Villa Maria Lodge – Week 10: March 1st to 8th, 2024

We’ve wrapped up week 10 at Villa María Lodge, and what a wild ride it was! Just as we anticipated from the weather forecasts, we faced quite a challenging week. Unfavorable winds made casting a real struggle, coupled with low temperatures and scattered showers throughout the week. While the rain didn’t cause the river to rise significantly, it did add a touch of murkiness to the water on some days.

Given these conditions, we had to gear up with heavy-duty equipment and tackle. Think rods ranging from 13 to 14 feet, skaggit lines (some sinking), and long, heavy sink tips proved to be the winning setups. And let’s talk flies – out with the nymphs, green machines, and other tried-and-true patterns, and in with larger, more vibrant flies. Leeches and intruders stole the show, although the biggest catch of the week came from a wonder bug, a tiny but mighty nymph straight out of the Rio Grande tradition.

Now, let’s give a round of applause to Imran, all the way from Australia, who made his first-ever trip here and kicked things off with a bang! He reeled in two sea trout weighing in at 14 and 15 pounds each earlier in the week. But during the final session on the last day, he landed an impressive male that topped the scale at 21 pounds. Well done, mate!

Looking ahead, we’re bracing ourselves for some heavy rainfall forecasted for the upcoming week. It’s sure to shake things up on the river and push us to get even more creative in our quest to hook that elusive sea trout of the Rio Grande. Stay tuned for more adventures on the water!