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Dan Nottingham with a major slab from the Bay of Pigs... Photo: William Clark
Steve Flood with a silver bullet from the Bay of Pigs. Photo: Logan Brown

This year’s Jurassic Lake Lodge trip was another successful mission.  Despite some ridiculously heavy winds and unseasonably warm weather the group pushed on and landed a ton of nice rainbows.  The day after their arrival the wind picked up to as sustained 80 kph (49 mph) with gusts up to 110 kph (68 mph).  It was hard to remain standing at times much less worry about catching trophy rainbow trout.  Later in the week the wind let up and was even calm a few mornings, and no wind one afternoon.  The fishing was nothing short of spectacular and although there were not as many 20+ pounders caught on this particular trip, everyone caught a lot of 10-15 pounders.  Had the weather been a little more stable the bigger fish would have been eating better.  The week before several 20 pound fish were landed, including a 26 pound hog in the Bay of Pigs.  The river was slightly lower than last year (due to less snow pack) but that didn’t stop the fish from swimming up into the Barroncoso River, (Lake Strobel’s only inlet stream to the Lake).  Each morning the last 200 yards of the river to the boca were stacked with fresh fish.  Higher up in the “aquarium” pool there were several larger fish as well, which was out of the wind and always reliable for a few pigs.

Don Baldwin, showing us the Foot Fist Way!!

A 9’#9 weight was the perfect weapon for fishing the Barrancoso river.  A 9’#8 weight is a great rod as well but the 9 weight proved better in the wind and also for landing the 10+ pounders.  We strongly recommend bringing along a spey rod for the Bay of Pigs although it is not essential, just easier to get a longer cast into a nasty cross/headwind.

TJ Smith with a river Missile headed back towards the boca in a big hurry! Photo: Nicolas Escalada

The fishing has been so good at Jurassic Lake that we have three weeks booked next year, (two are now full).  Now that their is a flight direct to the lodge (a 15 min ride will take you from the air strip to the lake) more anglers are  interested in this incredible trip.  In fact, due to the popularity of this destination we are already starting to secure our 2018 weeks.  Give us a call if you think you’d like to join us on this trip of a lifetime to southern Argentina. 406-222-7130.

Matt Nottingham with tall shouldered buck from the Bay of Pigs...