Argentina is not a place where anyone can throw together a fly fishing lodge and begin advertising. The country has very strict policies on business formation and guide licenses are limited. Chocolate Lab Expeditions was founded by Ron who began guiding in the region in long before restrictions on guides were implemented, grandfathering him into a system that no longer allows new guide licenses for foreigners. Ron brought his wealth of fly fishing knowledge and enthusiasm here and now operates the premier guide service in the northern sector of Argentine-Patagonia with a team of stellar guides.
The Rivers and Fishing Program
Many of the rivers are born from large lake systems and they run crystal clear throughout the entire season. I arrived during the early season and we floated high water but the clarity remained crystal clear. The fish were unaffected by the early flows and we hooked and landed a pile of average size trout along with several browns over 22-inches in a single day. This was on the famous Chimehuin River system where we camped on the river banks and had an Asado or Argentine barbecue under a thick blanket of stars.
The Collon Cura also turned out several incredible days of fishing for us. These rivers have high population densities of wild rainbow and brown trout along with the native perca trucha which are fun to catch. Early season streamer fishing is next level. We cast streamers against the banks and watched several big browns peel off to follow and inhale the flies. As the season progresses and the water drops, the fish will move off the banks and occupy mid river lies and flats where the dry fly fishing is world class.
Chocolate Lab Expeditions also runs trips on the Filo Hua Hum and Malleo in this region amongst others. The Filo Hua Hum has very little access and Ron has permission to fish the best of the river. It’s a wade fishery with the potential to produce big brown trout in intimate waters without any other anglers around. In my book, walking a smaller river and sight fishing to big trout is hard to beat.
For specialty trips made specifically to target very large brown trout, the Limay River floats are something to put on your bucket list. Many anglers travel specifically to fish for the exceptionally large, migratory populations of brown trout here. The sections of river fished also produce some really nice rainbow trout as well.
Most of the fishing here is done from drift boats, making them one of the few outfitters running this game in the entirety of Patagonia. This works because Ron also owns and operates the RO drift boat company in Argentina. Owning the boats allows him to employ guides through the off season at the boat shop, making it possible to train and grow some of the best and most loyal guides in Argentina.
The Fishing Lodges and Hospitality
Lodging depends on the rivers fished and the lodges used are exceptional. Plan on eating asado and drinking the best malbecs in the world while taking in the views of estancias with so much land they cover entire river valleys. Camp trips are also the perfect way to check out from the world while still living in comfort. We ran a camp trip on the Chimehuin River and spent the evening cooking meat over the fire before crawling into super comfortable cots in the tents. Running an overnight is a favorite way to go about the fishing here.
Top Tier Staff
CLE has an incredible customer return rate and for good reason. Ron and his guides are experienced and exceptionally knowledgeable on their local fisheries. The year-round boat program makes it possible to keep long term staff and most of these folks are career guides. I remember sitting at a takeout after a long two day camp trip and the shuttle driver said Ron is the least favorite of all the drivers because they fish longer and harder than the other outfits. Not a bad problem to have if you’re the one in the boat and not the driver waiting at the takeout.
Booking Your Patagonia Fly Fishing Trip
If you want to discuss details, dates and trip options, feel free to contact me directly. Chocolate Lab Expeditions also has a great website with easy contact info and they put out great content through Instagram. Follow them and get excited about one of the best trout trips in the world.
