Nervous Waters

Pioneers Since 1984

WELCOME TO
THE BEST FLY-FISHING LODGES

in SOUTH AMERICA, AND BEYOND.

FLY FISHING BY DESTINATION FLY FISHING BY SPECIES

The Collection

Videos

Villa María Lodge - OFFICIAL VIDEO 2019
Smash Hits: Dorado in the Marsh - Pirá Lodge 2018
Fly Fishing the Rio Menendez Kau Tapen Lodge
Welcome to Argentina's Dorado Kingdom
Villa María Lodge: The place for powerful Rio Grande sea-run brown trout
Abaco Lodge, Bonefishing Vibes & Vistas
In the search of gold
Grande Central Station Nervous Waters
Kau Tapen Lodge - Sea Run Brown Trout
Bair's Lodge - Bonefishing
Pirá Lodge - Esteros de Iberá

More Videos →

From Our Blog

Villa Maria Lodge – End of Season 2019

Another season has come and gone on the Rio Grande and as usual, the river taught us many lessons. The main theme of this season was the d..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 12: March 23-30, 2019

The second last week of the season is over and we had a full house! Some old friends came to visit us again: Roberto and Fran, as well as Martin an..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 13: March 30 – April 6, 2019

The season comes to an end and the timing could not have been more perfect. During the last week, we had the very cool and interesting experience t..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 11: March 16 – 23, 2019

While we were sad about our Italian friends from last week leaving, we were just as excited for our new group to arrive. Especially with the weathe..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 9: March 8-15, 2019

We just finished our last week of the season at Villa Maria Lodge! It feels great when you meet old friends again and spend a full week fishing wit..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 9: March 2 – 9, 2019

Another week is done and I can’t believe how fast the time is flying. We are closing in towards the end of the season, but our excitement for the..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 8: March 1-8, 2019

Another week has passed and we were excited to see a bunch of new faces made there way to Villa Maria this week along with Kelly, a repeat fisherma..[...]

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The 10 Best Fly-fishing Lodges Around the World

Top Ten Lodges in the world – and we are on it twice! We are so happy and proud to see two of our lodges on this famed list. Kau Tapen Lodge ..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 7: February 22 – March 2, 2019

This week we welcomed back two of our former guest David and Johnathan. The rest of the group were all first timers on the Rio Grande. Like the las..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 8: February 23 – March 2, 2019

A bunch of familiar faces was on its way here and we were super stoked to see all of them again. We were so happy to see Bill, Janet and their son ..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 6: February 15 – 22, 2019

Another brilliant week has gone by at Villa Maria Lodge. The group this week was formed by old-time repeaters, like Mark and John -founder and pres..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 7: February 16-23, 2019

Another week has passed and we were excited to welcome some very old friends once again this year. Jon, Jeremy (US), Hubert and his son Jean-Hubert..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 6: February 9 – 16, 2019

Here we go again, another week had gone by and we’ve almost reached halftime for this season. And – you might have guessed it already – we we..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 5: February 8 – 15, 2019

By Alejandro Martello This past week we welcomed a group consisting of four old friends, (Gilbert, Nigel, Bob, and Ken) and 2 new friends (..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 4: February 1 – 8, 2019

Another week has gone by here at Villa Maria Lodge and we were visited by a full group of familiar faces, as all our fishermen have been fishing ou..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 5: February 2 – 9, 2019

New week, a new group of guests, and new chances. However, the river remained very low and kept on dropping at a constant pace. The odds did not se..[...]

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Villa Maria Lodge – Week 3: January 25 – February 1, 2019

We just finished our 3rd week at Villa Maria Lodge. Like the previous week, we can easily split the fishing week in two parts: The first three d..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 4: January 26 – February 2, 2019

Going into the new week, the river was at the lowest many of us had ever seen it. But a lovely group was on its way here, eager to tackle whatever ..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 3: January 19 – 26, 2019

The river remained at its very low water level, as the new group of clients arrived. Our prayers for more rain had not been answered and the sticks..[...]

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Villa Maria River Diary – Week 2: January 18 – 25, 2019

We just finished our second week at Villa Maria Lodge We can easily split the week in two: The first three days the river remained low and dropping..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary – Week 2: January 12 – 18, 2019

The tough conditions from the last days of the previous week persisted. The start into this week was not an easy one: while the water kept droppin..[...]

