Andes Journeys (the Dufflocq Family) – Chile, Patagonia
Andes Journeys (the Dufflocq Family) – Chile, Patagonia
Country/State/Area Hunted:
Chilean Patagonia
Outfitter: ANDRES JOURNEYS
Hunt Date: 01.14
Hunter Name: Joseph Matulevich
Guide: JAime Castillo
Method of Take:
fly rod
Species:
Brown trout
Abundance: Abundant
Comments:
It was great! Seven days of fly fishing at the Estancia de los Rios Ranch. The trip was organized by the pioneering Dufflocq family, one of the first families to organize superb trips to Patagonia. Upon completion of the fly fishing, it was off to Santiago and Valparaiso for a few days of guided tourist activity including trips to local vineyards.
As this is my fourth essay on fly fishing at an international location, I’ll dispense with the usual discussion of the daily routine. The food and lodging were both excellent. The Chilean wine flowed freely and complimented the delicious Chilean beef, pork, lamb and salmon.
Estancia de los Rios is a 360,000-acre ranch located near the Chile-Argentina border, and is the largest ranch in Chile. Guest occupancy is limited to 12 people. It has over 60 miles of private flowing rivers. There is no chance of getting bored with the scenery. Other activities included horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking tours in the Queulat National Park and cooking classes.
With the variety of water from small streams to large rivers, it was a major chore to select the right mix of rod sizes; and not exceed the weight limits on the small planes. We settled on one 5-weight, two 6 weights and an 8-weight. Compromises were also made to match the reel sizes to the rod weights.
Crystal clear water demanded that dry flies be the primary lure for the Brown trout. On the rivers, fish sizes ranged from 12 to 19 inches. In the spring fed creeks, the fish were generally all larger (17 to 22 inches). The really big ones (30 inches and over) were found in the lakes.
The day’s fishing was never tested by biting insects. This was a real treat from previous travels.
The head guide at Estancia de los Rios Ranch is JAime Castillo. Sasha and I first met JAime in Mongolia in 2011. You will not find a better guide with a more pleasant disposition than JAime.
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