LaCourse?

Well, what thoughts and opinions did you form about DIY Patagonia
adventures? Any?

On Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:08:06 GMT, "Larry L"
wrote:

Well, what thoughts and opinions did you form about DIY Patagonia
adventures? Any?

Easily done. Fly into Balmaceda, catch a cab into Coihaique and rent
a Chevy Luv pick-up (probably best reserved before the trip). There
are supermarkets in town, stocked with enough stuff to satisfy
anyone's diet. Booze, beer, and wine also. The fresh meat looks
terrible, but is very good. I was a little leery of it, but it is
very tasty and safe. The Chilean wine is especially good. Bring your
own coffee. South American coffee is "different" and you may not like
it. I know, I know, most of our good coffee comes from SA. Go
figure. While in the Navy, I spent time in Columbia, Peru, and Brazil
and never did get used to it.

Coihaique is a big town and has some good restaurants and cafes, plus
some inexpensive hotels. There is a little bakery in town that makes
the best epanada (spelling) I have ever had, excellent bread, and the
best "home made" donuts. You should be able to find everything you
need for an extended camping stay in country.

I did not see it but I understand there is a sports store in Coihaique
that is used by campers and trekkers. You will see people hitchhiking
and on bikes carrying backpacks. Trekking, I understand, is very
popular in Chile with the Europeans. If they have kayaks or canoes to
rent, definitely get one for use on ponds and lakes. Some of the best
fishing is in the Lagos and Lagoons (lakes and ponds). If you manage
to get a watercraft, fish the reed line. You'll know what I mean when
you see the lake or pond. You may be able to rent camping equipment
too. I haven't googled it, but I'm betting you can find something
online.

Head north out of town on Rt 7 and you will pass the Simpson River.
Farther on Rt 7 is the Moraleas River (with big fish that come to the
fly), and farther still is the Cisnese River (a right turn off of 7
onto a dirt road after Lago Los Torres). These streams have tribs
running into them which are also full of browns and rainbows. Access
is fairly easy. The people (farmers) who own the land will let you
drive through. Just remember to leave a gate as you find it. There
are a couple of suspension bridges over the Morales that will hold a
pick-up. They look shakey, but are very well made and anchored
properly. Once on the other side of the river, you can easily access
it either upstream or downstream. The river runs parallel to the
road.

Head south from Coihaique and there are more rivers and lakes. A map
of the country would include National Parks and the ones with a lake
on them sometimes have boats to rent. You can camp at the park, or at
designated spots (some private, some National). In addition there are
cabins for rent in most of the little towns/villages. Your main food
outlet will be Coihaique. The small villages you will find have only
a limited food selection. It may be enough, but nothing like the big
market in Coihaique. Spanish is most helpful. Not many of these good
folks speak English.

You could spend a couple of weeks exploring the Manuales River and its
tribs, and several weeks on the Cisnes. Both rivers are wadable and
easily accessed.


Flies?
Dec - March: Dragon Fly. These fish have been known to come out of
the water to take a dragon fly that is hovering while eating on
midges/gnats. No delicate presentation necessary: plop that fly on
the surface.

There are some mayfly and caddis hatches which also occur in early
summer (November/December). There was a BWO hatch that came off on
the Cisnes but I saw no fish rise for it. They did like the beetle,
however.

You *have* to mimic the giant beetle that lives in the trees on most
of the streams. The same beetle also exists as far north as Panama.
I can remember seeing it and scaring my kids with one. See the pix I
posted. A big giant "ugly" will work on many of the streams early in
the season.

Later in the season, black, green, or brown weighted woolybuggers cast
with a floating line will work just about anywhere. It was
unseasonably cold the week I was there, so there was a limited amount
of dry fly action.

The fish: Big and very spookable. I never took two fish out of the
same run. Take one and the rest are spooked. I felt that I was
hunting the fish, not fishing for them.

In the lakes and ponds, fish the reed line just as you would fishing
for bass. A fast sink tip is best. In the streams, fish the edges
under logs/bushes etc. If you come to a pool, fish the center of the
tailout. Some of the deeper holes you will encounter may require a
fast sink tip to get the fly down.

I saw some beautiful nymphing water and tried it with both floating
and sinking line. Nothing with a nymph. Put on a bugger and fished
it *as* a nymph and *bang*, I was into a fish.

Bottom line, Larry, a diy in Chile should be easy with proper and
early planning. Everything you need can be had in Coihaique. The
people are friendly and very helpful. A good spanish vocabulary would
be a plus, of course, but I think the average dumb
one-language-American could get by with an English/Spanish dictionary,
and a knowledge of some common phrases.