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Villa Maria River Diary – Week 1: January 11 – 17, 2019

Welcome to Villa María Lodge 2019 season!! This year we started with normal conditions for January here, that means dry and windy. The water le..[...]

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Week 1: January 5 – 12, 2019

The first week of the 2019 season is in the books – and not only are we happy to have made some new friends along this week, but the overall resu..[...]

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Guide’s week: Dec 29, 2018 -Jan 5, 2019

Guide’s week: the very, very first week of the season, even before the first group of clients arrive. For us, this is a very important week. Not..[...]

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Teamworking a Pool

By Stephan Dombaj The headline “Teamworking” may come as a surprise to some readers. Fishing tends to blur the lines between recreationa..[...]

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PIRA LODGE: ARGENTINA

A Week in the Corrientes Marshland Hunting Golden Dorado at Pira Lodge Pursuing the elusive salminus brasiliensis, the golden dorado, at Pira Lodge..[...]

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Gearing up for world’s end

Tierra del Fuego means land of fire. But “land of wind”, as many traveling anglers know, would be an equally appropriate title for this breatht..[...]

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You’re gotta see it to believe it!

For several years now, we at Nervous Waters Fly Fishing have been expounding the virtues of fishing one of the world’s greatest ecological water ..[...]

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How to shoot the perfect hero shot

How to Hero Shot by Stephan Dombaj You travel halfway around the globe to explore the best fishing waters in Argentina, so don’t settle for a l..[...]

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A Golden Opportunity

A Golden Opportunity story Kathryn Fensterstock photos Fly Fishing Nation Angler Kate Fensterstock recently joined us at Pira Lodge, in the Ibera M..[...]

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Welcome to Suindá Lodge, on the remote Upper Paraná River

Starting in January 2019, Nervous Waters will officially open its newly built Suindá Lodge. Suindá is a dorado-fisher’s dream, strategically ..[...]

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Gold Rush

Gold Rush story Kathryn Fensterstock photos Fly Fishing Nation Be sure to check out the new issue of DUN Magazine for its colorful feature ..[...]

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Top Flies for Rio Grande Trout… And How To Fish ’Em

By S. Dombaj and T. Burrell Argentina’s Rio Grande and its Rio Menendez tributary are home to healthy returns of migrating trout that can reach n..[...]

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Comfort Meets Premium Tent-Camp Adventure – Argentina

Multi-night floats on Patagonia’s A-List trout streams are a must-do for serious trout fishers. And Patagonia River Guide’s ..[...]

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Pira Lodge River Diary: March 15- 31, 2018

The second half of March began with late-summer storms that brought rain and cooler temperatures to the Marsh. The water clarity in some channels t..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary: March 10-24, 2018

As we are closing in towards the end of the season, the fishing can get a bit less predictable. I personally love fishing the late weeks of the sea..[...]

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Villa Maria River Diary: March 2 – 16, 2018

During the first week of March we welcomed six new anglers to the Rio Grande. Familiar with the river’s famous sea-run brown trout, these seaso..[...]

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Pira Lodge River Diary: March 1- 15, 2018

March is prime-time in the Marsh, and this year it began with warm weather and optimal water conditions. We couldn’t wait to get out and to re-ex..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary: February 24 – March 10, 2018

The past two weeks have been a blast! And it’s nice to be able to say that in spite of the tough fishing conditions that we’ve had due to still..[...]

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Villa Maria River Diary: February 16 – March 1, 2018

We’ve welcomed some old friends and made some new ones at Villa Maria during the past couple weeks, with a global mix of guests from Denmark, Ice..[...]

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Kau Tapen River Diary: February 10 -24, 2018

Kau Tapen is all about the good times. The fishing is just the cherry on top, at least this is what we want it to be. The world’s largest sea tro..[...]

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Pira Lodge Fishing Diary: February 15 -28, 2018

We kicked off the second half of February with some storm activity. Not enough to blow the system out, but water levels came up slightly, making fo..[...]

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Pira Lodge Fishing Diary: February 1 -15, 2018

We started our second month of the season at Pira Lodge with perfect weather and crystal clear water. River levels remain stable, but river tempera..[...]

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Fishing Report – Kau Tapen | Week 5: Feb 3-10, 2018

It’s Saturday and that means switchover day. It’s an exciting day for all of us here at Kau Tapen. Relief about last week’s success and excit..[...]

