We wrapped up Week 12 at Villa María Lodge, and there’s no denying that autumn is starting to make its presence felt on the river system.
The week began with cold water, ranging from 7 to 8.5 degrees Celsius, which slowed the fishing down considerably. As often happens with sudden drops in water temperature, the fish needed time to adapt before returning to their usual behavior. By the third day, one of Rio Grande’s famous winds picked up, reducing visibility to just 30 cm. However, this seemed to trigger the fish, and we saw some excellent fishing as a result.
Day four brought a tough challenge with a strong, icy north wind that made casting difficult, even for the most experienced anglers. By the end of the week, westerly winds returned with gusts up to 80 km/h, stirring up sediment in the water. Despite the conditions, the fish responded aggressively, taking flies with enthusiasm.
With such unpredictable weather, we had to experiment with different tactics to find what worked best. The most successful setups included long, heavy tips paired with large-profile flies to maximize contrast in the murky water.
We landed many trophy fish this week, but the most exciting catch came from Bob. In the final casts of his last session, he hooked and landed a stunning male over 20 pounds—an unforgettable way to end his trip.
Now, we’re gearing up for the final week of the season, full of new challenges and plenty of excitement ahead!
Alejandro Martello – Fishing Manager
