Wild Patagonia Framed: A Photo Essay by Liam Donohoe

Liam was born and raised on the trout rivers of Idaho, where a lifelong passion for the outdoors eventually led him into the world of professional guiding. Over the past decade, he has built a career guiding and managing lodges across some of the world’s most celebrated fisheries, from Alaska’s Bristol Bay to Chilean Patagonia and the Rocky Mountains in Idaho.

Brothers Gaston and Claudio Urrejola may be the most talented, multi-faceted lodge owners we have ever met. Between them they can do virtually anything including building a spectacular lodge themselves and then turning that into one of the best-run fly fishing and multi-sport lodges in South America. Located just outside of the regional capital of Coyhaique, an area widely considered Chile's trout fishing mecca, this first-class modern facility sets the standard for premier fly fishing lodges in Chilean Patagonia. The lodge's program offers a diverse and exciting array of excellent trout fishing opportunities, including lots of private access fishing properties, as well as a wide range of outdoor experiences including hiking, mountain biking, rafting and horseback riding. In short, they have something for everyone, and they do it all with expertise and care.

Well past the end of the good road in Argentina’s Chubut province is an area simply referred to as Rio Pico. This is the home of Las Pampas Lodge and their multi-faceted, quintessentially Patagonian trout fishing program. When it comes to diverse water types, fishing styles, and trout species, Las Pampas Lodge may be unbeatable. With a multitude of spring creeks, small freestone rivers, and trophy stillwaters, anglers find an array of rainbow, brown, and brook trout fishing options that would take weeks to fully sample. If the lodge-based options aren’t enough, anglers can take advantage of a special satellite trophy brook trout camp (available during certain times of the season).

If we were put on the spot and asked specifically where the most prolific 100 yards of trophy trout water in the world was, our response would be instant, and our tone would be confident. “It is where Argentina’s Rio Barrancoso flows into Lago Strobel.” We have been there and fished it and must say that in all our years of fly fishing, we have never seen, heard of, or experienced anything remotely like it. Some label it surreal or incomprehensible, but for simplicity and accuracy let us call it the one and only Jurassic Lake Lodge.

This boutique, family-style fly fishing program takes anglers on a truly authentic journey combining the best brook and brown trout fishing in southern Patagonia. Guests stay at a traditional family-run Argentine estancia dating back to the 1930’s as well as a unique wilderness eco-camp. Limited to four rods per week, this intimate program gives anglers the opportunity to fish four completely private and well-rested spring creeks which hold all sizes of brook trout including some in the four- to six-pound class.