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Fishing Report – Villa Maria Lodge | Week 5: February 2-9, 2018

This past week we hosted a great group of Swiss, American, and British anglers. It was a mix that included first-timers, second-timers, and long-ti..[...]

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Fishing Report – Kau Tapen | Week 4: Jan 27- Feb 3, 2018

Another week is in the books and the fishing has been a rollercoaster ride indeed. While conditions were almost perfect and stable during the previ..[...]

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Fishing Report – Villa Maria Lodge | Week 4: January 26 – February 2, 2018

Similar to what we’ve seen the past two weeks, the river remains low, clear and in fantastic shape! We’ve also been experiencing a return to so..[...]

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Fishing Report: Pira Lodge: January 15 – 31, 2018

Fishing conditions have been optimal, and with water levels continuing to drop, we’re finding fish concentrated in the main channels. We had a fe..[...]

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Fishing Report – Kau Tapen | Week 3: Jan 20-27, 2018

For the first time this season, the water did not change much before the arrival of our new group. The river had been dropping at a constant pace a..[...]

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Fishing Report – Villa Maria Lodge | Week 3: January 19 – 26, 2018

The river has come into prime condition, a very comfortable level for fishing, and the clarity is about as good as it gets. The water level has con..[...]

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Fishing Report – Kau Tapen | Week 2: Jan 13-20, 2018

“Unusual conditions“ is what would describe the past week’s fishing. The rains that had poured down during the last days of the previous fish..[...]

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Fishing Report – Villa Maria Lodge | Week 2: January 12 – 19, 2018

Since last week, the river is down and its clarity is getting better by the day. This means that the wading is easier, but more importantly we’..[...]

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Fishing Report: Pira Lodge: January 1 – 15, 2018

The year started with some excellent fishing, and we continue to see good numbers of dorado throughout the system. Juvenile fish are concentrated i..[...]

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Fishing Report – Villa Maria Lodge | Week 1: January 5 – 12, 2018

If last year’s low and clear opening-week water levels were surprising, this year’s high water has been even more shocking. It’s been several..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge: Week 1 | Jan 6-13, 2018

Upon the arrival of the guide’s team in late December, the river looked fantastic, meandering through the vast grasslands of Tierra del Fuego in ..[...]

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Pirá Lodge – Fishing Report: Dec. 2017

After couple weeks on the water, I’m happy to report that the high expectations we had for the season are becoming a reality. The marsh and the r..[...]

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Introducing a Bigger Dorado Experience

We’re proud to announce our new partnership with Paraná River Outfitters (PRO) PRO melds one of Argentina’s most established outfitters with..[...]

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Pirá Lodge – Fishing Report: Oct – Nov, 2017

A Stellar Start at Pira Lodge We began the season with relatively high water levels in both the Corrientes River and the Ibera Marsh headwaters. ..[...]

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Dorado On The Fly In Argentina: A Round Trip

Nervous Water’s Pirá Lodge, located in the Ibera Marshlands, near the headwaters of the Corriente River, was the first operation built for a..[...]

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Stellar fishing in the Southern Hemisphere starts here: Argentina and Chile

At Nervous Waters we know that you love variety; catching a range of bucket-list species, experiencing new places and their unique cultures. That..[...]

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Dorado Fishing Resources

Ever thought of going Golden Dorado fishing? The season is just getting started at Pira Lodge. Here are some great resources to learn more about d..[...]

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DORADO TIPS: MAKING YOUR CASTS COUNT

Those new to freshwater dorado fishing are sometimes intimidated by the bigger flies we use for these fish, and are oftentimes unsure about how to ..[...]

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Great News for Trout Anglers

The two finest outfitters in South America have joined forces, and Nervous waters is excited to announce an exclusive collaboration with Patagonia ..[...]

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Iberá Marshlands, Argentina: Freshwater Dorado Fly Fishing.

Morphology: The Iberá Marshland, located in Corrientes Province in northeastern Argentina, is the world’s second largest wetlands system ..[...]

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Gear we love – What’s in your box? All you need for your bonefish trip to the Bahamas

Gearing up for fishing trips is half the fun – ok, not quite half as much fun as pulling on a bonefish but it’s still fun. Most people want t..[...]

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Rio Grande, Argentina: Best river in the world to fish for Giant Sea-Run Brown Trout.