Do a diy, Larry, and I'll help you with a diy roff clave in 2010.
Gotta get back to that bakery........

Dave

"Dave LaCourse" wrote


Bottom line, Larry, a diy in Chile should be easy with proper and
early planning. Everything you need can be had in Coihaique. The
people are friendly and very helpful. A good spanish vocabulary would
be a plus, of course, but I think the average dumb
one-language-American could get by with an English/Spanish dictionary,
and a knowledge of some common phrases.

Do a diy, Larry, and I'll help you with a diy roff clave in 2010.
Gotta get back to that bakery........




Thanks for taking the time to post, Dave



I'm not certain it will happen ( are we certain about anything in the
future? ) because of personal restrictions

but

the "plan" is to do a first one next season

I've ordered but yet to receive the first two levels of RosetaStone Spanish
( Latin America ) and plan to dedicate an hour a day to study via my shiny
new laptop this summer, hopefully progressing enough to justify getting the
last level, too.

I think I'll fly my WaterMaster down with me ( the AEG "trout bums" took WMs
for their video and seemed to get good use from them ) for a watercraft.
Should fly well as excess baggage, designed for it. What I've heard of the
actual fishing, from you and others, doesn't make it seem like my favorite
type ( think HFork/Silver Creek) ... but I used to fish stillwaters a lot
and enjoy them ( not to mention that they hold the biggest fish, on
average )

I'm leaning, based on current research levels, on flying into Argentina and,
mainly, fishing on that side of the border.

My intention is to make the first year's trip about a month to six weeks
long .... the fishing budget corner of my brain seems to work on a
dollars/day basis and it's hard to justify a shorter stay while thinking in
that mode.

As I've hinted before, I'm looking for a yearly trip and a type of
semi-ex-pat lifestyle for the months Dec-May. I'm investigating New
Zealand, too, but the chance to escape all the things I want to escape seems
better in Patagonia. If I had your money, I'd look for small homes in
eastern Idaho and Patagonia and split my time between them .... I'm not
really 'into' fly fishing travel as much as I am into spending as much of my
remaining time as I can in places that suit my 'soul' ..... it just happens
that trout often seem to like the same type neighborhoods G

On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:13:11 GMT, "Larry L"
wrote:

I think I'll fly my WaterMaster down with me ( the AEG "trout bums" took WMs
for their video and seemed to get good use from them ) for a watercraft.
Should fly well as excess baggage, designed for it. What I've heard of the
actual fishing, from you and others, doesn't make it seem like my favorite
type ( think HFork/Silver Creek) ... but I used to fish stillwaters a lot
and enjoy them ( not to mention that they hold the biggest fish, on
average )

With a proper anchor, you could float part of the rivers I have seen.
No trouble getting back to your vehicle; the guides hitch-hiked and
immediately got a ride back to the truck. The rivers where not too
fast or the rapids that severe, making it possible for a Watermaster.
Ymmv, of course.


I'm leaning, based on current research levels, on flying into Argentina and,
mainly, fishing on that side of the border.

Can't help ya there, but I am told you are safer in Chile.


My intention is to make the first year's trip about a month to six weeks
long .... the fishing budget corner of my brain seems to work on a
dollars/day basis and it's hard to justify a shorter stay while thinking in
that mode.

Shouldn't be any trouble staying that long. Showers/laundry/hygiene
could present a problem. All of the water I was in or on was very
cold. Fed by glaciers, the streams and lakes remain cold even in the
hottest (high 80s) weather. Bring lots of capilene (sp). It keeps
down the smell and dries quickly. d;o) A trip into Coihaique or
similar small city to "refresh" should not be expensive.



As I've hinted before, I'm looking for a yearly trip and a type of
semi-ex-pat lifestyle for the months Dec-May. I'm investigating New
Zealand, too, but the chance to escape all the things I want to escape seems
better in Patagonia. If I had your money, I'd look for small homes in
eastern Idaho and Patagonia and split my time between them .... I'm not
really 'into' fly fishing travel as much as I am into spending as much of my
remaining time as I can in places that suit my 'soul' ..... it just happens
that trout often seem to like the same type neighborhoods G

Sounds like a plan. Getting my wife away from her garden here in
Taxachusetts would be impossible, so I will die here, but hopefully
not before I visit places on my "Bucket List". d;o( Fishing above
the Artic Circle in Canada or Sweden is my next goal, with the
Seychelles, Iceland, and salmon in Russia if I live that long. d;o)

Dave

"Dave LaCourse" wrote


With a proper anchor, you could float part of the rivers I have seen.
No trouble getting back to your vehicle; the guides hitch-hiked and
immediately got a ride back to the truck. The rivers where not too
fast or the rapids that severe, making it possible for a Watermaster.
Ymmv, of course.


