SEASON 2016
LPL Review
“The best aspect of Las Pampas Lodge, other than the superb fishing, is the equalatarian atmosphere at the lodge, where the guides and clients are all part of the family.� Yvon Chouinard (
founder and owner).
INDEX
Las Pampas Style
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Location
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Lodging
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Guides & Staff
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Fishing
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Programs: Las Pampas Experience
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Las Pampas Expeditions 22 PatagoniaOne - NEW!
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Trophy Brook - NEW!
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Featured
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Why Las Pampas Lodge? 36 Happy Anglers
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Booking your trip
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LAS PAMPAS STYLE The 2016 season completes a turning point in Las Pampas Lodge’s history. Over the years, we have searched tirelessly to ensure that, whether you arrive on November 1st or May 1st, you’ll experience the best fishing the area has to offer. No matter what your pleasure, be it drifting dries or moving streamers, hooking huge browns on the surface or snagging rainbows in the fast water, matching the evening hatch or landing the trophy brookie of a lifetime... we’ll take you there!! But, as everyone knows, we fishing professionals are perfectionists, so we couldn’t stop there. This year, for the first time ever, we’ve partnered with the best outfitter in Chile, The Patagonian Basecamp, and are offering you a spot on our new star program: PatagoniaOne - A combined (borderless) fly fishing trip to Argentina and Chile. In 2016, anglers can choose any of our custom designed programs to live their Patagonia fishing dreams: - Las Pampas Experience - Las Pampas Experience + Esquel Waters Program - Las Pampas Expeditions - PatagoniaOne Program (New 2016!) - Trophy Brook Trout Adventure Program (New 2016!) With our friendly, fun, 100% Argentine staff as your guides, you will become immersed Rio Pico’s unique customs and culture, while fishing like you never have before. Of course, some things will never change. You will keep enjoying our amazing meals, top Malbec wines, extraordinary guides, the best private waters, impeccable plane-to-plane service, our well known friendly atmosphere and the chance for your Rio Pico Grand Slam, (catching a trophy brown, rainbow and brook trout in the same week!!) Looking forward to seeing you all this coming season, and to sharing with you the most magical fishing destination in the world as only we know it. The Las Pampas Lodge Staff.
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Rio Pico Grand Slam Trophy brown trout
Trophy brook trout
Trophy rainbow trout
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del Estero
La Rioja
LOCATION
Corrientes Santa Fe
San
Juan
Cordoba San Luis
Mendoza
Entre Rios
Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA ARGENTINA La Pampa
CHILE
Neuquen Rio Negro Esquel
Chubut RĂo Pico
Santa Cruz
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URUGUA
Buenos Aires
Patagonia is a wild land and the Rio Pico region remains as it has been for many, many years. lodges and the final destination for many fishermen.
Things change slowly in this remote corridor of the Andes! Unspoiled rivers, beautiful mountains, mystical forests, never-ending vistas and a slice of authentic Patagonian lifestyle await you.
Las Pampas Lodge location is 250 Km (approx. 150 miles) south of Esquel thus keeping this area out of mainstream angling destinations. Our distance from other lodges and our access to waters in the area defines the unique Las Pampas Lodge experience.
Located in the Chubut Province of Central Patagonia, the lodge is in the "heart" of the Rio Pico area. Guests arrive at the Esquel airport, after a short two hour flight from Buenos Aires, where they are met by their LPL guide and transferred to our Lodge. Esquel is the home of several Argentine fishing
We invite you to come and share this adventure in a fishing paradise that remains largely untouched!
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Never ending vistas irrigated by secret spring creeks.
Untouched native forests, intimate moments and the magestic Andes mountains.
LODGING
At Las Pampas Lodge, we know that there's more to a fishing trip than just the fishing.
Season after season we improve our service in the lodge and out of it. We always double in number our guests with our lodge staff. This ends up in the most personable and dedicated service.
So, each morning, you'll be awakened at whatever time you choose with a soft knock on your bedroom door. The breakfast menu offers classics like your favorite style eggs, fruits, unique lodge specialties and coffee, tea and fresh citric squeezed juice.
