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ARGENTINA
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WWW.THEFLYSHOP.COM  EMAIL: TRAVEL@THEFLYSHOP.COM
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Patagonia
River Guides
The best of the Patagonia trout season begins in late November, their spring, and continues through mid-April
IT WOULD BE TOUGH to argue that the best fly fishing Argentine Patagonia has to offer is with Patagonia River Guides (PRG). Guests of PRG have the opportunity to enjoy the most comprehensive fly fishing pro- grams from over ten diverse lodging choices across the three most productive regions of Patagonia, Argentina – Rio Pico in the far south, Esquel in middle Patagonia, and San Martin de los Andes in the north. Every trip is customized according to the anglers’ needs and desires, and trips as short as three days or as long as three weeks are easily executed. The PRG experience is a unique blend of amazing waters, varied fishing, beautiful scenery, interesting culture, lasting friendships and unrivaled service, complemented by gourmet and regional cuisine, delicious wines and first- class accommodations.
There are few places in the world where you can enjoy the diversity and quality of fishing offered in Patagonia, but careful planning and execution are critical to getting the most out of your fly fishing trip. PRG’s philosophy to fishing is straightforward: fish the best rivers, at the best times, with the best guides. On any
given day, PRG’s guests could find themselves wading small freestone streams or spring creeks, floating bigger rivers from comfortable rafts or drift boats, stalking fish and sight fishing in gin-clear water or even spending a day in search of fish over ten pounds in still waters. Fish size and numbers depend on the type of water and the angler’s skill level, but PRG has thousands of satisfied clients to attest to the quality, diversity and unparal- leled beauty of their fisheries.
Patagonia River Guides are uniquely skilled to give their largely American clientele an experience they expect and hope for, as the owners are Americans. Rance and Travis come from multi-generational guiding families in Montana, honing their skills there and in other fly fishing destinations around the world as twenty-somethings. Over 15 years ago they both began guiding for operations in southern Argentine Patagonia, and eventually began their own business, first purchasing and completely renovating a beautiful lodge in Trevelin (outside the town of Esquel), then adding an operation in the far southern wilderness of Rio Pico, and most recently
adding the PRG North program up in the northern regions of San Martin de Los Andes. Each destination carries with it their insis- tence on pushing the envelope to show their guests the absolute finest regional fly fishing, as well as the trademark attention to detail and incredible level of service that Rance and Travis have become famous for. Really, you get the best of both worlds, combining the best American owner/management with the finest Argentine guides and staff, and accessing the most remarkable waters.
The fishing programs offered at the three PRG lodges are incredibly diverse, and each is unique from the other. In Rio Pico anglers get to fish waters so far from civilization that they have only recently been discovered and fished – small spring creeks for big, dry fly slurping browns and rainbows; intimate free- stone streams packed with 12 to 18-inch trout; the daily possibility of some huge browns; and a string of mountain lakes that have really big trout (think pounds, not inches).