The Irigoyen - Far End Rivers

At some juncture in a sea trout angler's life a seed of interest will be sowed regarding the leviathan sea trout of Tierra del Fuego. However, for many the famous rivers such as the Rio Grande and the Rio Gallegos might to be lacking in intimacy, with the wind perhaps posing some frustration. From another perspective, there will be those that have ventured to the revered Gallegos and Grande and have reached a saturation point, looking for a new challenge, or just a more intimate system and location. From both perspectives we firmly believe that the little known Irigoyen, which is located between the towns of Ushuaia and Rio Grande, offers the perfect solution.

This is an extremely exciting operation, where sea trout meet the sizes of those of the Grande (up to 27 lbs in the 2011 season) yet in totally different surroundings. The river has cut a course in a tree-lined valley, which offers superb protection from even the strongest of winds whilst adding character to a river that already oozes charm. Forget your double-hander on this intimate little watercourse; this is the domain of the single-hander where precision casting holds you in better stead than brute force and lobbing to the horizon.

The river holds a very good head of sea trout, with an incredible average size, especially for a river that is around half the width of the Rio Grande! Indeed, on our exploratory trip, the first five fish over two days to one rod came in at 12 lbs, 14 lbs, 15 lbs, 16 lbs and 20 lbs! This is not a river that will produce huge numbers (a fish a day is the average for landed fish), but it should certainly produce the big fish. The Irigoyen is also home to resident brown trout that reach a healthy weight; some rainbow trout and even some steelhead have been reported. Further to that, the sea-pool and tidal reaches of the river offer a chance to target a mullet/bass type fish named Robalo, which is an extremely sporting fish and takes the fly avidly.

Set in such a remote and unforgiving environment the lodge and its facilities are a stark contrast. From the recently created wooden sleeping quarters, each with their own spacious and lavish bathrooms, through to the cleverly constructed drying and changing quarters - the package here on the Irigoyen really has it all covered, with no better way to unwind after a good day on the water than in the cosy and friendly dining lodge, with food and service to rival any lodge that we have been fortunate enough to frequent. 

The lodge owns the rights to the full length of the river – from source to sea. As such, the fishing is very well controlled, and with a maximum occupancy of six rods the river is never heavily or over fished but with so much water drives can be long to further away beats. However, with a small capacity and with such high appeal, spaces do shift very quickly. As such, please contact us with sufficient warning to reserve your space.

The Irigoyen - Far End Rivers

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The Irigoyen - Far End Rivers

The Irigoyen - Far End Rivers

Packages operate from Saturday-Saturday. (7 nights, 6 days)

Location: Rio Irigoyen, Rio Malenguena, and some more newly discovered, largely unexplored systems.

Single supplement: yes

Bedrooms: 3 (twins)

Price guide:
For the 2011/12 season there were two different types of weeks being offered and operated at the Irigoyen lodge:

1. The standard package where 6 anglers fish the Irigoyen for a week, fishing 2 people to a guide. $4,500 per person - max 6 anglers.
2. A more detailed and intimate package limiting the week to 4 anglers where the anglers will fish 1 guide to 1 angler, and have single rooms. $6,750 - max 4 anglers.

Inclusions:
•    Full board accommodation
•    Services of a professional guide
•    All meals and drinks at the estancia with wines, beer
•    All ground transport in the fishing area
•    Transfers to/from Ushuaia

Exclusions:
•    International and internal air travel
•    Tips, telephone calls
•    Buenos Aires hotel and transfer expenses.

*Please contact us to discuss your requirements and for latest prices and availability.

Special Note:

Please note that we have been asked to make clients aware that upon arrival at Far End Rivers that all guests will be required to sign an Untamed Angling Disclaimer.  Please download a copy of the Disclaimer below, or ask your Frontiers sales representative for a copy before booking your flights or settling your invoice.  You may also wish to send a copy of the Disclaimer to your insurance company.

Irigoyen - Far End Rivers disclaimer:

The Irigoyen - Far End Rivers

Time difference
GMT -3 hrs

Flight time from the UK

Several flight options exist from the UK, many of which utilise major european cities such as Paris, Madrid, Barcelona and Frankfurt as a hub with carriers such as Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa all providing connecting flights to Buenos Aires from the UK. British Airways offers a flight from Heathrow that goes via Sao Paulo in Brazil, where you stay on the plane, and this is the preferred route for the majority of our passengers. For detailed information and to discuss suitable options for your trip please contact us and we will happily pass on recommendations and suitable schedules for your trip.
 
As a guideline, the following is based on the British Airways flight from London:

London - Sao Paulo: 11 hrs 30 mins
Sao Paulo - Buenos Aires: 2 hrs 40 mins

Internal flights
Buenos Aires - Ushuaia: 3 hrs 40 mins

Visa requirements for UK citizens
None

Species
Sea trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, robalo, steelhead.

Season to travel
December - April

Tackle and kit
9-10ft single-handed #7-9 weight rods, multi-tipped lines from floating to fast sink, strong leaders (10lbs+), flies, chest waders, wading jacket, polarised sunglasses. Flies are available at the lodge. In addition, we have visited the lodge and fished these waters, so please contact us during your booking for detailed tips and recommendations for the Irigoyen.

Clothing
The weather can be changeable on Tierra Del Fuego, so be prepared for all conditions. We would recommend layered comfortable clothing that can be added to, or shed, depending on the prevailing conditions. Waders are essential, as are windbreaker jackets and waterproof coats.

The Irigoyen - Far End Rivers