Intimate, as a lodge with only four bedrooms (with private bathrooms and a spectacular view of the Cerro Desnudo) in the middle of the wilderness, can be.
Lunch is served stream-side by your guide and assistance guide, with home-made gourmet dishes, fried specialties, salads, beverages, and desserts. Cold beers or Malbec wines will help you feel in heaven...
People just leave back home not knowing what was best: the fishing, the food, the showers, the beds or the drinks in the kitchen!!!
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Your dining experience at Las Pampas Lodge begins with cocktails in our full open bar and a super “picada� (mix of Argentines salames, olives and cheese) beside one of the best fireplaces in Patagonia.
chops, many of which feature local and organic ingredients. In the evenings, guests typically dine together, sharing stories with our guides and hosts, and getting to know each other over the finest Argentine Malbec wines, specially blended with the menu.
Our dinner menu tempts you with a range of inspired choices of our professional Chef, from fresh lamb and vegetarian dishes, to steaks and
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GUIDES & STAFF
Our program would never be true without these incredible people. 100% Argentine, we've been having the same team working at the Lodge, since day one. And every year, new friends join us to develop the “Las Pampas Style”: our signature of an authentic Argentine experience. Imagine bright smiling faces and you will get the best idea of our staff. They ARE Las Pampas Lodge.
tough worker means a LPL Guide. We are proud of having “Mighty” Martin , Andres, “Big” Nico, Pancho “Villa”, Paul “Anca”, Freddy “Pelado” and The “joven” Tucker on our team. By far, the guys you want to be chasing fish on the river, listening good music in the truck and sharing lunch, dinners and cold beers!! OUR UNIQUE LODGE STAFF WILL MAKE YOUR STAY IN PATAGONIA UNFORGETTABLE.
Our guides feel and breath LPL. Fun, happy, intelligent, great people are just some words that describe their personalities. Enthusiasm for guiding and sharing a real experience is their natural way of being. Their intimate knowledge of the Rio Pico area is shown to guests daily: they know every single trout by name and exactly what is their best menu of the day! Patient with beginners and fine instructors of experienced anglers. They are hunters... hunters of huge fish, huge smiles and of the best moments in the waters. Fans of sight fishing, matching the hatch and “we do what we have to do, Tony” to make our guests get their Rio Pico Grand Slam! Fluent English speaker, experienced oarsman, friendly, serious driver, lover of the outdoors and
Eduardo is the real deal and takes care of our breakfast (including raising the chicken that give you our fresh and organic eggs every morning!!) and all you can't see. The crazy Cooks are the taste of LPL: passionate, fresh and fine (there must be a reason why guests always end up drinking beers with them in the kitchen!!). Our waitress and the cleaning girls provide that female touch we all need in Patagonia. This team is one of the secrets of our success. Come and enjoy your time with all of them... and you will understand why we make the difference.
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FISHING Las Pampas Lodge “means” variety and quality of water. several amazing Spring Creeks available and our secret area to catch the broke trout of a lifetime: our Finding Fontinalis Area. Adding the mighty waters of the Rio Corcovado, we ensure you will enjoy the most diverse fishery of the world.
The area is a unique and healthy water system with a big population of Brown, Rainbow and Brook trout. The Rio Pico is formed by several small Spring Creeks that join together to end in one huge Spring River!! Till it's confluence with the Rio Pampa, it flows slowly, then it becomes a willow lined mountain river. It can be floated; however, by no means is floating the only or even the best way to fish its waters. It is classic dry fly water and yet it offers many big pools and long, deep runs where you can throw a streamer if you are so inclined. The Rio Pampa and Rio Nilson are both tributaries to the Rio Pico, both freestone streams with excellent numbers of both rainbow and browns. In all of the rivers, the rainbows make up the quantity and the browns the size. In addition to these three rivers, there are
Alternatively, the Rio Pico area is probably most known for its small super productive lakes and their associated trophy fly fishing opportunities. Personally, our guides prefer to fish moving water, wading or floating and reading the stream. However, casting a big fly from a raft to a rising fish, with the potential of having a 20 to 28 inch brown or rainbow come up and suck it in, brings a whole new meaning to ‘lake fishing’!! Rio Pico options of waters and species are greater than any other locations in Patagonia. Period.
