TRIP REPORT - Fall in Argentina with El Encuentro Fly Fishing
This year, during the last week in March, I was lucky enough to travel with my amigo, and super-talented photographer, Chris Daniel to Argentina where we visited our dear friends at El Encuentro Fly Fishing for some fall fishing in Patagonia.
It was the first trip back to Argentina since the Covid Blip for both Chris and I. After a long history of working with El Encuentro, we were anxious to see old friends, re-connect with Patagonia, and check out the many improvements that Benjamin and his industrious crew had undertaken during the shut down.
We were joined by more great friends, Dale and Bobby from the Tuck Fly Shop in North Carolina, as well as Buck and Justin from Texas. Our guides for this trip were Gregory, Nikki, Roberto, and Kevin with Rolo, Leo, Seba, and Hernan handling the support staff duties. As always, El Encuentro owner, Benjamin Beale, and manager extraordinaire, Ceci Harrington were our gracious host and hostess.
The Fall Season is an exciting time to fish in Patagonia. As the days grow shorter, and the nights get cooler Patagonia’s brook trout and brown trout begin to migrate and become aggressive in anticipation of the spawning season, and rainbow trout feed actively ahead of a long cold winter. Late-March is the equivalent of late-September in the north, and just like we see in Big Sky Country, the fishing revolves around streamers and fall hatches, both of which are better when weather conditions are unsettled. Stormy weather gives migratory fish a sense of security increasing fish activity and aggressiveness. This is the time of year to embrace foul weather, and come prepared with the gear required to endure everything Patagonia can throw your way, from wind and rain, to snow and cold, and bright blue-bird sun.
We experienced a bit of everything on this trip, covered a bunch of beautiful country, reconnected with our friends in Patagonia, and experienced some terrific fishing. Follow along on a day-by-day recap of our journey and enjoy some of Chris’ beautiful images of Patagonia.