Intro: A few years back, I was fly fishing for Albies in Rhode Island and while waiting for the tide to turn and the Albies to come through, I shot the breeze with a couple other Albie addicts. Alex was one of those guys. He told me that he lives in Argentina and was in Rhode Island visiting friends and family. I will always remember Alex because while we were waiting for the Albies, Alex looked at my chest pack and said, “Dude, you may want to lose that chest pack. If you hook an Albie, you don’t want to have any obstructions hanging from your body. I have seen allot guys lose Albies because the fish rips line out so fast and the fly line gets tangled around snippers, packs, tippet spools..etc.” I considered his recommendation but didn’t remove the pack. Well, the Albies came burning through. I tossed out my bunny fly. An Albie at it and my fly line ripped out of my stripping basket. The slack line was getting taken out so fast that it was actually flying up in my face. Wouldn’t ya know it. The line somehow managed to wrap around my chest pack. The blazing Albie snapped my tippet in seconds and I stood there scratching my head. Alex said, “That sucks dude.” Since then we have stayed in touch. Alex, Ray and his brother just finished up a month long fly fishing excursion through Patagonia. Here is one photo he managed to get off to me and a short fish tale.
I hope all is well. We fly fished really hard and drifted the Alumine and of course my favorite river in the world, the Rio Limay. We also fished the Quillen and Malleo and many many more rivers in Patagonia.I would love for you to join me some time here in Argentina as I will be going to the south for the fall run of big fish in April. I have a ton to tell you and share with you. Ray caught some beautiful fish and so did Ed my two brothers that joined me. The Brown Trout in this picture is one that I caught on a five weight fly rod and I couldn´t pick her up of the bottom. She went straight to the bottom after a serious fast runs. The five weight rod is 10 ft six inches and that fish fought like a son of bitch…bent the rod. I finally beached her after a beautiful sunset. We shot some nice fotos and put her back in, of course… I will write more later.
Very cool– I would love to trek through south america and hunt for large fish, it is nice to see that someone is. Great fish keep us posted with others.
excellent tale. I love to hear the names of those rivers. I was lucky enough to spend 10 weeks fishing around San Martin de los andes a few years back. I loved the malleo, and Chimiwhin. I always wanted to get to the south for the big browns, but haven’t yet. maybe some day. until then I look forward to reading about it.
Alex, I was wondering if I could get the contact info for your friend. my roomate is going to Argentina for the month of april in the Bariloche/San Marteen area and is trying to fish alot and im trying to help him get ready. any help would be much appreciated. PM me anything youve got. thanks.
ed
hey man he definetly has to call my friends they are all guides here from Argentina i finally am a resident and i have to wait two years to get mt guide liscence… however to start near san martin he has to call Achala on the Alumine Diego Buzzurro and Carlos
011 54 3541 420575
011 54 3541 15 578120
http://www.achalaexperience.com.ar
and my dear friend Guillermo Vayquey near bariloche master guide rio limay
011 54 2944 15 418938 cell
in bariloche dial 15 418 938
if you can´t get in touch with him he works with mydear brothers at patagonfly
owner Omar aka bannana…
http://www.patagonfly.com
i will write more later these guys are some of the best in the world . keep me informrd as i will be there fishing in april , however time will not be on my side ….
Alex,
you must be the fellow I heard about from “Ray” ramina after I watched him swim across a spring creek and then spent a day fishing at ted turners joint.