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Sea
Trout fly fishing
Kau Tapen Lodge - South Patagonia
Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego province /
ARGENTINA |
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Rate:
Start
from U$S
6200.-
January
- April
Package
/ Per person
7
fishing days / 6 nights
Minimum
2 anglers
Terms
& Conditions
>
Included:
Transfer Rio Grande / lodge / Rio Grande, 7 night accommodation
in single-occupancy rooms, all meals and beverages,6
fishing days, 1 bilingual guide per 2 anglers, fishing
in private waters.
> Not included:
Airfare
from and to Buenos Aires, fishing equipment and flies,
phone calls, laundry, personal insurance, other expenses
and gratuities.
>
Extras:
- License: U$D 50.-
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GENERAL
INFORMATION:
Where it all started... Kau-Tapen ("House of Fishing"
in the Ona language) was the first fly fishing lodge
in Tierra del Fuego and represents the standard of elegance
by which other lodges are measured. What started
as the brainchild of Jorge Donovan and Jacqueline De
Las Carreras more than twenty years ago, has revolutionized
the way in which the fishing world views big trout.
Located in the heart of the Rio Grande -the best River
for Sea Trout fly fishing in the world- Kau Tapen combines
the most elegant accommodations with mind-boggling
Sea Trout fly fishing, holding 5 world records for
Sea Run Trout.
THE FISHING
The first brown trout were stocked in Tierra del Fuego
by John Goodall in 1935. Shipped from Puerto Montt in
Chile, 60,000 'salmo trutta' eggs survived the arduous
journey to be planted on the Candelaria and McLennan
rivers, both tributaries of the Rio Grande. These fish
eventually found their way to the sea, possibly attracted
by the rich nourishment of the estuary. These sea-run
brown trout now complete the yearly migratory cycle
of salmonids, spawning during the summer months in freshwater.
Salmo trutta trutta remain in the river for a period
of time which ranges between 1 and 4 years until their
first migration to the sea, where they will feed and
grow for about 6 months before their first return to
freshwater, weighing approximately 6lbs. Researchers
have found trout which had spawned more than 6 times.
A trout which has completed 4 cycles of returning
to freshwater can weigh over 20 lbs. The frequency
with which they return to freshwater is also an indicator
that the fish face very few threats. Whilst also providing
a very real example of the benefits of Catch and Release.
LOCATION
The lodge is located on the banks of the Rio Grande,
in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The success of the fishery
on the Rio Grande is a modern-day fisherman's Cinderella
story. In just a decade, through access control and
the diligent promotion of catch and release, average
catch results have risen remarkably from less than a
fish a day in the early '80's, to multiple fish per
day, per person.
In the modern era, starting with the opening of
Kau Tapen Lodge in the early '80s, the Rio Grande became
the most productive sea-run trout fishery in the world.
However, trout numbers fluctuate with conditions at
sea, tides, water levels, and a host of other natural
factors. The Rio Grande flows from East to West, from
the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean, through 70 km of Argentine
territory. The landscape of Tierra del Fuego is reminiscent
of Wyoming or the Scottish flow country. It is a sparsely
populated wilderness. Large sheep farming estancias
share this land with herds of wild llama-like guanacos,
red foxes, and condors.
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ACCOMMODATIONS:
Built in 1983, Kau Tapen lodge was designed to offer
rods maximum comfort during their fishing trip, as well
as easy accessibility to the pools. It accommodates
up to 12 guests in 8 twin rooms and 1 double bedroom.
A large living room area opens up to vistas of the Menendez
Valley and Rio Grande valley. A large roaring fire and
well stocked bar will welcome you after every fishing
session.
The lodge has a tackle shop with a good selection of
Sage rods, good quality reels, flies, lines, and clothing
equipment, especially selected to suit the needs of
your trip. In addition, guests have the full use of
the lodge's fly tying table and equipment.
The lodge has 2 wading rooms, a sauna, Finnish steam
bath and Massage room.
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HOW
TO GET THERE:
Kau
Tapen lodge is reached from Rio Grande city. There are
daily flights from Buenos Aires to Rio Grande airport
where a member
of the staff will be waiting to drive you to the lodge.
Domestic flights can be arranged.
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Fly Fishing tackle and
Equipment:
Wading
All of our fishing is in rivers and streams, wading
from the coast. One pair of fly weight chest waders
and one pair of neoprene chest waders is recommended.
The new waders "non-condensation" is the best for walking.
The comfort of your wading shoes is very important also.
Rods
Bring 2-3 rods. A good combination is:
-- 12-14; 8/9 weight spey rod.
-- 9-91/2; 7/8 weight single handed rod.
Lines
We suggest:
--Floating lines for each rod.
--Sink tip lines 7-9. (like Scientific Angler Ultra
2 wet tip IV 10 or Tenny Nymph Tip)
--Shooting head sink tip line 7-9 weight (Teeny T200
or T300 or shooting line sink V).
--Optional: Intermediate sinking line. Baking 75-100
yards is sufficient.
Leaders
From 4 to 12 feet long. Tippet material is extremely
important in Argentina. The trout are very strong and
powerful. Your tippet material should be sheer resistant
as well as have the maximum breaking strength in small
daymeters.
Flies
Bring plenty of flies. You can lose 6-10 flies a day
on snags, in trees, by breaking off fish or on stones.
Streamers: Wooky
Bugger, black and olive (from size # 4 to 10); Rabbits,
cinnamon and black (size #2 to 8); Matukas, green and
olive (size #8 to 12); Blonde, white (size #2 to 6);
Cone Head Marabou Muddler, brown and white (size #2
to 8).
Nymphs: Prince
(size # 10 to 14); Hare´s Ear, natural and black (size
#10 to 16); Soft Hackle, cinnamon and black (size #
8 to 14); Kauffman´s Stone black (size # 6 to 10); Montana
(size # 8 to 14).
Dry
Flies: Adams (size # 10 to 16), Elk Hair Cádiz,
natural and black (from sizes # 10 to16); Red Humpy
(sizes # 10 to 14), Blak Gnat (size # 12 to16), Goddard
Cáddis, natural (size # 10 to 14) and Irresistible (size
# 12 to 16).
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