LOCALadk Magazine

Fall 2019 LOCALadk Magazine 47 LOCALadk perfect for our budget. It is a stripped down adventure that promised to deliver what ever y fisherman dreams of: fish, fish, and more fish. Their website touted a philosophy of less is more, which translated into less frills and more fishing at an affordable price. We weren't disappointed. We arrived to pleasant ac- commodations, delicious and ample food, and unbelievably large trout—at a fraction of the cost of most other outfit- ters in the area. Our lodging was clean, efficient, and quaint. The resident cook was always there preparing some type of hearty dish —usually eggs and toast with jam for breakfast, a packed lunch for our time on the water, and a hearty meal in the evening. Dishes such as chicken, pasta, pizza, steaks, and hamburgers were all expertly prepared. One night, a tra- ditional Al Asado of butterflied lamb was cooked on an open fire by local legend and historian Paulino Arias. Paulino was instrumental in setting up the fishing opportunities and con- ser vation plans in the Rio Pico area; he was likely the first to fly-fish the local waters. The trout of Rio Pico are all sustainable populations—no stocking takes place. The waters are cr ystal clear and strictly protected to ensure the quality of the fishing and longevity of the ecosys- tem. Our guide for the week, "Rocky," really knew his stuff, and has to be the most patient 29-year-old I have ever met. I believe I may have set the record for putting my fly in the bushes, but he never complained. Did I mention the wind gusts that would snatch your fly off the water and deliver it to the nearest tree? Hon- est, it wasn't my back cast. Did I mention that it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit our first day, and 4 days later we were layered in ever ything we had to wear because it was 45 de- grees, and the winds were 50 mph with 3-foot whitecaps? Rocky worked his butt off to keep us on fish in spite of the conditions. One invaluable piece of advice I've taken to heart is to not set your expectations too high so you won't be disappoint- ed. The brochures and websites for any fishing destination always lead you to believe that any novice can arrive in this paradise, and with no problem at all hook into the fish of a lifetime. They tell you that you will catch so many big fish you will be amazed, maybe even get bored with it, and your arm will feel like it's going to fall off from fighting the monsters. Justin never made any promises, but he said we would not be disappointed. Well, over the few days we were there I caught so many large trout that I was amazed, and I never got bored, but I did think my arm was going to fall off from casting to and fighting the monster trout of Rio Pico. When I tell you that I stopped counting fish on this trip somewhere around 200, it will hopefully give you an idea of the abundance of hungr y trout roaming the streams and lakes in Rio Pico. The fishing we did was in small streams with dr y flies where the brook trout ranged from 8 to 22 inches, to larger rivers where we caught browns and scrappy rainbows in the 20 - to 22-inch range. One lake we fished produced over 20 browns and rainbows up to 27 inches long. Another lake contained only brook trout that looked like footballs, and one exceeded 7 pounds. They eagerly attacked large stream- ers. These rivers and lakes often went unnamed, as did the secret flies we were given by our guide. Only with our prom- ise to never reveal their description to any other human be- ing would Rocky dole them out. Rio Pico is located in the Chubot Province of Argentina. You'll fly to Buenos Aires and then take another 2-hour flight south to Esquel, where your guide will meet you. Together you'll drive 2 1/2 hours farther south, arriving in Rio Pico, which sits in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Rio Pico is a dusty, windy little town of maybe a few hundred people, almost as many friendly street dogs, and about a dozen little corner stores where you can find most anything you forgot to pack. A great selection of local wines, beers, and some of the best fresh-baked bread and pastries I have had any- where. You are likely to see a gaucho riding his horse down the main street or a vintage Ford pickup with a 1930s Packard hood orna- ment. A few hundred yards down the road you can visit the graves of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, who hid out in the local hills. When you reach the outskirts of town the blacktop ends and the dirt and gravel roads stretch out for miles. You'll eat dust for 20 miles, and then you'll reach a turnoff, a gate, and the rockiest road you will ever drive on. In ever y direction there are numerous rivers, streams, and lakes where the brook trout can reach 8 to 10 pounds, and the browns and rainbows are in the same range. The fishing is fly-fishing only, and strictly catch and release. At the end of each day there are photos and stories to share with your fellow guests. Fishermen were arriving from all over the world to enjoy the adventure. We met two brothers from Denmark—Soren and Harald Roland—who told us about the huge char of Greenland, and we made an addition to our bucket list. I would go back to Rio Pico in a heartbeat. I just turned 70, and if the Lord blesses me with a few more years of good health, I shall return. In the meantime you will find Don, Jay, and me pouring over the stocking lists. "Look!" Don will ex- claim, "Here's a pond that was stocked 4 years ago and is only 5 miles off the beaten trail. Let's check it out." My response? " When? I'm not getting any younger." Check out the possibilities for the trip of a lifetime at HemispheresUnlimited.com.

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