One word aptly captures the essence of the waters and landscape in Argentine Patagonia: epic. This is a realm seemingly untouched by human influence, where grandeur evokes a primordial era. Its vast expanses encompass harsh tundras, mystical monkey puzzle forests, and towering mountains that exude a purely prehistoric aura.
JunÃn de los Andes, located in the Argentine Patagonia, is renowned for its exceptional trout fishing. The region is surrounded by stunning landscapes, including the Andes mountains, crystal-clear rivers, and pristine lakes, making it a paradise for anglers seeking a unique and immersive fly fishing experience.
Set Fly Fishing has established an operation here called Spring Creek Lodge. It’s an oasis of small cabins nestled into a lush meadow. A radiant fireplace waits every evening and fresh coffee is delivered each morning. Trout make their home a rods length from the back door in the small namesake spring creek that flows through the property.
You’ll find staff who serves with love and precision, the authenticity of their smiles are a testament to the heart they put into their work. From a bar serving cocktails you’d struggle to best in the center of NYC, to gardens of iron and fire where fresh local meat is seared using authentic patagonian asado techniques, you’d be pressed to conjure a more luxurious evening.
The fishing opportunities around Spring Creek Lodge are vast and plentiful. The operation has curated float trips, walk and wade fishing and lake fishing. My advice? Do it all. This is a place where boredom ceases to exist. There’s truly something for everyone.
Float Trips at Spring Creek Lodge
Floating the rivers of JunÃn de los Andes is a streamer junkies dream. Don’t get me wrong there’s plenty of dry fly fishing, but this is a way to cover a lot of water in search of very big trout.
In our stay with SET, we set out on a float and the fish were less apt to commit to large streamers than we had expected. There were plenty of flashes and short strikes, the fish were there, but they clearly wanted something different than the traditional offerings. It was an opportunity to take a wider view and try something different. I swapped my large subsurface offering for a mouse pattern that’s done very well for me back home, the master splinter. This fly has a foam back, rabbit body and a chenille tail. It’s intended to be soft, stealthy and tantalizing. After passing through some ‘fishy’ water without a reaction I decided to commit and go loud. I had a few large loud deerhair poppers intended for largemouth bass fishing in my fly box and said “why notâ€. I made a cast to the bank, and the second aggressive strip was met by a 22†brown trout soaring double its body length out of the water to kill my fly. The day was over several hours later, after countless fish on large topwater flies, adrenaline coursing through our veins the entire car ride back to the lodge. These moments are what Argentina is all about for me. It’s a place where you can surprise yourself with unprecedented techniques and take away stories that last a lifetime.
SET handles overnight float trips in a fashion that harkens back to their hospitality at the lodge. A crew will head downstream before your fishing float, pick a spot and set up what SET refers to as their “deluxe camp.†Every angler has their own tent and cot, there are dining tents, a bar, and a traditional asado is cooked over an open fire. It’s certainly the most luxurious camping experience I’ve had and should come at no surprise. The folks at SET and Spring Creek Lodge spare no expense in the name of hospitality.
Lake Fishing at Spring Creek Lodge
A Carolina Skiff equipped with a trolling motor is the vessel of choice for the large glacial lakes adjacent to Spring Creek Lodge. These boats make for a comfortable ride and stable fishing.
Some people gawk at the thought of lake fishing, trout in still water are often approached with long sinking lines and painfully slow presentations. This is simply not the case in Patagonia. Schools of large trout patrol steep cliff faces inches from the water’s surface. These fish are selective enough to be exciting and plentiful enough to keep your heart pounding all day. Small dry flies such as an #18 Adams worked wonders for us on these lakes. It’s a unique game of patterning fish and presenting without the consistency of a river’s flow, the fish move freely meaning they decide when and where to go, not unlike fish on tropical flats. The unpredictability is all part of the excitement.
The Food at Spring Creek Lodge
Immersive, traditional, elegant and bold all come to mind when reflecting on the culinary experience that is Spring Creek Lodge. There are massive structures sculpted with black iron used to cook patagonian asado. Coals are raked methodically over hours upon hours as the most succulent meats and root vegetables are kissed by their flames. These bold, rustic flavors are combined with modern elegant plating and details. Each dish is a painting that reflects the heart and soul of patagonian cuisine. There’s not a plate that goes unfinished nor a patron left unsatisfied. From a veritable smorgasbord of delicate morning pastries to thoughtful wine pairings and unique cocktails the culinary staff is a force driven by love of craft and service to provide a distinctive, memorable experience.
SET Fly Fishing offers a trout lover’s dream adventure with all the creature comforts you didn’t even know you wanted. This place sets the bar at a new height for any lodge experience. The adventure, expansive angling opportunities, breathtaking landscapes, food and drink all carve a place in any patrons heart. Once they’ve experienced Spring Creek Lodge, you’re sure to spend some time daydreaming about coming back, I know I do.
If you’re interested in booking a trip with SET Fly Fishing at Spring Creek Lodge, visit thespringcreeklodge.com. Be sure to check out @spring_creek_lodge and @setflyfishing.
