Let's first just pause and take in this magical view - does it get any better?! Notice Torres del Paine in the background.
My husband and I live in Montana and fly fish as much as possible from April - October. It's a newer hobby for me, but I've caught on quickly and have fallen hard.The search for the biggest trout always keeps me coming back for more. The science of matching the fly to what's hatching on that specific river at that specific time of year is fascinating to me (as well as maddeningly complicated!).
We spent the majority of our days on this trip fishing, which for Remota means one guide for every two anglers. We were spoiled! We tried a new location each day, often on private farmland with special permissions from the land owners.The views were stunning, and some days were more successful than others, but for anyone who fishes regularly, they know that a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work!
And now for our biggest catch of the week:
Remota always outdid themselves with the lunch, too. Always and excellent spread of sandwiches and salads accompanied by red wine and pisco sours. Did I mention we were spoiled?
Anyone who has picked up a Patagonia guide book knows that the weather can be harsh and unpredictable in this region of the world. For the fly fisherman, sometimes the biggest enemy is a windy day, and boy can this area get wind like you've never experienced before! The strong winds can make for tough fishing conditions and frustrating knots in your fishing line. Your arms may tire quickly, and you might just decide to take a break to drink a pisco sour, but the wind is the main reason I say that Patagonia fly fishing is definitely not for beginners. Coming from two avid anglers from Montana who just barely got by on some days, trust me when I say that you don't want a windy day in Patagonia to be your first fishing experience! But for anglers with a bit of experience, this part of the world might just bring your biggest catch to-date!
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.