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Programs
LAS PAMPAS EXPERIENCE 7 nights / 6 fishing days
Day 1 - Domestic Flight AEP - ESQ (2hs) and Transfer (2:30hs) to Las Pampas Lodge. Day 2 - Fishing the Rio Pico (1st Section) Day 3 - Fishing Lago 5 Day 4 - Fishing the Rio Pampa and Spring creek Day 5 - Fishing Lago 3 or Lago 1 Day 6 - Fishing the Rio Nielson Day 7 - Fishing the Rio Pico (2nd Section) Day 8 - Transfer to Esquel Airport. Depart from ESQ – AEP The fishing options may change order because of weather or angler's fishing preference of wading or floating. Included: Transfers in/out Esquel (ESQ) Airport to Las Pampas Lodge - Lodging - All foods - All Beverages - English speaking, full equipped, Guide - Guide assistance - Daily transfers to fishing areas - All terminals (leaders, tippets and flies) - Private waters fees Fishing license. Not included: Airfares - Buenos Aires hotel and transfers - Gratitude for staff Price per angler Season 2016 (January to April): U$D 5000.Extra fishing day: U$D 700.-
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LP EXPERIENCE + Esquel waters 10 nights / 9 fishing days Get the best of the Rio Pico area and the Esquel/Trevelin/Los Alerces NP area in one trip. Day 7 - Same as “Las Pampas Experience Program” Day 8 - Fishing Hog lake or the Rio Corcovado. Arrive to Las Pampas North base camp lodge. Day 9 - Fishing the Rio Rivadavia or the Rio Frey (Los Alerces National Park) Day 10 - Fishing the Rio Grande or Futaleufu Day 11 - Transfer to Esquel Airport. Depart to Buenos Aires. Price per angler: U$D 6.700.-
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Programs
LAS PAMPAS EXPEDITIONS 9 nights / 8 fishing days
The expeditions can be added to our week program. If you wish to feel Patagonia deeper in your hart, you must book them in advance: only four expeditions will be done next season. This program is about fishing real untouched waters, floating trips, the best equipment, chef on board cooking every meal around a fire, long days on the water, early mor nings and late afternoons trophy fish and an experience you will never forget. No extra equipment is needed, we provide all you need to have the most direct contact with Patagonia nature. Two different programs can be arranged. We keep these areas really private, so for more information contact us directly to know the fishing opportunities in each. Trust us, they are the ultimate adventure in patagonia fly fishing. Day 1 - Domestic Flight AEP - ESQ and Transfer to Las Pampas Lodge. Day 2 - Fish the Rio Pico (1st Section). Day 3 - Fish Lago 5. Day 4 - Float Fish secret hog river or hog lake. Sleep at LP Expedition Camp 01. Day 5 - Float Fish secret hog river or hog lake. Sleep at LP Expedition Camp 01. Day 6 - Float Fish secret hog river or hog lake. Sleep at LP Expedition Camp 02. Day 7 - Float Fish secret hog river or hog lake. Sleep at LP Expedition Camp 02. Day 8 - Fish the Rio Pampa and spring creek. Day 9 - Fish the Rio Pico (Second section). Day 10 - Transfer to Esquel Airport. Depart from ESQ – AEP. Note: Just a sample Itynerary, we will choose the best days, with the best weather for the Expedition during your whole stay.
Price per angler Season 2016 (January to April): U$D 6,500.-
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Programs
NEW FOR 2016!!! Combined Argentina and Chile program
to experience Patagonia on the deepest level possible.
We can't avoid pushing our limits. And we thought that our program needed a new adventure. So we joined the best outfitter in Chile, The Patagonian Basecamp, and created a combined "borderless" fishing program to Argentina and Chile: PatagoniaOne.
