For many, the sea trout fishing in Argentina is a annual pilgrimage as nowhere else in the world can offer such size and numbers of fish. The 2024 season has just come to a close at Villa Maria and Kau Tapen, two of the best lodges on the world famous Rio Grande and we’re delighted to share this report from the guide team as they reflect on another great year.
Kau Tapen – 2024 season round up
Throughout the 2024 season, we welcomed over 135 anglers from diverse corners of the globe, blending returning guests with new faces in a celebration of camaraderie and shared passion. Beginning in the second week of January, we faced rapidly dropping water levels, posing a test of skill and adaptability. The initial six weeks presented a formidable obstacle – a river running low and clear, requiring the use of floating and intermediate lines, as well as long leaders and small flies to entice the elusive sea trout, particularly wary under the harsh daylight conditions created by crystal-clear waters. Despite the challenging low water levels, we managed to catch a good number of silver fish with light tackle equipment.
By mid-February, a silver lining emerged with incoming rains causing the rivers to swell. Rising waters not only brought in more fish but also boosted the productivity of our fishing sessions. Despite occasional disruptions due to increased rainfall, each surge in water levels enhanced our chances of a bountiful catch. We fished as much of the Río Grande as the Río Menendez, both rivers producing excellent results in terms of number and size.
March marked a crescendo in our season, highlighted by Ian from the UK landing an extraordinary 25lb coloured male in the upper reaches of the Rio Grande (Spey casting), while Paul, another UK friend, reeled in, with a single-handed 8 weight rod, a robust 21.5lb male in the Menendez River, marking a season’s highlight.
Villa Maria Lodge – 2024 season round up
The 2024 fishing season at Villa Maria Lodge started strong with the Rio Grande at an excellent level. Despite being lower than expected for this time of year, it provided thrilling fishing and comfortable wading. Typically, the first weeks of the season bring erratic fishing with fish just beginning to gather in swift-moving groups. Locating these groups often feels like a game of hide and seek, requiring extensive movement along the beats. However, we were pleasantly surprised when the fishing exceeded expectations in both quantity and the average size of catches right from the first week. This favourable trend continued for the next two months of the season.
Throughout the first half of the season, the Rio Grande remained at a good level. By mid-February, a drop in the water level was noticeable, with slower pools and shorter fishing spots due to the gentle current. Yet, the pools remained abundant with fish! It was simply a matter of adjusting techniques, fishing lighter, and choosing the best times of the day to target the prime pools.
By late February/early March, heavy rains changed the river, its levels, and the fishing experience. Despite a few days of having to fish in the smaller, cleaner waters of our sister lodge, Kau Tapen, the river remained fishable, and the catches kept coming. We transitioned from switch rods, light lines, and small flies to proper two-handed rods, heavy tips, sinking lines, and vibrant, large streamers.
Summarising the 2024 fishing season at Villa Maria Lodge, we can put it in two numbers: the largest catch was 27lb, and the average weight of catches was 11.8lb. A truly remarkable season!
Availability at Kau Tapen and Villa Maria can be found here. If you would like more information on these two lodges or fishing in Argentina in general, please contact Olly Thompson or phone 01980 847 389