Patagonia: The perfect setting for majestic trout
COYHAIQUE, Chile -- When I stepped out to the veranda from my room, I gasped at what appeared before me. The sun was already up, and its rays tickled the sides and tops of the local chapter of the Andes Mountains extremely close to where I was staying.
Back in the northwest suburbs, Angling Escapes ramrod Paul Melchior described the scene as something close to what some people imagine heaven could be like.
My headquarters were here in the magnificent Simpson Valley of Patagonia in southern Chile is the Canto de Lluvia, a Lodge where the languages are not just Spanish and English, but also the big trout vernacular, spoken in hushed tones.
Melchior and I flew from Chicago to Dallas and then transferred to a jumbo jet for Santiago, Chile, where weeks earlier that monster earthquake had shaken the capitol as well as Conception right on the Pacific Ocean. As vicious as that February earthquake was (8.8 on the Richter scale), the locals here noted they did not feel the slightest bump. One more three-hour plane ride southward to Balmaceda on the national Chilean airline, and we were almost at our final destination. A short drive ensued and before we knew it, we were at the lodge close to Coyhaique (pronounced COYa-hockey).
Our mission was to find and catch brown trout in Patagonia's famous streams and rivers and that we did.
I am told that it's much easier to catch the really big fish (over 10 pounds) in the summer their summers, that is, meaning December, January and February. But we were quite content to catch and release brown and rainbow trout that made the trip worthwhile.
Some trout aficionados consider Patagonia in both Chile and Argentina as a strong rival to New Zealand's legendary trout streams, but on this trip I was only concerned about tangling with Chile's feisty and fabled brown trout.
And if there ever was a man supremely dedicated to Chilean fishing, it has to be lodge manager Carlos Munoz.
He's a master fisherman, and also a master in the kitchen. To this day, Munoz still does more than just dabble in Chilean gourmet cooking. He had Melchior and I drooling when he and a close friend and chef prepared a lamb dish that could easily put some Chicago restaurants to shame.
Our guides were locals. Steering the 14-foot inflatable boat over mild rapids and then holding the craft steady while we made casts to holding trout was 31-year-old Carlos Andrade.
We fished the Simpson River, the Manihuales River, and the Emperador Guillermo River (where we waded), as well as one lake, the Atravezado Lago. Another guide, 28-year-old Nico Gonzales took us to the Manihuales River where the water ran crystal clear and bone-chilling cold.
On one section of the Simpson River we spotted spawning Chinook salmon in the 30-pound range. Most of the locals avoid the salmon, claiming they ruin the trout fishing.
And what about a shore lunch? You bet. Carlos Andrade pulled the boat over to a flat river bank and hauled out a table and three chairs, a grill, sterling silver flatware, wine glasses, a bottle of Chile's fine wine, and a slab of Chilean beef that was grilled to perfection. A fresh salad and recently baked bread topped it off. Paul and I had three different shore lunches in three days and I easily rated that experience a solid 5 stars.
Paul and I did get out of the boat on numerous occasions to wind our way to areas the boat couldn't reach. The wading was easy, with rock and gravel on the bottoms. We fished a variety of flies, including bead-head nymphs, stimulator and elk hair caddis dries, and streamers. We caught fish on all of our offerings, including large dry flies that seemed to drive the trout crazy.
I couldn't get enough of the region and the people there, so I am making plans to return in February to fish summer trout and explore more of these fantastic rivers and smaller streams. Care to join me in Patagonia?
If you go
Where: Canto de Lluvia Lodge, Coyhaique, Chile (Patagonia)
Cost: Seven days $3,350, includes meals and lodging.
Getting there: Once in Chile, travel to the region on LAN-Air Chile