In the words of one of the most respected and experienced travel fishermen in the world: “The new PatagoniaOne program combines the best of Las Pampas Lodge with the best of Patagonian BaseCamp. It is well-choreographed, a perfect blend of the large mountain-water fishing that PBC specializes in with the new small water, high desert wade fishing in Rio Pico, provided by LPL: The very best of both worlds. This new program will no doubt redefine what an ultimate Patagonia Trout Fishing Safari is�.
Starting 2016, for the first time, anglers will have the chance to fish a complete water system starting from a tiny spring creek in the Argentine side of the Andes, all the way down to the Pacific Ocean in Chile. Walking and spotting feeding trout in small streams, floating huge rapids, trophy lake fishing, intimate and high end lodging, five star camping, the best wines of both countries, valleys, glaciers, canyons and countless fish is what you will find in PatagoniaOne.
Pat Pendergast, Director of Travel for The Fly Shop ("36 hours in Rio Pico" article).
This ten day borderless program will maximize the opportunity for our guests
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10 nights / 9 fishing days Day 1 - Domestic Flight AEP - ESQ and Transfer to Las Pampas Lodge. Day 2 - Fish the Rio Pico. Day 3 - Fish the Rio Nielson. Day 4 - Fish the Rio Pampa and Spring creek. Day 5 - Boarder crossing. Fish Rio Figueroa. Sleep at Temple Camp. Day 6 - Fish Rio Pico (Chilenean side). Day 7 - Fish the Rio Palena (1st Section). Sleep at Patagonian Basecamp Lodge. Day 8 - Fish Lago Roselout. Day 9 - Fish Rio Palena (2nd Section). Day 10 - Fish Rio Yelcho. Day 11 - Boarder Crossing and Transfer to Esquel Airport. Depart from ESQ – AEP. Price per angler Season 2016 (January to April): U$D 8,695.-
Programs
NEW FOR 2016!!! Trophy Brook Trout Adventure Program 7 nights / 6 fishing days
Day 1 - Domestic Flight AEP - ESQ and Transfer to Las Pampas Lodge. Day 2 - Fish the Rio Pico. Day 3 - Fish Secret Trophy Brook Trout spots. Day 4 - Fish Secret Trophy Brook Trout spots. Day 5 - Fish Secret Trophy Brook Trout spots. Day 6 - Fish Secret Trophy Brook Trout spots. Day 7 - Fish the Rio Pico, Rio Pampa, Rio Nielson or a trophy lake. Day 8 - Transfer to Esquel Airport. Depart from ESQ – AEP. Price per angler Season 2016 (January to April): U$D 5,000.-
Starting in 2016, we will offer the Trophy Brook Trout Adventure Program.
program! Anglers get to fish freestone rivers, spring creeks, big lakes, tiny lakes, dry flies, nymphs and steamers in all sizes. Hoping that the next bite... will change fishing history.
Have you ever dreamed of getting in the books for catching a world record trophy fish? This is your opportunity! Our region is well known for its huge fish, but when it comes to Brook Trout, there is no doubt that here IS where the next IGFA Brook trout record will be landed.
Our first client to enjoy this amazing program was Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and his adventure will hit the big screen at the Fly Fishing Film Festival 2017. It was a blast of emotions: nights around the fire, great food and big fish!!
The program combines Las Pampas Lodge and camping trips, and accesses even more remote areas than our normal
Since then, our guides are anxious to host every trip to this secret area. Come and join us in breaking the rules one more time.
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LPL Featured (Images used for Catalogues, Retail and Dealer Workbook)
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(website images and video)
(Catalogue images and Instagram feed)
(Instagram feed)
(Extract from “36 hours on the Rio Pico, PatagoniaOne” article) ...The entire drive from Las Pampas to Patagonian BaseCamp, door to door, including the two border crossings takes 3 hours – flat. Marcel and I enjoy a simple and quick dinner and reflect back on the last 36 hours of our lives. We fished 6 different moving water fisheries, half a dozen lagoons, a lake, spring creeks, freestoners, and amazing variety of remote and incredibly productive trout water. We didn’t scratch the surface of what Las Pampas has to offer and even more remarkable, touched everything Marcel has to offer on his side of the Andes in Chile. The new PatagoniaOne program combines the best of Las Pampas with the best of Patagonian BaseCamp. It is well-choreographed, a perfect blend of the large mountain-water fishing that PBC specializes in with the new small water, high desert wade fishing in Rio Pico – the very best of both worlds. This new program will no doubt redefine what an ultimate Patagonia Trout Fishing Safari is.