I've done short Class III sections in it ... and I'm a chicken ****
aquaphobic

There are a couple Chile/Argentina ex-pat forums I check now and then and
several people have posted to the effect that hitch-hiking is safe and
efficient ... but, then many things that seemed plenty safe when I was
20something seem insanely death-defying now G



Can't help ya there, but I am told you are safer in Chile.


Currently, Argentina seems to be, maybe, headed back into serious internal
problems and it could get less safe, I hear. The world economy ( and
thus my own ) will effect whether my plans can be acted upon ... value of
the $$ etc



Shouldn't be any trouble staying that long. Showers/laundry/hygiene
could present a problem.

Oh, I have every intention of regular stays at hotels ... a couple days in
town, then several camped on the shore .. then repeat.


Bring lots of capilene (sp). It keeps
down the smell and dries quickly. d;o)


recycled Coke bottles, really good stuff ... long live the Earth !!




Sounds like a plan. Getting my wife away from her garden here in
Taxachusetts would be impossible, so I will die here,

I hope she is healing well ? My two friends that recently broke bones are
both doing better than some of us feared.

On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:02:11 GMT, "Larry L"
wrote:

I hope she is healing well ?

Yes. Saw the docs on Monday and everything is healing as it should.
A couple of more weeks and she'll be in a walking cast. She won't be
able to drive for quite awhile, however. I have a shoulder problem
that will need surgery, but can't do it until she can drive *me*
around. d;o( It will be a looooong summer, methinks.

Dave

On Apr 9, 10:02*am, "Larry L" wrote:
"Dave LaCourse" wrote



With a proper anchor, you could float part of the rivers I have seen.
No trouble getting back to your vehicle; the guides hitch-hiked and
immediately got a ride back to the truck. *The rivers where not too
fast or the rapids that severe, making it possible for a Watermaster.
Ymmv, of course.

I've done short Class III sections in it ... and I'm a chicken ****
aquaphobic

There are a couple Chile/Argentina ex-pat forums I check now and then and
several people have posted to the effect that hitch-hiking is safe and
efficient ... but, then many things that seemed plenty safe when I was
20something seem insanely death-defying now G



Can't help ya there, but I am told you are safer in Chile.

Currently, Argentina seems to be, maybe, headed back into serious internal
problems and it could get less safe, I hear. * * The world economy ( and
thus my own ) will effect whether my plans can be acted upon ... value of
the $$ etc

Shouldn't be any trouble staying that long. *Showers/laundry/hygiene
could present a problem.

Oh, I have every intention of regular stays at hotels ... a couple days in
town, then several camped on the shore .. then repeat.

* Bring lots of capilene (sp). *It keeps

down the smell and dries quickly. *d;o)

recycled Coke bottles, really good stuff *... long live the Earth !!

*Sounds like a plan. *Getting my wife away from her garden here in

Taxachusetts would be impossible, so I will die here,

I hope she is healing well ? * *My two friends that recently broke bones are
both doing better than some of us feared.

Argentina seems to get mixed reviews safety wise. My son was sking on
the Chile border last summer and came back via Buenas Aires. In BA for
a day or 2, he was exploring the city (he's a planner) anyway he was
jumped in an industrial district by 2 druggy robbers, he fought back,
and was slashed bad with a broken bottle across the face and neck.
With some help from some locals he managed to get away from the MFs
who wanted to finish him off. The Argentines sewed him up real good
for free (said that the US insurance systems were too much of a pain
in the ass to deal with for reimbursement) and he came home. He said
that without his Spanish he would have been in deeper ****. I think
I'd be careful.

Dave.

On Apr 9, 10:17*am, Dave LaCourse wrote:
On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:02:11 GMT, "Larry L"

wrote:
I hope she is healing well ? *

Yes. *Saw the docs on Monday and everything is healing as it should.
A couple of more weeks and she'll be in a walking cast. *She won't be
able to drive for quite awhile, however. *I have a shoulder problem
that will need surgery, but can't do it until she can drive *me*
around. *d;o( *It will be a looooong summer, methinks.

Dave

Sound like your wife is doing well. Take care.
Dave

On 9-Apr-2008, wrote:

ment) and he came home. He said
that without his Spanish he would have been in deeper ****. I think
I'd be careful.

Dave.

That
Is good advice

fred

On Wed, 9 Apr 2008 21:19:13 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Sound like your wife is doing well.

And, how are you doing? Hope all is well.

Dave