Tierra del Fuego | Argentina
Villa Maria Lodge
Overview
Tierra del Fuego, at the tip of the South American continent, is the southernmost land mass on the planet, with the exception of Antarctica. Though the archipelago's southern and westernmost reaches are mountainous and wet, Tierra del Fuego's largest island and eastern half is covered mostly by arid plains whose enchanting, austere landscapes are sparsely inhabited.
Flowing through Tierra del Fuego's arid plains is the Rio Grande, which originates in the mountains of Chile and flows eastward across the Patagonian plateau to the Atlantic Ocean. The Rio Grande is widely regarded as the world's finest sea-run brown trout (also known as seatrout) river. More world record sea-run brown trout have been pulled from the Rio Grande's waters than any other river on earth.
The Fishing
No fewer than five different fishing lodges line the remote Rio Grande between where it crosses Argentina's border with neighboring Chile and where it dumps into the Atlantic Ocean, giving anglers hoping to ply the waters of the world's most famous seatrout river a bevy of options to choose from. But Villa Maria, one of the oldest lodges on the river, has an advantage over them all: it's first. That is, Villa Maria's lodge and its beats on the Rio Grande are the lowest on the entire river. In other words, fresh-from-the-salt, electric sea-run brown trout swim through Villa Maria's waters before any others.
Though some anglers opt to fish single-handed rods, two-handed rods—spey and switch rods—are the coin of the realm on the lower Rio Grande, where they provide anglers big advantages when dealing with Tierra del Fuego's stiff winds. Another advantage when dealing with winds is Villa Maria's extensive beat system—which spans over 20km of the Rio Grande—offering anglers myriad opportunities to fish pools where the wind is your friend (read: at your back) instead of your enemy.
As a "big fish" fishery—seatrout over 20 pounds are caught every week at Villa Maria—anglers often arrive expecting long casting days with low catch rates, only hoping for a trophy or two over the course of an entire week. On the Rio Grande, however, multi-fish days are standard fare (1-2 fish days are the norm) and days where anglers catch 5-8 fish happen with regularity.
Accomodations
LODGING: Villa Maria Lodge, in truth, isn't one but two lodges. The main lodge, where you'll lay your head at night, is a cozy and refined and sits amongst the working heart of Estancia Jose Menendez. Complimentary single rooms for all anglers surround the lodge's great room, where a roaring fire always seems to be burning in defiance of the howling Tierra del Fuego winds outside the door. An intimate dining room adjacent to the lodge's great room hosts breakfast and dinner. Villa Maria's "day house," which sits a few kilometers into the estancia's ranchlands, perched high above the Rio Grande, hosts guests for lunch—even offering sleeping quarters for afternoon siestas.
FOOD/DRINK: It's no longer uncommon to find fine dining at remote fishing lodges. Lodges from one corner of the globe to another are turning out impressive fare, some of which stands up to that served by metropolitan eateries where reservations book up months in advance. But even amongst this now crowded field of lodges offering notable, chef-prepared meals, Villa Maria is a standout. Expertly crafted dishes pair with beautiful wines from Bodega Catena Zapata ensure every meal is an event to be remembered.
CONNECTIVITY: Reliable WiFi is available both at Villa Maria's main lodge and its day house.
Sample Itinerary
Arrive by late afternoon to Villa Maria's main lodge. After you've settled in, venture out to explore the grounds of the estancias, head to the bar for a cocktail or a glass of wine, or take up a book by the fire in the lodge's great room while you await dinner, the first of many eventful meals you'll experience while at Villa Maria.
Gear up and take a short drive (typically 5-15 minutes) through the ranch to your beat on the Rio Grande. Just miles from the ocean, Villa Maria's waters represent the first chance anglers have to encounter sea-run brown trout as they migrate up the river from the turbulent waters of the south Atlantic.
"If you're tough enough" — that's the mantra uttered at Villa Maria. This is no place for sissies. The famous winds of Tierra del Fuego conspire with chilly temperatures to make each outing a challenge. But with that challenge comes immense reward. If, that is, you're tough enough.
