Howdy folks! I just touched back down in the states from our Headwaters Outfitters hosted trip, led by Chris Franzen, to the Martin Pescador lodge, which is nestled in the remote wilderness known as Patagonia! First things first, the fishing was unreal! Secondly, all the guides were top notch and extremely “fishy people”. Last but not least, the lodges and their staff provided a local Chilean vibe that pulled you in and made you feel at home halfway around the world! 

The Experience 

This was my first time leaving the country and to say I wasn’t a little nervous would be a lie! Upon landing in Santiago we hopped another plane to Puerto Montt where we grabbed a taxi and stayed the night in Puerto Varas.  In Puerto Varas I got my first glimpse into Chilean culture. From my eyes I saw a very laid back way of life where people took time for good food and conversation! The next morning we woke up early and began our final leg to Martin Pescador Lodge. Upon arrival, we quickly ran our luggage to our Cabanas and the fishing commenced! 

The day to day life at Martin Pescador consisted of waking up and gathering in the main dining hall where we were treated to an amazing spread that included organic fruit, bread made inhouse and omelets made to order. After breakfast we would finish our coffee and begin wadering up. As the guides discussed our daily plans you could look around the room and see the smiles developing on the faces in our group. Once we departed for the water we would fish till around 1:30-2:00 o’clock and break for lunch.

I’m the type of person that would be happy with a PB&J sandwich but throughout the week we were treated with lunches such as steak stir fry and empanadas!  After lunch we would get right back to fishing and finish up around 6:30! With our arms sore from catching fish we would gather for supper around 8:00. Don’t get me wrong, the fishing was my favorite part of this trip, however we got spoiled by the chefs at MPL! Everything from Octopus to Red stag tenderloin was on the menu. After supper we would retreat to our cabanas with cocktails in hand as we reminisced on the day of fishing. 

Nirvana is the first word that comes to mind when I think about the fishing in Chile. Watching 20 plus inch trout launching themselves out of the water to catch your “dragonfly”,  that’s what dreams are made of!  Sure we came for the fishing but looking back on this experience, I think about all the friendships made!  Chris put together a great trip and I am very thankful I got to tag along! My goal is to join the team down at MPL so this trip put things into perspective, those boys worked hard and now I know the work I need to put in, to make myself ready to take on Patagonia if and when the opportunity arises. 

Brett Meany
brett@headwatersoutfitters.com