Good morning from San Martin de Los Andes, Argentina where I am watching my friend Rod Bonacker pack up his clothes and fishing gear for the start of our long trek home. I will be home tomorrow night and will be working in the shop this coming week before heading back to Argentina and Chile after Christmas for the rest of the winter and to meet my groups of friends and anglers who are coming down to fish and enjoy what Patagonia has to offer.
This past week of fishing was spectacular! We began on a hot summer day launching 4 rafts and 2 drift boats on the Collon Curra River for a 3 day, 2 night camp trip. Over the years I have fished this river many times but this week was the best I’d ever seen it. Especially with dry flies, including Para Wulff Adams, Chubbies and Fat Alberts. The fish were big, and showed off with strong jumps and blazing runs downriver. On our 2nd night in camp thhe hot weather ended in ways it often does in the summer in Central Oregon, with an afternoon of thunder storm, it cooled everything off, and showed us skies that rivaled a National Geographic moment. All 8 of us, 4 guides and 5 camp staff (bag boat) all stood in awe for the sunset that followed the storm. This is living. Wings open, soaring to experience the best the world can offer, no matter where that is is important for our minds.
By the way, I really don’t like to camp. I prefer a bed and shower but being on that long stretch of river that only sleeping in a tent for 2 nights could offer was worth it. Being here with old and new friends and sharing the boat this week with Rod Bonacker, Jeff Wester and Rick Fredland was such a nice time. All 3 guys fished well, and were perfect company for the week. Tom and Carol and Scott and Lyn were the other half of the group and of course the couples always fished with each other, and hearing Lyn on the river celebrating each and every fish was a highlight of the trip for all of us. What a hoot, and a positive burst of energy on the river and in camp.
Besides the Collon Curra we also fished the Rio Alumine and the Rio Chimehuen. All offered super fishing, with dries, small streamers, dry/dropper or strike indicator techniques. Rod said the day we floated the Alumine that it was the best day of trout fishing in his life! For me, the fishing was great too, but the December skies, and flora, the warm breeze and the clear waters were all I needed to make it my favorite day of the week. If I was to guess, personally I caught somewhere between 150 and 200 trout this week, and would say it was my #1 week of fishing I have ever had in Argentina. Not all the fish are big, but the fact they are all wild and were caught on so many methods is really extra cool to be able to do.
I am already getting dates put together for 2026/27 and will be sure to be here in December again next year. Who will join me? I have Chile Lodge dates set for February of 2027 too. Patagonia is a place you need to come see.

I heard about the warm, wet (wet wet wet) weather back home this past week and was a little concerned about the rivers for fishing access. I checked in with Aaron at the shop and briefly texted with Mattias last night, and got a few other reports from FFP crew and overall, impact was low for as much rain that fell.

The Metolius River did get a bump in flows from the western creeks dumping in to the main river, but it is in good shape as I look at the graphs this morning. https://apps.wrd.state.or.us/apps/sw/hydro_near_real_time/display_hydro_graph.aspx?station_nbr=14088500
A lot of these small bumps in water levels create good opportunities for Bull Trout for whatever reason. I would guess that smaller sculpins and whitefish get washed around with some higher flows and the Bulls ambush them… Anyway, get out there and strip and swing some streamers for sure.
With the warm days there have still been some PMD’s this past week. That has to (Has to!!) peter out soon, but tuck PMD and BWO patterns in the box this week. BWO’s #18-20 are a constant in December, January, February and March, and I want to keep encouraging you to fish the whole cycle of the hatch from nymphs, emergers, cripples, duns and spinners. In the winter, a BWO nymph will work any day you choose to fish it. BWO nymphs are in the drift 365/7 and are one of the more important nymphs in the winter due to how many are mature and available.
Golden Stone nymphs, Caddis Pupa (Orange #8-10, Amber #12-14, Tan #16 and Olive #16), Zebra Midges Red and Black #18-22, Eggs, Blue Perdigon and Blue Psycho Prince are going to be in my box. Hopefully they will be in yours too.
I think the next 4 or 5 days look great for fishing the river so get out there.

The Crooked River report can’t be better than sharing this: (also Water level is 100 cfs as of today and that is perfect and a normal winter flow)
Good morning, 
I just wanted to reach out and say thank you again to Aaron for putting together some flys for the crooked for me yesterday. I had to escape the rain in the valley and decided to head your way in hopes of dry weather. I have not fished the crooked in roughly 20 years so I stopped in for some supplies and guidance.  I am a salmon/steelhead gear fishing guide so my fly fishing personal time is limited. Thanks to Aaron’s help I had a beautiful day and caught quite a few fish. Thanks again for the help Aaron! Keep up the good work! 

Sincerely, 
John W

Scuds, Zebras, Small Perdigons, Walts Worms, 2 Bit Hooker, Micro May BWO and add some midge emergers and dries to the mix for warm afternoons in the lower river near MP 12, 13 where more open skies create good midge fishing when the wind is calm.

The Fall River is always the safe bet when the heavy rains come as it has no outside influences to run off. It is just the springs, and they are pretty static.
There have been good BWO and Midge hatches on the Fall and it offers some of the best dry fly options for the area for sure.
Small streamers like a Soccer Mom, Slum Lord and Mini Gulp fished as a euro nymph, stripped or animated with a jigging motion pay off here, and a Balanced Leech using a strike indicator is a good bet in the slower pools too.
Eggs, Mops, Zebra Midges and small mayfly nymphs like a 2 Bit Hooker and Tungsten Micro May in a BWO tone and size match are good for sure. Tungsten Micro May’s are tied in an Olive and also a Black and usually #18 or 20 are the best.

The Lower Deschutes Warm Springs to Trout Creek stretch bumped water levels earlier this week but are dropping now.
I do not have any reports from there to share, but should be good for trout and steelhead on jig streamers and perdigons, eggs, girdle bugs, stonefly nymphs, oct caddis pupa and prince nymphs.
Swinging Ho Bo Spey’s, Intruders and A-leeches for steelhead on a sink tip is a great way to finish up the Deschutes season to the end of the month.
Remember that all waters adjacent to the WS Tribal waters close Dec 31st. Maupin area is open all year.

Lakes Report

I’m curious if anyone has been to Ochocco, N or S Twin recently?

Travel

I have 2 spots open for Baja in June in La Ventana for Roosterfish and Dorado.

I am going to wrap this up and go catch a flight to Buenos Aires, then Atlanta, Seattle and home to Redmond/Bend Dec 14th at 6:50 PM.
If anyone is in Redmond at that time and headed to Bend and have room for me I’d love a ride. Otherwise I will call the Uber and get home that way.

Merry Christmas and I hope to see you in the shop soon.
Jeff

Here are a few highlights from the trip-