Raul San Martin's Ghia de Pescas

One of Argentina's most famous angling personalities, with four decades of guiding experience, Raul's knowledge of the secluded regional angling is legendary.

The setting for the fishing in the Esquel region of Argentina is superb. There is a tremendous amount of diversity and it can be called the West Yellowstone of its country. It is the South American fly fishing Mecca and anglers can choose anything from the traditional "Boca" fishing to the more challenging and productive river fishing, as well as still-water opportunities. This is a spectacular

Package Cost:
The cost of the week-long Ghia de Pescas package is $4060 per person

Inclusions:
Included in your angling package at the Ghia de Pescas is daily guided fishing, all meals, wine and beer with meals, all transfers, fishing licenses, access to Los Alerces National Park and private waters, boats and float trips.

Non-Inclusions:
Not included in your angling package at Ghia de Pescas are airfares, extra services such as laundry, telephone calls, and gratuities.

NOTE:
Anglers may combine any or all of the programs outlined above with a 4 night, 3

The primary species of trout in the waters accessed by Patagonia River Guides are: brown trout, rainbow trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon and brook trout. Salmon (Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, Atlantic salmon) are escaping from fish hatcheries in Chile and making runs into some of the streams of Argentina, Patagonia. The effects of these fish in the ecosystem are not known quite yet. Other species of fish in the rivers and lake include: trucha criolla or perca, perjerrey patagonico and puyen. The salmon and indigenous species of fish are not frequently caught; however, a few guests land some salmon and more than a few perca each season.

Spring (November & December)
Opening day in Argentina, Patagonia is in November, traditionally a time when North American fishermen are preoccupied with family and holidays. Schools in South America release their students just before Christmas and the rivers of Patagonia don't see much pressure until after the first of the year. Raul San Martin, one of the most highly respected fly fishing guides in Argentina, all South America insists that the best fishing happens in December. Typically, the landscape is ablaze with a mind-baffling display of wildflowers and although the night-time temperatures can dip into the mid 30's, day-time temperatures

Summer (January & February)
Spring snow melt is gone and most all of the moving waters have dropped down to normal flows. The weather's reliable temperatures are pleasant and the days are long, the hatches are predictable and the terrestrial bug life is starting to show signs of life. Mosquitoes aren't much of a concern in most of Patagonia, but the Lake District can be plagued for a few weeks with Chulihuachos, a pest resembling a horse/deer fly that has all but disappeared by the end of the month. By the first of February trout begin to key on predictable evening caddis hatches while hoppers, beetles and

Fall (March & April)
Somewhere around the middle March through April and into the first couple weeks of May is when fall begins in the Southern Hemisphere. Kids go back to school and the angler traffic falls off dramatically on the streams and rivers of Argentina, Patagonia, especially on public waters. Similar to the Rockies, fall weather is less reliable; days are shorter and night time temperatures are cooler which start to retard hatches and terrestrials. Anglers fishing

There are a wide choice of convenient, daily flights from Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and New York. Most flights are direct departing the States in the afternoon or early evening and arriving early the next morning. Airlines that service Buenos Aires daily include American, United, Continental, Delta, LAN Aerolineas Argentinas, Air France, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Lufthansa and Varig.

Flying Times to Buenos Aires from: Los Angeles: 13 hours, Dallas: 11 hours, Houston: 10 hours, Miami: 9 hours New York: 11 hours, Chicago: 11 hours.

Almost all the international flights into Argentina arrive at the Ministro Pistarini (Ezeiza) International Airport of Buenos Aires, 35 Km from the Federal Capital. You are required to fill out a customary arrival form, which will be handed out to you on your flight down. First you will clear Immigrations (Passport Control) then you will retrieve your luggage, and clear Customs. The entire arrival process in Buenos Aires should take between 1 and 1 ½ half hours.

Arrival Buenos Aires
Getting to Patagonia is not difficult. It is actually very simple: take an overnight flight to Buenos Aires from one of several major cities in the U.S, get a good night's rest and awake in Argentina. If you have so pre-arranged, you will be met by our professional agents at the airport and transferred to your hotel or to the domestic airport for immediate departure to Patagonia.

Our agents in Buenos Aires will re-confirm flights, make dinner reservations, share a cocktail, and take you on a city tour if you wish.

Buenos Aires has two airports, an international and a domestic. You will arrive from your country of origin at Ezezia (EZE) and depart to Esquel (EQS) from the domestic airport, Aeroparque (AEP). It is necessary to transfer by ground from the international airport to the domestic airport for your flight

Anglers that choose a Los Alerces National Park Package are accommodated at one of two lovely Hosterías inside the park, Quime Quepan, or Lago Verde Wilderness Resort. The locations are spectacular, the service is excellent, and the food is good. There are a number of fine rivers nearby that are easily reached, including the Rio Rivadivia, Rio Frey, and several small streams.

