My own movement landed me in Argentina for a couple of months of late summer, early autumn missioning around and trying to tick off well seasoned goals of trout fishing in Patagonia and tangling with the iconic Golden Dorado to compare to our Tanzanian Tiger fish. Fly fishing proved a perfect travel partner, providing at once shape and direction, an interesting conversation starter, and a gate pass to some incredible people and places. 

I was cutting it fine for either fishing season, but particularly the Patagonia scene which experiences drastic changes, and quickly becomes hostile for fair weather fly casters as the sun moves North. The first chance I got I bolted down there, scrambled around and managed to organize a few days of taking in some countryside, two days of incredible quality time on the water, and then was out before the predicted snows and winds really set in. A massive dream had been realized for me, and I was extremely satisfied and also very relieved that I had come so far and not been denied an opportunity to at least experience it. The Chimehuin and Collon Cura Rivers were more than I could handle, and between removing ice from the rod guides while throwing huge streamers with an 8wt for big browns, to chasing the perfect dead drift to rising rainbows, I felt like my brain was buffering as it tried to reference all of this in the context of the classical Patagonian backdrop. Even before the start of the second day, I knew that this was something I would have to come back and do again, and first prize would be to do it with Gustavo and Dan from Andes Drifters again, who were outstanding.

On the back of this huge result, I now had my tail up, and immediately charged overland North towards the much more tropical province of Salta to see if I could ride my luck and form, and try for some Dorado before the colder weather began to decimate my chances. Again I was rewarded with two very full days of hard core fishing, now on the Juramento, but with with no less fish and water to work with. Persistence again paid off, and I’ll never forget the glory of a Dorado up close, something no video or photo can completely convey. 

From Salta it was straight to Santa Fe, with barely enough time to distribute some triumphant pictures before we were hunting doves, ducks and Dorado again, on the Pirana River now with guests from Texas. Tough fishing, but duck limits were reached in 30 minutes in some sessions, and the doves flew in great numbers too. My Argentine odyssey was fittingly rounded off back where it started in Cordoba, in a maize field with the sun and thousands of doves overhead, and happy guests and guides all round.

Putting this onto paper, I am able to see what a huge impact a simple connection to fly fishing has had. Through fly fishing, I started guiding. Through guiding I met amongst many great people, Pablo from Pointer Outfitters. Through Pablo, I had the chance to come to experience Argentina. In Argentina, fly fishing was my vehicle and compass to some awesome people and places, and something familiar that easily translated across language and terrain. 

I am extremely grateful to Pablo and his whole team at Pointer Outfitters for going out of their way to have me and make sure that I had the best possible experience while here, through their own high class operations or the countrywide network of contacts. Fly fishing is an amazing journey, and something like this Argentinian trip makes it very easy to appreciate what it has done for me and makes me very happy to think where it might take us next! 

YOU SHOULD BE THE NEXT ONE! 

Greg Ghaui

Fishing Guide from Tanzania