This week, we welcomed guests from Sweden, Germany, Belgium, and Spain. Among them were our host, Pontus G, and his Swedish group: Stefan, Mats, Fredrik, and first-time visitor Kenneth. Long-time friends Mattias and Roine also joined, accompanied by Roine’s wife, Britt. Willi (Germany) returned for another visit, while Antonio R (Spain) and Denis M (Belgium) experienced Patagonian sea trout fishing for the first time. It was a fantastic mix of anglers, making for great company around the lunch and dinner table.
River & Weather Conditions
The river started the week on the low side, holding steady at -30 cm. A weather report from our other operation, Estancia Glencross, located in the foothills of the Andes, brought exciting news—heavy rain was falling in the mountains, and we anticipated a fresh push of water in the coming days.
Temperatures at the start of the week ranged from a brisk 9–14°C during the day, dipping to 4–11°C at night. Monday evening hit a bone-chilling 4°C, but with the wind chill, it felt even colder—numb fingers all around. Fortunately, conditions soon stabilized, reaching a more comfortable 12–20°C for the rest of the week. As always, Patagonia keeps us on our toes.
Wind conditions worked in our favor, predominantly blowing west to southwest—our most favorable direction. This made covering more than 80% of our pools a breeze, with the downstream and backwind turning casting into a pleasure rather than a battle.
Tactics & Fly Selection
With low water at the start of the week, we stuck to a proven approach: floating lines paired with intermediate tips and long leaders (12–15 ft). The top-performing fly was, once again, the “Marianne” nymph, followed by various sizes of “Copper Johns,” small and mid-sized girdle bugs, micro wooly buggers in green/black, green/red “butt” salmon doubles (sizes 12–14), and “Sunray Shadows.”
Fishing Highlights
Day 1 brought strong action across the beats. In Upper Zone 1, in a newly scouted pool named “Big Man,” Stefan landed two chrome fish at 11 and 10 lbs. Mattias and Roine had a fantastic evening in Zone 2, netting several fish in “Little Corner” and “Old Bridge,” with the biggest reaching 13 lbs. Meanwhile, in Zone 5, Willi found success in “Barranca Blanca,” fishing the golden-hour favorite—”Sunray Shadow.”
Day 2 continued on the same path. The Swedish group had a particularly productive session, landing four solid fish. Pontus hooked into two, followed by Mats with a 13-pounder and Fredrik with a 12-pounder. Stefan and Kenneth also got in on the action in Zone 1, where Kenneth landed a pristine 10-lb sea trout from “Ochenta.”
Day 3 delivered the much-anticipated rise in water levels. The river surged 30 cm, bringing it back to level zero, yet remained crystal clear—perfect conditions for an exciting day ahead.
One of the most memorable moments came for Antonio, a first-time visitor, fishing with head guide Genaro in Zone 2 at “Machaca.” Genaro made a strategic switch from a bead-head nymph to a small salmon double. Antonio cast 45 degrees downstream, letting the fly swing. After several well-placed presentations, he hooked into a monster. The fish wasted no time, tearing downstream and screaming line off the reel. After an intense battle, Antonio finally landed a furious 17-lb female—a fish to remember.
For Fredrik, Tuesday, February 18, was nothing short of extraordinary—a day he had dreamed about for years. He was fishing the “Heavyweight” pool in Zone 3, a stretch of water that had been slow for most of the season but had recently begun to show signs of life.
An accomplished fly tier, Fredrik tied on one of his meticulously crafted “Copper John” variants as he worked his way through the lower section of the pool. A subtle take interrupted his drift, and with quick reflexes, he set the hook. The deep bend in his rod and a series of heavy, deliberate pulls left no doubt—this was a fish of serious magnitude.
With a tiny hook in play, Fredrik knew he had to fight with precision. The fish made multiple runs up and down the pool, staying stubbornly out of reach as his guide, Augusto, waited for the right moment to net it. After several nerve-wracking minutes, Fredrik finally brought it close enough. A stunning 22-pound chrome torpedo—measuring 94 cm in length and 54 cm in girth—was his. A dream fish, years in the making.
As we listened to the story over lunch, most of us, including Fredrik, figured that would be the fish of the week. But fate had other plans.
That same afternoon, while fishing Upper Zone 1, Fredrik hooked into something even bigger. The take was aggressive, and the moment he lifted his rod, chaos erupted. The fish—a true tank—immediately bolted for the ocean, leaving Fredrik with no chance of stopping it. It launched into the air before tearing 50 meters downstream in mere seconds, ripping the line from the water. Twice more, it exploded skyward before, heartbreakingly, the fly popped free.
Watching Fredrik recount the moment that evening—shaking his head in disbelief—was something we won’t forget. After all, it’s not every day you land a new personal best… only to be humbled by an even bigger fish just hours later.
Day 4 saw personal bests for two more guests. Kenneth landed a 13-lb fish in “Big Man,” while Roine brought in a stunning 17-lb sea trout from “Barranca Negra,” both on rubber-legged “Copper Johns.” Antonio continued his hot streak, landing two solid fish in “Kitchen”, a 14-lb followed by a slightly smaller 13-lb. Mats, fishing “Old Bridge,” rounded out the day with a well-earned 15-lb beauty on a self-tied “Dee Monkey,” leaving him with a well-deserved grin.
The last two days of the week saw steady fishing, particularly in Zones 1 and 2, though the average size was slightly smaller than earlier in the week. After a fresh push of water, it’s common to see a wave of new fish entering the system, often sharing a similar size profile. This time, they averaged between 5–7 lbs. By the end of the week, our group had landed just under 100 fish—a phenomenal result.
As we wrap up this week’s report, we want to extend a huge thank you to all our guests. It was a pleasure reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. Stay tuned for Week Report 8, there’s plenty more to come!
Tight lines, everyone!
Stats of the week
Biggest sea-run brown trout landed: 22 lbs by Fredrik Ö from Sweden
Average size: 8,2 lbs
CONTACT US
Our fly fishing specialist Peter Collingsworth has been over to Las Buitreras, fishing the banks of the famous Rio Gallegos many times, so if there’s anything you would like to know about the fishing or if you have any questions you’d like to ask him, you can contact him on 01603 407596 or email at peter@sportquestholidays.com he would be delighted to speak to you.