For fishing the spring creeks, freestone rivers

Hostería Futalaufquen:
Lago Futalaufquen, Parque Nacional Los Alerces, Chubut - Patagonia Argentina
This waterfront four-star boutique hotel was built by well known Argentine architect Alejandro Bustillo. The setting at Hostería Futalaufquen is incredible and there is not a bad view on the property. The lodge lounge,

Hostería Elaura:
Lago Verde, Parque Nacional Los Alerces, Chubut - Patagonia Argentina
A wonderful rustic, yet surprisingly elegant wilderness resort, designed and constructed by famed eco-architect Alfred Zubiri, situated on the shores of Lago Verde, close to the Rio Rivadvia boca. The setting of this lodge is

Hostería Cumbres Blancas:
Esquel, Chubut - Patagonia Argentina
Esquel's, nicest and shiniest Hostería, Cumbres Blancas is the perfect location to base from to access the spring creeks, rivers and lakes within striking distance of Esquel. The rooms are clean and modern, the restaurant quite good and the staff very helpful and courteous. Other services and amenities

Fishing usually starts after a fairly early breakfast served at approximately 7:00 a.m. Your guides will be ready to load the vehicles and head off to the waters before 8:00 a.m. The longest drive is one hour and fifteen minutes and the shortest a 15 minute jaunt. Lunch is usually taken in the field and in typical Argentine fashion, an event. Expect tables, chairs table clothes, glass wear, silver wear an open fire for cooking, different cuts of beef, sausages, wine, beer, cheeses, fresh fruit, homemade breads, etc. A short post lunch siesta is usually in order before heading back out to the water. You are usually back to your lodging late in the evening, with enough time to shower, enjoy a cocktail or two before dinner is served usually around 11:00 p.m. Dinners are delicious, prepared freshly by talented chefs and use the finest local meats, vegetables and fruits available and accompanied by some terrific Argentine wines. The Argentines are masters of squeezing two days into one.

This region offers a wide variety of quality fly fishing opportunities. Here, in Esquel, we sit on the edge of a transition zone. To the West, you will see the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. And to the East, the high desert. Driving from Esquel, in any direction, will take you through dramatically different fishing and climate zones - from tall forest laden steppes kissed with moist mountain air, to barren scrub grass plains and dry desert conditions. The snow pack in the Andes provides the entire region with a consistent supply of clean, fresh, cold water. No other area in the world, as far as we are aware, offers so many distinctly different quality fly fishing experiences than the West Chubut Region.

The National Park of "Los Alerces" is home to some of the most beautiful rivers in the region. The park encloses an area of 263,000 hectares and was created in 1937 to protect one of the oldest trees on Earth: the alerce or lahuan.

One such River is the Rio Rivadavia which supports an incredible population of wild trout. The Rio Rivadavia is about 10 kilometers long, and full of fat, healthy, rainbows and browns. The river changes in character from a narrow, deep channel to long, broad flats, often looking more like a hatchery full of fish than a wild river nestled between Lago Rivadavia and Lago Verde. It's a nymph fisherman's paradise, full of unsophisticated, yet naturally selective fish which can make the experience as frustrating as it can be fantastic.

These waters are restricted by Park Regulations solely to fly fishing catch-and-release. Only the very upper portion can be comfortably reached on foot, and only the most skilled, experienced boatman is able to navigate its fish-filled passages.

A wonderful spring creek, "El Canal," flows into the Rivadavia. El Canal's slow, clear current is perfect for spotting & casting to holding trout that look more like submarines than fish. It has to be experienced to be believed.

Absolutely beautiful and chuck full of trout is the Rio Arrayanes. A big wide, flat river less than 3 miles in total length, it connects Lago Futalaufquen with Lago Verde. Easy to wade and fish, the best spots on the river are reached only by boat, and anglers can look forward to terrific dry fly fishing. Lago Verde is a small stillwater fishermen's dream- come-true loaded with trout. Its banks and shoreline are surrounded by weeds, offering the perfect habitat and protection for patrolling trout. Nymph fishing is the key here. Anglers can either fish from behind the weeds, float tube, or be rowed in a boat along the perimeters.

In addition, the lake has 2 very important bocas "river mouths" harboring giant size trout. Lago Verde is a wonderful day of fishing and a great diversion from moving water.

The only way to reach the Rio Frey is by a 30