Each day at Villa Maria is split into a morning and afternoon session. After a morning spent plying the river for its early movers, the day adjourns to Villa Maria's "day house," perched high above the river with expansive vista. A full-fledged lodge in its own right, guests are greeted with fine wines and a chef-prepared lunch that put dinners at most lodges to shame. After lunch, break for a siesta in the day house's 4 bedrooms, where you just might have the best nap of your life before heading out for the afternoon session.
Don't let Tierra del Fuego's austere landscapes fool you. Despite the extreme latitude, ever-present winds, and seemingly barren landscapes, the island is alive with life. In addition to the sea-run brown trout you've come to chase, flamingos, red fox, guanaco (a camelid closely related to the llama), countless species of birds and more all call Tierra del Fuego home.
Included
- Ground transportation Transfer from Rio Grande airport to Villa Maria Lodge
- Guided fishing Fully guided walk-and-wade fishing
- Lodging Your stay at Villa Maria Lodge
- Meals Chef-prepared Argentine classics
- Beverages Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included
- Equipment Don't want to bring yours? High-end Sage rods and reels are available for your use.
Getting There
Anglers visiting Villa Maria will fly into Buenos Aires (EZE), where they'll connect through the Buenos Aires domestic airport (AEP) en route to the city of Rio Grande (RGA) in Tierra del Fuego. Lodge staff will greet you at the airport for the short transfer to Estancia Jose Menendez, the home of Villa Maria lodge.
On the lower reaches of Argentina’s famed Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego, the Villa Maria Lodge delivered the ultimate experience for this first-time sea-run brown trout angler. It is strategically located just a few miles upstream from the South Atlantic and was my first opportunity to cast to sea trout freshly arrived from the ocean. I experienced the pleasure of landing pristine, chrome-bright fish yet to be pressured by anglers. My largest fish was 18+ pounds. Although a few bigger ones were caught that week at the lodge, the average was around 7 to 8 pounds.
The landscape surrounding Villa Maria Lodge evokes a sense of remote, rugged beauty, reminding me a little of the vast expanses of Wyoming. It is a sparsely populated wilderness, characterized by expansive sheep farming estancias and is home to native wildlife such as guanacos, red foxes and numerous birds. I found it uniquely beautiful. The building that now welcomes us anglers once served as the ranch manager's family home, a testament to the area's rich heritage. The rooms are well-appointed and inviting living spaces cater to the needs of the more discerning sea-run trout chasers. Its historical charm and contemporary comfort are a contrast to its remoteness.
Villa Maria Lodge provides access to some of the most prolific pools in the river's lower section where I learned the effectiveness of two-handed rods. The multiple sharp river bends, with wadable shallows on one side called for long casts to the deeper far turn banks.
While the giant sea-run brown trout fishing promises were delivered, the weather conditions in Tierra del Fuego did, and they say usually do, present a unique aspect of this angling adventure. It was windy, prevailing winds originate from the Andes and blow towards the sea. But this was actually an advantage as the excellent guides positioned us in the river such that the wind assisted casts made across and downstream. The experienced guides provided the expertise to navigate the weather and assisted us anglers in adapting their fishing techniques accordingly. I had never held a two-handed rod and with their great instruction was able to successfully land fish every day. Their knowledge of the river, the behavior of the sea-run brown trout, and effective strategies for casting in windy conditions proved invaluable. I will brave the wind and wind chill any day for the opportunity for these large and powerful fish.
Fueling my angling was the "sumptuous" dining at Villa Maria Lodge. The chef crafted delicious meals daily, utilizing fresh, regionally sourced meats and produce. Meats, and lots of it, were on the menu at each meal. A full luncheon meal was at a second, modern lodge located on the cliffs overlooking the beats of the river. The midday lodge even had beds for us anglers to nap after lunch, only to rise around 3 pm and reload for a second attack on the river that lasted until after dark. I also must mention the renowned Argentine wines that accompanied lunch and evening meals. Wow!
The rewards offered by Villa Maria Lodge on the Rio Grande are undoubtedly worth braving the elements.