didn't get many fish in the upper part.
Fish Catch Statistics:
Number of rods for the week: 6
Total number of fish landed for the week: 82
Weight of the biggest fish: 24 lbs
Number of fish landed over 15 lbs: 30
Number of fish landed over 20 lbs: 6
Notable Catches: We landed the same fish twice in 10 minutes; a 20 lbs female.
LA VILLA GUIDES
Diego Motter (Head Guide)
Jorge Castro
Guido Perillo
ESTANCIA MARIA BEHETY FISHING REPORT
By Federico Molinolo – Head guide at Estancia Maria Behety Lodge
The fishing was not easy for us this week due to unstable weather and mostly east wind and rain. All the guests worked very hard to catch fish. The river is dropping a little every day and clearing up, with good water visibility.
We had some good sessions fishing Sun-ray shadows on top. 64 fish were landed, with 10 fish over 15 lbs and 3 fish over 20.
Top Rods were Kent Brodie and Susan O´Neil. Kris Timken landed the fish of the week a 22 lber.
Water Conditions:
Water color and visibility: Water is getting very clear again, visibility 3 - 4 feet.
Water temperature: 40°F - 56°F
Water Level: The river is dropping down a little every day. Good water visibility.
Weather Conditions:
Wind speed ranges through the week: Very unstable weather. We had just one day with normal wind from west, it blew mostly from east and sometimes from south and north. On Wednesday a west wind win blew up to 40 mph.
Air temperature ranges through the week: 31°F - 68°F
Fishing Conditions:
Flies that are working the best: We fished mostly big flies including, leeches, intruderes, big tube flies, Skagit minnows, and Paul Millers. By the end of the week we used smaller flies. Medium size buggers, TDF Taxi, and Yuk Bugs. We landed some fish on top with Sunra yShadows and some skaters.
Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc.: Light tips and Scandi heads for low water condition together with Poly-leaders and Spey Versi-leaders. Heavy tips and Skagit heads for high water conditions with different lengths of T-14 and T-17. We also used T-20 in some pools.
Short leaders for heavy tips, 3 to 5 feet and long leaders for lights tips, 10 to 15 feet.
Fish Catch Statistics:
Number of rods for the week: 12
Total number of fish landed for the week: 64
Weight of the biggest fish: 2lbs
Number of fish landed over 15 lbs: 10
Number of fish landed over 20 lbs: 3
Notable Catches:
Kris Timken landed a 22 lber
Ted Reznik landed a 21 lber
Jordan Brodie landed a 21.5 lber
ESTANCIA MARIA BEHETY LODGE GUIDES
Federico Molinolo (Head Guide)
Genaro Molinolo
Miguel Angel Zangla
Nauhel Stauch
Marcos Hlace
Exequiel Bustos
Related
122lbs of Sea Trout
Isobel S with one of 9 fish she and her husband Ian, landed on just one session on the Rio Grande. A great session for sure but made slightly more epic when you are told that they were sharing a rod and that the combined weight of those 9 sea trout was 122lbs. Just an astonishing fishery.
Rio Grande Trip Report Feb 2018
What do you want from a fishing destination?
We are all different but if you want reliability, big fish, excellent guides, supremely comfortable lodges, a week of varied fishing techniques and fabulous food and drink then you really shouldn’t look any further than the Maria Behety fishing on the Rio Grande in Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina.
Happy clients return from Patagonian BaseCamp, Chile
One of the great pleasures of working in the travel business is when you speak to returning clients who have had a fishing holiday that has surpassed all their expectations. It is really rewarding to hear the genuine enthusiasm in their voices as they tell you all about it. I recently spoke to clients who just returned from ten days of fishing the rivers and lakes from Patagonian BaseCamp in Chile.