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WHY LAS PAMPAS LODGE? Most of our guests get to know Las Pampas Lodge from “mouth to mouth”. And we just love it happens that way! • We book and host every single trip to get to know our guests as friends and make sure they don’t get sold what we can’t deliver.
• We have no hidden or extra costs. Our programs are authentic “all inclusive”: since you arrive till you depart of Patagonia.
• Since the moment you arrive to Patagonia, you will feel as comfortable as in your own home land.
• We have been the first outfitters of the area and our Lodge was the first Lodge built in the area too.
• At LPL, you'll never feel like a tourist in a far land. Our enthusiasm for service is second to none.
• We provide one of the best gourmet food in Patagonia. Our chef has a degree in the Cordon Blue Institute and his cuisine is one of the finest. And we didn't even mention Eduardo's incredible asados (Argentine BBQ)!!
• We are truly committed to the Rio Pico Region and people.
• We have been LOCALS in the Las Pampas/Rio Pico area for more than 15 years.
• We are proud to work with the most experienced travel agents in the industry.
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• We know the area of Rio Pico and the access to its waters more than any other outfitter in Argentina.
boots, Winston Rods, NRS rafts, Trout Hunter Tippets, Rio new lines, Zen Fly Fishing Gear.
• We don't guess where tomorrow's fishing could be good. We KNOW where, because we spend the 180 days of the fishing season in the Rio Pico area waters.
• Anglers come back to the lodge after fishing whenever THEY decide: because you are completely tired of casting, or till the last fish rises on a late hatch, or because you want to have a hot shower and enjoy a drink at the lodge's lounge. Just know, our guides love to fish till dark!!!
• Our Staff makes us proud and are the “stone” where the whole operation stands. • We consider our program as a “life changing” trip. You will just get surprised on how professional and natural everything works during your stay.
• We have the best team to help you book your flights and time in Buenos Aires, for no extra cost. • We offer you, all our knowledge of one of the last untouched fishing scenarios of the world.
• We have the best equipment for you: 4WD Toyota Hilux trucks, Patagonia Waders and
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How to book your next adventure? Just follow these 3 easy steps to book your next fly fishing trip to Patagonia: 1) Contact Agustin Fox by: Email: agustinfox@laspampaslodge.com Skype: oggiefox Facebook: AF Las Pampas Lodge Phone: (#US) 011 54 9 2945 412274
or Doug Colonel by: Email: doug@laspampaslodge.com Skype: dougcolonel Facebook: Doug Colonel Phone: (#US) 307-413-3431
We will personally attend your inquiries and match the trip of your dreams. We will work together, the best time and dates for your trip. 2) Consult your travel agent and/or our travel agent (alicia@holdytours.com) and book your international flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and your domestic flights to Esquel, Patagonia. 3) Send us a deposit for the 50% cost of your trip and your booked for your next fishing adventure!! Easy and in person. You will only get what you want. And pay the best price for it. Many traveled fishermen have already proved this. We are waiting for you and want to show you the new fly fishing travel experience. Forget about any other operation you have visited before, Las Pampas Lodge will spoil you for ever!! And not only because of the big fish. (well..., just a secret: fishing is still our highlight among others...).
See you all next 2016!!!! Agustin Fox Las Pampas Lodge.
Special thanks to Bryan Gregson for his amazing photos.
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Las Pampas - Rio Pico - Chubut
PATAGONIA ARGENTINA
www.laspampaslodge.com Facebook: Las Pampas Lodge Phone: (#US) 011 54 9 2945 412274