1. Morphology: The Rio Grand comes to life on the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego and flows for 150 miles in a generally eastward direction, twis..[...]

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10 Truths About Dorado Fishing

You’ve seen them in the fly-fishing film tours, all over the web, and splashed across brochures advertising far-flung adventures to exotic lo..[...]

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Gear we love – The most important piece of gear I own

Bonefishing is all about being able to see. My sunglasses are my number one piece of equipment when I’m sight fishing. Anywhere I travel I ..[...]

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All New G&G Bahamas Bonefish Schools

Big changes are coming for the 2018 Bahamas Bonefish School Jan 13-20 and 20-27, 2018 The Bonefish School on South Andros is one of our most popul..[...]

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Gear we love – Keep dry – Patagonia Stormfont Pack 30L

Here at Nervous Waters we spend our lives on the water. Wading the endless flats of South Andros to the banks of the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fue..[...]

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End of Season Report Alto Paraná Lodge – 2017

Throughout the season, river flows fluctuated: ranging from low to normal levels. More rain than usual made for some challenging fishing, at times ..[...]

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End of Season Report Pirá Lodge – 2017

A Year in Review Pira Lodge’s season began with great weather, ideal water conditions, and a remarkable push of dorado. Expectations were underst..[...]

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End of Season Report Villa Maria Lodge – 2017

When we stepped into the river for the first time in 2017, it was eerily similar to how we left it back in April 2016. There were no signs of the u..[...]

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End of Season Report Kau Tapen Lodge – 2017

Kau Tapen Lodge: Year End Review Sitting down to write the final report of the season, what first comes to mind are the beaming faces of ecstatic c..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 12 : March 25 – April 1, 2017

The last week of summer proved to be an epic time at KauTapen lodge. We received new friends from France, and the CEO of Nervous Waters stopped by ..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 11 : March 18 – 25, 2017

The week began with some challenging fishing due to high water and chocolate-colored flows. But as the days progressed, conditions improved as the ..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 11: March 16 – 24 , 2017

Similar to what we experienced the last couple of weeks, river levels have been seesawing daily due to some rain mixed with snowmelt from the headw..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 10 : March 11 – 18, 2017

The week passed was a tough one, we were incredibly unlucky with the weather conditions. We got off to a flying start on day one, river was in good..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 9 & 10: March 4 – 16, 2017

The last couple of week in Rio Grande, especially the lower section, have been as challenging as ever. February has been quite particular, as it ra..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 9: March 4 – 11, 2017

Wow!! One of the finest weeks of the last few years just went down on paper with 253 hooked fish in six days. The Rio Grande and the Menedez were b..[...]

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Fishing Report Pira Lodge – February 2017

February began with good water conditions. The result was 60 golden dorado caught between 3 boats during the first week. Most of the fish were in t..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 8: Feb. 25 – March 4, 2017

It’s been an explosive week at Kau Tapen Lodge. The river has been flowing at an ideal level, water clarity was good, and the wind was practicall..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 8: Feb. 24 – March 3, 2017

Another group of returning guests visited us at Villa Maria Lodge this last past week. Having logged more than 10 trips to the Rio Grande, they wer..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 7: Feb. 18 – 25, 2017

This past week ushered in some variable weather, with light wind to start followed by a nuclear easterly that packed plenty of rain. River levels b..[...]

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Fishing Report Alto Parana – February 2017

This season the Parana River ran slightly lower than usual for many weeks, so the water has been clear and warm. Those same conditions have helped ..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 7: Feb. 18 – 23, 2017

This past week we had a mixed group of first timers and Villa Maria Lodge regulars from Iceland and England. In between jokes about the Cold War an..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 6: Feb. 10 – 17, 2017

Like the last days of the previous week, this fishing week started with some rain in the lower stretch but there were serious cells of rain and sno..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 6: Feb. 11 – 18, 2017

It’s safe to say this has been our most prolific week of the season, so far. And we can back up that claim with an outstanding number of incr..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 5: Feb. 3 – 9, 2017

The House of Forstinger’s Friends visited us last week. Willy first traveled to Villa Maria Lodge in 1986, so he’s seen a lot and has pl..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 5: Feb. 4 – 11, 2017

Our fifth week at Kau Tapen lodge has come to an end. This time clients from Austria, the U.S. and England experienced some highly variable conditi..[...]

