Page 14 of South American Fishing 2007 by Frontiers International Travel

page 13 tierra del fuego southern patagonia as the aircraft touches ground in southern patagonia the gateway to the rio grande and rio gallegos rivers it would appear you have arrived in a plains town of the american west or on the tundra of the northern territories you have not in reality these rivers are located only a few hundred kilometers from the southernmost inhabited city in the world the stepping stone to antarctica and only a few minutes from the best sea-run brown trout fishing on the planet to say that this adventure is only about fishing is akin to claiming that mt everest is just another hill or the tour de france is just another bicycle race anglers who know the region will tell you that even though it is the best it is not about the fishing instead the journey is about the spirit of the fish the traditions that surround them and the splendor found at the southern tip of the earth these anadromous fish are a case study for the success of catch-and-release and proof that even in the harshest of elements nature produces magnificent things tierra del fuego land of fire discovered in 1520 by ferdinand magellan is the end of the american continents it is a land of many coneach december the sea trout start making their way from the chilly south atlantic into the rivers trasts from forested snow-capped mountains in the west to near sea level undulating grasslands these monsters many weighing as much as 20plus pounds are often eager to take a fly a vigorous fight ensues with acrobatic jumps reelscreaming runs and cannonball-like splashes with an eager guide at your side the struggle continues until your chrome beauty is subdued after a handshake and a photograph the magnificent creature is returned to the crystal-clear water to live and fight another day in the east sheep outnumber people by a wide margin and guanaco and nandu roam the open range freely as they have done for generations coursing from the mountains through the stark windswept landscape is one of the most renowned sea trout rivers in the world the rio grande frontiers is proud to represent three extraordinary lodges in this region kau-tapen villa maria and toon ken tierra del fuego the land of fire.

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