LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK/ ARGENTINA

 

On April 28, 2022 while staying in El Calafate, Argentina on my way to a week long fishing trip at Jurassic Lake Lodge, I booked a trip to visit Los Glaciares National Park.   The National Park is about a 2 hour drive from Calafate.  I was picked up by bus at the Hostel Calafate around 6am.  The tour would be by ship and last about 9 hours motoring up to the many glaciers in the park.  Los Glaciares covers the region known as Andes Australes of the Argentine Territory.  It was created in 1937 to preserve this vast region dominated by glaciers.  It is a huge tourist attraction and brings in much revenue to Argentina.  The National Park includes a scenario of mountains, lakes, and forests, and a large portion of the Andes Mountains covered with ice and snow to the West and the arid Patagonian steppe to the East.

The numerous glaciers are fed by the massive South Patagonian Ice field, the largest ice field in the Southern Hemisphere after Antarctica.  It feeds 47 large glaciers of which 13 decent toward the Atlantic Sea. 

The scenery is breathtaking.  I took over a hundred photos and probably could have taken over a thousand.  Luckily I saw some of the glaciers calf where massive sheets of glacier ice fall off into the lake. Blue tint icebergs were seen floating in the lake.  We docked for lunch for about an ice at a Port on the lake which has a cafe.  We then boarded after lunch and continued our journey until we docked around 5pm.

There are numerous options on the Glacier Tours.  Puerto Moreno is the most famous glacier, trips to El Chalten, The Total Glacier Tour, and others are available.  I really liked the Total Glacier tour.  Will be heading back to El Calafate this September and for sure another glacier tour is on my list.  

EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA

 Going on fishing adventures which travel the world, I have the pleasure of visiting many cities.  El Calafate is about a 3 hour flight from Buenos Aires.  It is a small town near the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Argentine Provence of Santa Cruz.  It has a population of around 6000+ and is the "Gateway to Los Glaciares National Park" and is situated on the Southern border of Lake Argentino. 

Normally, I like to extend my stay in these cities a few days to gather in the sites and culture.  In Calafate, I stayed at the Hostel Calafate which is about 4 blocks from the main street.  The main street has numerous stores which sell tours to the Glaciers.  There are 5 star***** restuarants specializing in Argentina lamb and beef and The Patagonia Brewing Company where one can quench their thirst on numerous beers.  

About a 5 minute walk from the Hostel Calafate, the Humedal Calafaterio, the Calafate Wetlands reside.  Here, thousands of pink flamingos and other waterfowl can be observed.  During the winter season (June, July, and August) the Wetlands freeze which make for a great local ice skating rink.  

So, on your next adventure make sure to visit some of the local towns.  

JURASSIC LAKE LODGE/ LAGO STROBEL/ ARGENTINA/ APRIL 30 TO MAY 7, 2022

 Once again I had to opportunity to fish giant rainbow trout at Jurassic Lake Lodge.  Jurassic Lake Lodge sits in a rugged valley where the Rio Barrancose flows into Lago Strobel.  The lodge boasts of large comfortable rooms with private bathrooms and gourmet dining.  The lodge sits about a 5 minute walk from the mouth of the Barrancose and other beats which all hold massive rainbows.  

I have fished Jurassic numerous times but always in September/ October when the season begins and the peak spawning activity occurs.  Lodge owner, Carlos Casanello, always suggested I try the end of April when numerous monster chrome rainbows can be landed.  This year I came with some old friends and a few new friends.  Was great to once again meet up with old friends Llew and Julian at the lodge.

 

The fishing was simply outstanding especially near the river mouth.  The average rainbow during our stay pushed the scales to around 14 lbs and a few up to 23 lbs were landed during the week.  The hurricane level winds Jurassic is known for did not disappoint.  When the winds are howling, the rainbows go wild feeding on scuds and midges and everything else which is blown in.  The weather was warmer than I expected pushing into the upper 40F.  

Top flies during the stay were the balanced leech under a striking indicator.  Some of the guys in the group even had good success with mice flies in the river.  

Due to no predators in the lake other than large rainbows, the average size seems to get larger each season.  I cannot wait to wet a line in Lago Strobel again this coming September where one can literally walk on top of thousands of monster rainbows.