This week, we welcomed guests from the USA, Canada, and Sweden. As usual, the group was a mix of returning and first-time visitors. Our host was our good friend Scott, a seasoned guest who has visited our operations multiple times, both here in Argentina and in Greenland.
Joining Scott were two sets of brothers: Chris and Rick, who were on their first visit, and Thomas and Peter, long-time guests. Also visiting for the first time were Brian and our “Doctor Duo,” Bill and George. The rest of the group included regular guests Susan and Jack from Canada, along with Håkan and Göran from Sweden. Göran was beginning the second week of his annual two-week stay with us.
It’s always fascinating to see how each group brings a unique dynamic to Las Buitreras. One thing was clear from the start – Scott’s guests were here to relax and enjoy the experience. The group included anglers with varying levels of expertise: some were seasoned veterans of the Rio Gallegos, while others were just beginning their journey into the world of Spey casting and the pursuit of Patagonian Sea Trout.
River & Weather Conditions
This week, river conditions were dramatically different from previous weeks. On Saturday morning, we woke up to a significantly risen river, which continued to rise throughout the day, peaking at around +40 cm. The heavy current brought in mud and debris, limiting water clarity. Fortunately, the river here usually takes around two days after a bigger push to be in shape again. By Sunday morning’s first session, most of the debris had cleared, leaving us with a fishable, albeit slightly colored, river. The fear of a complete blowout quickly turned into excitement, as experienced anglers know that a dropping and clearing river often means great fishing ahead.
The weather forecast looked promising, with relatively stable wind conditions. Sunday and Monday brought west-southwest winds, followed by a light northeast breeze on Tuesday. By Wednesday, the wind shifted back west and remained stable for the rest of the week. Air temperatures ranged from 8–19°C during the day and dropped to 3–8°C at night. The sky provided plenty of autumn sunshine—perfect for the colored water—though some sessions were slightly overcast.
Tactics & Fly Selection
Tactics this week differed from previous ones. While we primarily used floating or intermediate heads/lines, we paired them with much heavier sink tips than usual. We started the week with sink 7–8 ips tips before gradually reducing the density to sink 5 ips, then sink 3 ips, and finally returning to our favorite intermediate tip. Leaders were kept short (3–6 ft) and ranged from 0.33–0.40 mm (20–25 lb breaking strain), increasing to around 9 ft by the end of the week.
On Sunday, we relied on large, brightly colored flies for visibility in the murky water. Patterns such as “Yellow Yummy” and “Poison” in sizes 2–6 performed well, along with chartreuse and pink intruders. As the river cleared, we downsized to sizes 6–8. By Thursday, we returned to medium-sized Girdle Bugs, darker Woolly Buggers, Sunray Shadows, and conehead and bead-head nymphs, all in sizes 6–8.
Daily Highlights
Day 1 – A Challenging Start
Limited visibility made things tough, but our upstream zones offered promise. Rick was first on the board with a small, fresh-run fish from Zone U1 in the “La Curva” pool. Brian followed with two fish from “75” in Zone 1, all on the Yellow Yummy.
Day 2 – River Healing & Improved Results
Water clarity improved significantly. Chris landed an 8 lb fish from “75” and another in “Turning Bank,” plus an evening fish from “Tiura.” Bill and George landed three at “75,” while Tommy and Peter used the Poison fly to hook three fish up to 8 lbs in Zones 2 and 5.
Day 3 – Breakthrough Day
With over 30 fish netted, this was a standout day. Chris and Rick had a great time in Zones 2 and 5, landing six fish between them. Jack had a red-letter day with nine fish, including a 12 lb fresh fish from “Raquel” in Zone 4. Susan added two from “Puesto” and “Tiura.”
Day 4 – Swedish Bonanza
Håkan and Göran had a slower start but crushed the morning in Zone 5, landing six fish between them. Håkan added four more in the evening on the Magic Black Fly. Jack landed ten fish, while Susan stole the show with a 15.5 lb male from “Two Cast.”
Day 5 – A Day to Remember
Over 40 fish landed. Göran had a phenomenal day with 13 fish, several up to 9 lbs. Jack landed a 17.5 lb chrome female at “Bridge,” and Susan followed with a 16 lb beauty at “Outer Limits.” Scott landed four, and Tommy and Peter added six more.
Final Day – A Strong Finish
Over 30 fish rounded off the week. Scott had a stellar morning in Zone 3 with seven fish on the Marianne nymph. Göran and Håkan caught eight in Zone 4, and Jack, Susan, Rick, and Chris each closed out the week with four fish.
Wrapping Up
As this incredible week comes to an end, we want to thank everyone who was part of it. A special thanks to Scott for bringing another fantastic group to Las Buitreras – your positive and relaxed energy was contagious! A big shoutout to Team Sweden’s Håkan and Göran for their dry humor, and to our Doctor Duo, Bill and George, for choosing Las Buitreras for their long-haul adventure.
See you for the Week 13 report. Tight lines, everyone!
Stats of the Week
- Total number of Sea-Run Brown Trout: 152
- Biggest landed: 17.5 lbs by Jack
- Average size: 6.3 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.
