Patagonia, Argentina

19/02/ – 28/02/24

Returning to Patagonia is always great. Since my first trip to Calafate in the early 2000´s it always has been a privilege to go fishing there. Our trip this time again started in El Calafate, an about 3 hours flight from Argentina´s capital Buenos Aires.

After an overnight buffer day in Calafate our group consisting of a friend from the US, our video guy German C, and two friends from Calafate we headed out to El Chalten area, a village in the Los Glaciares national park and a gateway for mountain climbers, trekkers and fishermen alike.

This year´s quest for the Chinook salmon was made difficult due to the delayed salmon run, the 2023 winter in this area lasted about a Month longer as usual according to the locals.

There were fewer salmon in the rivers as usual around this time but despite the odds salmon were landed. Fishing the El Chalten area means a lot of hiking in a breath taking landscape, off road driving through forest paths, many times blocked by fallen trees…..leading to more hiking. Turquoise green rivers with untouched nature, water falls, dense forests and green valleys flanked by high rocky mountains with the occasional wild bull crossing your path.

We usually left the lodge located 35 km outside El Chalten in darkness around 06:30 to return for lunch and head out for trout fishing in the afternoon. Trout fishing in Patagonia in a very exclusive hidden private lagoon is a spectacle itself. Little spoons and spinners, casting of a small rowing boat surrounded by walls of rock producing rainbow and brown trout from two to eight pound.

After a three night stay in the El Chalten area we decide to move to another area to look for salmon.

After a three hour drive at the foot of the Andes in a magnificent frame of high mountains, winding rivers and wide steppes we set camp for two nights in  a small 5 bedroom isolated lodge.

Driving down rocky dirt roads and hiking from pool to pool for two days we managed to hook three massive Chinooks that unfortunately shook of the lure after a couple of minutes. One particularly huge fish was on for 20 minutes before it turned in the current and went down the rapids which broke the line. Frustrating but for sure a challenge for next season in early 2025.

For two days with perfect weather we went hiking from pool to pool, climbing over rocks, crossing rivers, spotting amazing wild life, flora and fauna. A definite highlight was a river bank lined with countless marine fossils and spotting an eagle´s nest with a young bird.

The evenings were spent around the BBQ pit with the perfect sunset and a perfect Malbec.

After two nights it was time to head back to El Calafate for two more nights there.

Next day we visited the mighty Perito Moreno Glacier that covers an area of approximate 250 square km. The glacier is located 80 kms outside El Calafate and is the world´s third largest reserve of fresh water. Impressive every time.

We finished the trip with a day off in Calafate, shopping and a BBQ at our friends Miguel´s lake front house.

Can´t wait for next season.

Recommended reading on Patagonia :

Darwin´s Diary in Argentina by Charles Darwin 1833

(Observations and discoveries by the author of the theory of evolution)

At home with the Patagonians by George Musters retired Commander R.N.  1871

(a year´s wandering over untrodden ground from the straights of Magellan to the Rio Negro)

M.

03/24

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