I am heading back to the vise this week as I begin to work on a new Patagonia fly order. That’s right, I placed an order with myself! We are returning to Argentina in early 2024 to fish at SET Fly Fishing’s Chochoy Mallin lodge. We’ll continue our travels to the Puerto Natales area in southern Chile for an adventure we booked with Fly Water Travel to fish with Rumbo Patagon. I’ll be working on the list of flies for Patagonia fly fishing our guides recommended.
The fly box shown above is one I tied for this year’s trip. These flies will certainly be part of the flies we take next year.
If you need a refresher, here are links to the posts I wrote about our experience:
- Fly Fishing in Argentina with SET Fly Fishing
- Pajarito Springs and Trocoman River with SET Fly Fishing
- Heli Fly Fishing from Chochoy Mallin Lodge with SET Fly Fishing
But before I begin to tie the Patagonia flies, Dancingtrout wanted a few more IOBO Humpy flies we’ve been using with success lately on our home waters.
I tied this size 16 IOBO Humpy with the two of the new CDC feathers I purchased recently from Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, MT.
Many fly anglers I talk to discount flies tied with CDC. They think it’s a one-fish fly.
Here are a few images to show how I restore the fly after landing a fish. The top left fly is one I removed from a landed fish. The other images show the steps I use to restore the CDC fly.
Slimed IOBO Humpy fly
Pressed fly with amadou patch to remove water
Apply Frogs Fanny floatant with included brush
Final fly ready to fish again
The brush inside Frog’s Fanny is used to separate the CDC fibers. Will a “shake” product work? I don’t know because I don’t use them.
Now back to the Patagonia flies…
I wrote a post in January 2023 entitled List of Flies for Patagonia Fly Fishing, so I have an idea what flies to take.
Here is the list of flies Rumbo Patagon recommends:
Terrestrials
- Chubby Chernobyl / Purple, tan, gold / size: 10
- Cicada / size: 8
- Fat Albert / Black, Tan / Size: 8,10,12
- Charlie Boy Hopper / Tan / Size: 8
- Morrish Hopper / Tan / Size: 8
Attractors
- Purple para Wulff / Size: 14
- Parachute Adams / Size: 12,14
- Swisher ́s Parachute Madam X / Size: 8
- Elk Hair Caddis / Tan / Size: 12,14
Streamers
- Sparkle Minnow / Size: 4, 6
- Autumn Splendor / Size: 4,6
- Rubber Bugger / Size: 4,6,8
- Beldar Rubberlegs / Size: 4,6,8
- Bead Head Crystal Bugger / Brown, Black / Size: 6
Nymphs
- Tungsten Pheasant Tail / Size: 14,16
- Tungsten Prince Nymph / Size: 10,12
- Copper John / Red, Copper / Size: 12,14
- CDC Flashback Pheasant Tail / Size: 12,14
- Pat ́s Rubberlegs / Brown, Coffee-black / Size: 6
I’m not sure I will tie all of these, but I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
And for those who might be asking… “he’s tying streamers and nymphs take? I thought he only fished dry flies.”
You are mostly right. But we did fish a few nymphs in Argentina earlier this year, including the Condor Nymph, tyed by our guide Juan Carlos.
Enjoy…go fish!
