Kau Tapen Lodge 

Argentina

Kau Tapen has the reputation for having the best pools on the Rio Grande. With 16 kilometers of water, sitting in the middle section of the river, anglers wade easily both sides of the banks. Access is everything and with clean, well maintained vehicles, anglers find themselves fly fishing after an average drive of about 15 minutes to the river. The average sea run brown runs about 10-12 lbs with record fish holding around 30 lbs!

Kau Tapen (“house of fishing” in the native Indian Ona language) is the original sea-run brown trout fly fishing lodge in Tierra del Fuego and the standard of elegance by which other fly fishing lodges are measured. What started as the brainchild of Jorge Donovan and Jacqueline De Las Carreras over twenty years ago has revolutionized the way in which the fly fishing world views big trout. Kau Tapen has made the Rio Grande a household name for fly anglers the world over with impeccable accommodations, plenty of elbow room on the Rio Grande, talented fly fishing guides, select vehicles and equipment, Argentina’s best wines and menus, and enviable fishing records since 1984.

Location:
Estancia Kau Tapen is located in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego, roughly one hour from the town of Rio Grande. The lodge is located on the southern bank on the enormous working ranch, Estancia La Retranca.

Fishing Program:
Kau Tapen has the most fishing beats of any lodge (70 pools!) on the Rio Grande including both banks of the river. Their waters stretch from above the Menendez down to Villa Maria on the lower river. Sea-run brown trout of the Rio Grande average 10-12 pounds, and fish have been landed in excess of 30 pounds. The river bottom is primarily a fine gravel bottom, so the wading is very easy.

Expect to spend about 9 hours per day fly fishing among two fishing sessions, with lunch at the lodge and a siesta in the afternoon before returning to the water. The afternoon session starts later during the months of December and January to take advantage of the magical fishing hours at dusk. Kau Tapen is a strictly a catch and release fishery.

Kau Tapen guides are first class professionals from Argentina and abroad. Guides are equipped with nets and will assist guests in weighing and releasing fish without damaging them. All are able to give casting instruction with both single and double handed rods.

Rio Grande Brown trout history: John Goodall stocked the first brown trout in Tierra del Fuego in 1935. One hundred thousand eggs were shipped in milk cans packed with moss and water from Puerto Montt, Chile and planted in the Candelaria and McLennan rivers, both tributaries of the Rio Grande. 60,000 Salmo trutta eggs survived and even prospered and eventually found their way to the sea. A theory is the fish are attracted by the rich nourishment of the estuary.

Sea-run browns in the Rio Grande remain in the river from one to four years after hatching, before they become smolt and head out to sea. They will feed and grow in the ocean for about 6 months to a year before returning to the Rio Grande for their first spawning run. Upon the first return, the fish will average about 6 pounds in size. Unlike Pacific Salmon, which die after they spawn, sea-run brown trout often survive the spawn and head back out to sea to feed and grow until it is time to spawn again. A brown on its fourth return can weigh over 20 pounds. There are few natural enemies to the brown trout from the Rio Grande and researchers have found some brown trout to have spawned up to six times.

Fisheries:
The Rio Grande flows from East to West, from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean, through 70 km of Argentine territory. Located in the province of Tierra Del Fuego, the closest town is Rio Grande on the Estancia Retranca.

Non-Angling Activities:
For non-anglers there is unparalleled bird watching and rich wildlife (flamingos, foxes, and llama-like guancos).

Accommodations and Meals:
Kau Tapen Lodge is an attractive wood paneled lodge which accommodates up to 12 guests. The lodge features a dining room, sitting room, bar, wading room, and fly tying table. The lodge also offers amenities such as massage, sauna and a steam room. There is a fly shop fully equipped with flies, rods, reels, lines, and suitable clothing and Argentine crafts.

Kau Tapen has nine bedrooms total, six of which are double rooms (each with two queen sized beds), and the other three are single (king size beds). All bedrooms have private baths with bathrobes provided. Single rooms can be requested based on availability and an upgrade charge.

Guests enjoy gourmet dining with Argentina’s famed beef, fine wines and desserts. A traditional Asado (BBQ) will be held once during your stay, and you can sample different cuts of meat and wonderful salads.

Sample Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart home
Day 2: Arrive Buenos Aires and overnight
Day 3: Depart Buenos Aires for Rio Grande and onto lodge
Day 4-9: 6 full days of guided fishing on the Rio Grande
Day 10: Depart lodge for home
Day 11: Arrive home

Typical Daily Schedule
8:00AM: Breakfast
9:00AM: Depart for the river
1:00PM: Back to the lodge for lunch and siesta
4:00–5:00PM: Return to the river to fish till dusk

Complete Trip Details