With the 2022 season on the Rio Grande drawing to a close, now is the time to start registering an interest for 2023 as space during the prime period on the river is always limited.
No matter how you look at it, the Rio Grande is the king of the sea trout rivers in the world. No river comes close to having the numbers or size of fish the Rio Grande does. The British record stands at around 27 lbs, but sea trout of 20 lbs or more are caught each week on the Rio Grande, with most seasons seeing fish of over 30 lbs. The Rio Grande is a genuinely great river as most of these large fish are not caught while clambering around in the dark but in the daylight hours.
Kau Tapen
Kau Tapen is one of the oldest and most comfortable lodges on the river. It is a superb lodge that has balanced character and comfort exceptionally well. Kau Tapen has ten en suite single rooms; some offer a king bed, while some have one queen, and others are furnished with two doubles. A large living room opens to views of the Menendez and Rio Grande valleys and includes a roaring fire and a well-stocked bar.
Kau Tapen has access to 16 km of the Rio Grande and much of the Ro Menedez. Being in the middle reaches of the Rio Grande Kau Tapen is ideally suited to anglers that enjoy technical fishing and smaller water. Although this part of the river can fish well all season long, it can be especially productive towards the latter half of the season when many of the fish have shifted upstream. More tracks have been created to allow for better access to the Menendez River in recent years. This is a wonderful river, and although smaller than the main Rio Grande, the average size of the fish is very large.
Availability (Saturday to Saturday)
11 – 18 February – US$11,950 This is a prime week that rarely becomes available.
Prices do not include international flights or fishing licences which cost: US$550
Villa Maria
Villa María is the second of the Nervous Water’s lodges to open on the Río Grande after Kau Tapen. Taking six rods it offers small groups the opportunity to fish some of the productive pools in the lower river. The lodge is a renovated farmhouse within the working estancia, Jose Menendez.
The lodge features six en-suite double and single rooms, smart furnishings, and spacious living areas. Each evening a roaring fire and well-stocked bar welcome you back from your day’s on the river. To maximise time on the water and allow for a proper rest after eating, guests have lunch and their siesta at the very comfortable riverside house rather than return to the lodge.
Villa Maria focuses on 15km of prime sea trout fishing on the lower Rio Grande, allowing anglers to have the first crack at newly arrived sea trout that enter the system. The lodge is ideal for anglers that enjoy the challenges of using two-handed rods. Especially during the first half of the season, Villa Maria can have some exceptional fishing. At this period, the fish are crome silver and fight exceptionally well.
Estancia Maria Behety, La Villa
La Villa is the entrance to the 275,000-acre Estancia Maria Behety owned by the Menendez family. It remains one of the most historic and comfortable lodges on the river and is ideally suited to smaller parties taking just six rods. All the rooms at La Villa are private, single occupancy rooms, elegantly decorated and with spacious private bathrooms. The lodge has the feel of a large and comfortable country house, although very much in an Argentine way.
The lodge has access to over 100 pools from the downstream water not far from the town of Rio Grande to upstream water that it shares with Kau Tapen. This gives the lodge fantastic flexibility and the ability to adapt to the conditions. The variety of water that La Villa offers also means that rods can get a wide-ranging experience of what the Rio Grande can offer. One day you could be fishing the upstream with single-handed rods and small flies and the next downstream with a larger two-handed rod.
Estancia Maria Behety Lodge
Estancia Maria Behety Lodge sits on a promontory overlooking the Rio Grande. It has spectacular panoramic views of vast pampas and the remnants of the Andean cordillera framing the background. Located upstream from La Villa EMB is part of the same estancia owned by the Menedez family. It is the larger of the two lodges with eight double occupancy rooms that take twelve rods and a maximum of sixteen guests.
The main room is timber-framed and features 20 foot plus high ceilings with banks of tall windows that allow light to flood the room. A roaring fireplace and several sitting areas provide the perfect place to relive the fishing of the day and relax with delicious appetizers and a cocktail. A full bar is well stocked with all the proper libations, including the finest Argentine wines and plenty of cold beer.
Anglers at EMB Lodge rotate through the same water as La Villa, so they have access to over 100 wonderful pools, some of which are the most productive on the river. EMB Lodge offers the complete Rio Grande experience as during your stay there, you will cover a wide range of water types and fishing situations.
Aurelia Lodge
The fishing at Aurelia is located immediately upstream of Kau Tapen. The four rods at the lodge have access to 8 miles of the Rio Grande and 15 miles of the Rio Menendez. Six rods can be arranged, but the lodge generally takes four. This means the water gets well-rested throughout the day. Both rivers offer easy wading, with the riverbed being mainly fine gravel. Aurelia offers good value for money, especially given the exclusive nature of the fishing and the lodge. Great for smaller intact parties.
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For more information please contact Olly Thompson or phone 01980 847 389.