The season in Argentina is now in full swing, and rods on the Rio Grande are either returning to or fishing this wonderful river for the first time. The latter part of January starts to see some of the prime fishing of the season, with good numbers of hard-fighting coin silver sea trout entering the river. Last week the high spring tides encouraged strong runs of fish to push upstream despite the unusually low water height for this time of the season. Rain is due in the coming days, which will help push these fish upstream so the prospects for the coming weeks are encouraging.

Villa Maria January 13th – 20th

This week the weather has been more settled than the first two weeks of the season, which led to some excellent fishing. Overcast skies most days meant that fishing conditions were ideal and allowed the fish to take freely.

In addition to the good conditions this week, we had new moon-high tides, which encouraged more fish to run into the river. The arrival of solid runs of fresh fish meant the lower beats fished very well. All the fish caught were in fantastic shape, strong and coin silver.

Didrik had probably his best week ever on the Río Grand. His experience and accurate casting meant he landed over 30 fish for the week, ending his last night with a stunning 20lb fish. We must also mention Louis, who landed a beautiful 21 lb male on the week’s final session.

As the river is still relatively low and clear, we continued using lighter setups that were productive in previous weeks. Rods under 13′ and sinking tips as short as 10ft were the most effective options. Long leaders and small nymphs, rubber legs, and green machines were the best options to fish during the day, and once the sun dipped below the Tierra del Fuego horizon, leeches and sunrays took their place.
The forecast for next week is very similar, with a few more moments of bright sunshine, so we expect another great week at Villa Maria Lodge.

Kau Tapen January 14th – 21st

This week, we were visited by a small multinational group from Switzerland, the USA, the UK, and France, allowing us to take advantage of the best-producing sections of water all along the Rio Grande and Menendez.

This was very much a teaching week, as most fishermen and women were picking up a fly rod for the very first time. The rest were new to spey casting and anadromous fish, but all were eager to learn.

At Kau Tapen, we fish from both sides of the river and in various wind directions, so being able to cast on either side is critical. With at least a roll cast or double-spey for everyone, we were ready to begin the week.
The weather and conditions for the week were characterized by dropping water in the Grande and Menendez. There was a slight rise in the headwaters of the Rio Grande, but not enough to show hugely in the river.

We have had rain in the last couple of days, and more is on the horizon. The wind was variable but light throughout the week. At times it was warmer than we would like, with temperatures exceeding 20 degrees Celsius for a few days.

We saw good numbers of fish spreading throughout the beats, and a mix of fish between those that had just entered the river and ones that had been in for a few weeks were caught. Fishing picked up later in the week when the temperature dropped.

The largest fish of the week was 16 pounds, but plenty of fresh fish in the 14-pound class were also caught, which is quite an accomplishment for a first-time sea trout and spey angler.

This week was unique in that guests could take full advantage of the additional attractions Tierra del Fuego offers, including horseback riding outside Ushuaia. The wild landscape of Tierra del Fuego never fails to impress, and all had a fantastic time both on and off the river.

For prime 2023 Rio Grande Availability click HERE.

If you would like more information then please do not hesitate to contact Olly Thompson or call our office on +44(0)1980 847389.