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Fishing Report Chime Lodge January 2017

Malleo Waters are low for this time of year and the fish are holding in deeper pools. Late afternoon dry-fly fishing has been productice usi..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 4: Jan. 28 – Feb. 4, 2017

Week four was made memorable by another awesome bunch of anglers at the lodge. Guests varied from experienced to first timers. Six members of the t..[...]

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Fishing Report Pirá Lodge: Jan. 7 – 31, 2017

This year marks one of the best seasons I’ve experienced in the Ibera wetlands. And we couldn’t have asked for a better start. Water conditions..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 3: Jan. 21 – 28, 2017

Another week down at Kau Tapen Lodge as we continue onward with (mostly) good conditions and excellent results. Water temperatures have been perfec..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 3: Jan. 21 – 26, 2017

“The perfect week at the perfect lodge with the perfect guides.” That’s how one of our returning guests, Axel, described Week 3 at Villa Mari..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 2: Jan. 14 – 19, 2017

We just finished the second week of the season at Villa Maria Lodge and it was fantastic. In addition to great fishing we welcomed some familiar fa..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 2: Jan. 14 – 21, 2017

Our second week at Kau Tapen has come to an end and I’m pretty safe in saying the week was a success. We had a mixed group of guests f..[...]

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Fishing Report Kau Tapen Lodge – Week 1: Jan. 7 – 14, 2017

Kau Tapen Fishing Report Week 1: Jan. 7-14, 2017 Kau Tapen Lodge on the Rio Grande kicks off its 34th season this year. Over the years the river ha..[...]

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Fishing Report Villa Maria Lodge – Week 1: Jan. 6 – 12, 2017

Villa Maria Lodge – Fishing Report Fishing Report (Jan. 6 – 12, 2017) By Alejandro Martello Welcome to Villa María Lodge 2017! You�..[...]

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A Fly in the Curtains

By Doug Larsen Copyright 2013 In 1984, Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. Madonna was a controversial twenty-something pop star as s..[...]

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Fly Fusion Magazine

Fly Fusion Magazine recently spotlighted the spectacular flats fishing at Abaco Lodge. For those planning fall trips to the Marls, this bonefish-ri..[...]

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Fly Girls Week 2017 @ Abaco Lodge

We’re At It Again… Fly Girls Week 2017 is just around the corner! After an extremely successful and fun inaugural trip to Nervous Waters’ Bai..[...]

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Bonefish Beware: Fish with Flip Pallot @AbacoLodge in June

In 2009, Flip Pallot attended the opening of Abaco Lodge and spent time with its managing partner, Oliver White. It was the beginning of a wonderfu..[...]

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Pira Pitá Fly Patterns

At Alto Parana lodge, anglers target resident Pira Pitá with lighter tackle than what is typically used for dorado. We recommend 6 weight rods for..[...]

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Every Cast Gets Us Closer

Every Cast Gets Us Closer Casting 4 A Cure at Bair’s Lodge, Bahamas Winter at Bair’s Lodge is the time to escape the cold and connect w..[...]

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Dorado Fly Patterns

In most cases, golden dorado prefer dark patterns that produce great silhouettes in tannin-colored waters. But there are situations when carrying a..[...]

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FISH & SUPPORT BTT!

We are hoping to tag 1,000 fish that week -some on rod and reel some with nets. Clients are welcome and encouraged to be as involved in this proces..[...]

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LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS at ABACO LODGE

What could be better? The great thing about a hosted trip is exceptional fishing at a top-notch lodge—but also combining that action with ..[...]

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Pira Lodge – End of Season 2016

The Dream Season Seasons, just like the name implies, are all about change. Some are challenging, where rewards are hard won. Others are easier, wh..[...]

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Villa María Lodge - Fishing Report (March 20 – 27, 2016)

We have just finished one of the most challenging weeks on the Rio Grande this season. The problem wasn’t fish—we have the fish! But the weat..[...]

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Pacú Fly Patterns

Pacú fishing at Alto Parana lodge is all about exciting sight-fishing opportunities. We use 7 or 8-weight rods, rigged with floating tropical line..[...]

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Studies about the Rio Grande

By Bio. Miguel Casalinuovo. Tech. Carlos Luizón began studying salmonids in the Rio Grande system in 2006. He described the basic biology of trout..[...]

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