As the 2025 season at Las Buitreras came to a close, we looked back on a journey defined by stable water levels, new personal bests, and an inspiring mix of returning friends and first-time guests discovering the magic of Patagonia. From the low, clear water of January to the tea-stained flows of March and the energetic surge in April, this season truly had it all.
Once again, Las Buitreras proved itself as a powerhouse for sea trout. Several weeks exceeded the 100-fish mark, and April delivered a promising influx of smaller, younger fish – a great sign for seasons to come.
Just like last year, it was impressive to see fresh fish entering the system well into mid-April. Very few colored fish were landed; most were bright chrome and round as footballs, a testament to the strength of this remarkable ecosystem.
January – Chrome, Heat & Early Heroes
We kicked off the season just after New Year’s, greeted by above-average groundwater levels and an abundance of life on the banks. Conditions shifted from week to week—ranging from low, warm water to near-perfect flows with cool evening air – keeping both anglers and guides on their toes.
Light presentations and subtle nymphs ruled the clear, hot days, while bigger flies and sink tips brought success when the water rose. Adaptation was key, and those who embraced the challenge were rewarded.
Randy opened strong with a consistent week, while Rodger and Ludwig both landed sea trout in the 14–15 lb range. But the real fireworks came when the Norwegian contingent — Thor and Steinar (“El Gordito”) — made their presence known. Fishing Lower Zone 1, Steinar landed a stunning 21.3 lb fish in Molino Pool—initially mistaking it for a brown trout until it surged upstream with violent headshakes. Just hours later, Thor connected with a 19 lb chrome bullet, and followed it with two more at 17 lb. A banner week.
The following week brought a slight rise and the tea-colored water we love. Longtime regular Derek took full advantage during his final session in Zone 2, landing a spectacular 20 lb hen in Little Corner Pool – a fitting end to a memorable week.
In the weeks that followed:
- John B. joined the 20+ lb club with a 23 lb chrome hen from Upper Kitchen, caught on a size 8 mini woolly bugger.
- Louis, returning to his lucky spot in Little Corner, landed a 20 lb beauty after a wild fight that ended with an accidental dip in the river.
We were saddened to hear of Louis’ passing just months later. His positive spirit, love for fly fishing, and joyful presence on and off the water will be missed by all!
Newcomer Tim L. embraced the learning curve of Spey casting with the help of our guide team. It paid off in golden hour magic: a 21 lb chrome sea trout from Zone 3, caught on a well-placed intruder. A fish of a lifetime.
Other January Highlights:
- Double hook-up for Jean Luc & Jean Etienne (15 & 17 lb) at Little Corner
- Alistair landed fish at 15 & 19 lb during the peak of the lamprey run
January Stats:
Biggest fish: 23 lb (John B.)
Average size: 10.1 lb
Top Pools: Molino, Old Bridge, Little Corner
February – Steady Flows & Chrome Glory
With water levels holding steady at -30 cm, February delivered excellent fishing across all zones. Stable flows and optimal temperatures gave anglers a mix of high-action sessions and big fish encounters.
Early in the month, Felix had a standout moment, swinging a black/orange Copper John in Barranca Negra. On the fifth cast, his line went tight – and 15 minutes later, he netted a pristine 21.5 lb ocean-fresh sea trout.
Later that same day, Rick pulled off a memorable double: a 13 lb fish from Cogedero on a green rubber-legged nymph, followed by a surface-smashing 20+ lb male from Old Bridge Pool on a Silver Shadow leech during golden hour.
Fred S. from Sweden closed out his week in style with a 20.7 lb fish from Pool 75, hooked on a Sunray Shadow during his final cast of the day, what a way to finish your day, Fred!
The Sportquest group followed, fishing a week full of smaller but aggressive fish. Over 100 sea trout were landed, with newcomers James W. and Will both landing fish at 16 lb. The average size was 7.5 lb, and the biggest came in at 18 lb.
Later in February, a group hosted by Pontus arrived just as the river rose 30–40 cm. Fredrik Ö., a devoted fly-tyer and repeat guest, finally landed the fish he’d been chasing: a 22 lb chrome rocket from Heavyweight Pool, caught on his own Copper John variation. 94 cm long, 54 cm in girth – an unforgettable fish.
Other February Highlights:
- Gavin R.: 16 & 17 lb
- Connor: Personal bests at 16 & 18 lb during a mid-week push of water from the mountains
- Andreas S.: Two fish (15 & 16 lb) on his first week with a Spey rod
- Andrea F.: Show-stopping 20 lb trout – one of five fish landed that day
February Stats:
Biggest fish: 22 lb (Fredrik Ö.)
Average size: 10.1 lb (early Feb), 9.2 lb (late Feb)
Top Pools: Old Bridge, Kitchen, Barranca Negra
March – March Madness!
March brought dramatic shifts – rainstorms, rising rivers, and bursts of wind that demanded constant adaptation. But with change came opportunity.
We opened with near-perfect conditions: +5 cm water and a nice tea stain. John S. made good use of it and landed a 19 lb and 16.5 lb trout on his single handed rod! For Peter D. stars aligned while fishing Island Stream with guide Germán, casting a Sunray Shadow into shallow, rolling water. Seconds later, a big bow wave turned into a violent take, and a memorable fight ensued. The result: a pristine 21 lb fish – Peter’s biggest ever. Sven hooked into a true monster in Tool Booth, the fish took off upstream with his drag fully closed, no way to stop it – the fish eventually got away and left Sven shaking. Hooked on a big Girdle bug!
The following weeks brought along several good pushes of water from the mountains and some colder temperatures in between. We mainly fished floating lines and intermediate tips but changed frequently between big flies and smaller bug-style nymphs until we were able to go back to our smaller nymph game. Our groups from Swing the Fly and Glenda P. had great fun adapting to those conditions, landing several fish over 15 lb.
The final week of March saw the river up 40 cm from the week prior. Despite challenging flows, their results were impressive:
- Susan landed fish at 15.5 and 16 lb
- Jack closed the season with a solid 17.5 lb seatrout
- Total for the week: 152 seatrout
- Average size: 6.3 lb
April – Big Flies Are The Key
April brought us stable weather and water levels on the higher side, always ranging between 0 and 40 cm. As most of you can guess, this meant that we were fishing a lot of big flies this month, paired with light sinktips or intermediate tips.
The total numbers of seatrout landed were impressive, regularly passing the 100-mark. We did see a lot of smaller strong fish, shaped like footballs and great fun. Landing 10 fish during a session is not uncommon during April as we always experience a big run of fish during this time.
There were also quite a few big fish landed during these April weeks, such as Joe W. 17,5 lb using his mysterious “Taxi Cab” fly (yellow and black) or Thierry who hooked into an amazing 16,5 lb seatrout at La Corrientes while swinging a nymph through the faster water.
The girdle bug was seeing a bit of a comeback, Matt M. caught his 16 lb fish on the “classic” Girdle bug while fishing Wagon Wheel and we saw this fly landing a lot of fish this season. There is certainly no reason not to go a little bigger sometimes, especially when the wind is blowing hard!
Season Wrap-Up & Highlights
| Biggest Seatrout landed | 23 lb – John B. (USA, Upper Kitchen) |
| Other 20+ lb Fish | Fredrik Ö. (22), Felix (21.5), Steinar (21.3), Tim (21), Peter (21), Fred S. (20.7), Andrea F. (20), Rick (20+), Louis (20), and more. |
| Top Weekly Average | 10.1 lb |
| Most Fish Landed in a Week | 152 |
| Pool of the season | Kitchen Pool – incredibly productive, often delivering several fish per session. |
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.
