Deep in the Santa Cruz steppe, in southern Argentine Patagonia, Lago Strobel is better known to anglers as Jurassic Lake. This remote lake holds what is widely considered the most incredible rainbow trout population on Earth: fish averaging over eight pounds, with specimens regularly beating twenty. I take you there on an accompanied stay, or organise the trip for you to travel independently, in partnership with the historic lodge sitting at the mouth of the Barrancoso River.
A fly fisher’s dream
I believe every fly angler has heard of Lago Strobel at least once in their life. The lake sat on my bucket list for years, and last March I finally got to put my flies on its water. I can tell you plainly: what they say about this place is true. Picture a lake lost in the middle of the steppe, six hours of gravel road from El Calafate, fed by one single river worthy of the name, the Barrancoso, where the rainbows run to spawn. Water of exceptional richness, fish of a power you do not come back from, and fights that stay burned in your memory for life.
The lodge
The lodge is the original operation on the lake, set in a protected bay a few minutes’ walk from the mouth of the Barrancoso, the most productive water of the entire fishery. Ten comfortable rooms with private bathrooms, refined cooking, Argentine wines included, solar power and satellite WiFi: real comfort in the middle of nowhere. The lodge holds more than ten miles of private shoreline on the most sheltered sectors of the lake, and the daily beat rotation is done on foot from the lodge, with one guide for two to three anglers.
Two ways to travel
Accompanied. I design the trip with you, travel with you from the first day to the last, interpret for you, and as a certified fly fishing instructor I take the time to correct the small technical habits that could cost you fish. On the water, the lodge guides do the guiding.
Independently. For seasoned travellers, I take care of the whole organisation: booking, domestic flights, transfers, tackle and technique preparation. You fly out alone or with friends and join the lodge team.
Practical information
Access via El Calafate: six hour land transfer, or a one hour charter flight as an option, landing on a private strip fifteen minutes from the lodge. Season from October to May. Stays of 3 nights (2.5 fishing days), 4 nights (3.5 days) or 7 nights (6.5 days), easy to combine with the northern Patagonia trout trip. Fly fishing is done wading or from the bank only. Licences included.
Rates on request: thanks to my partnership with the lodge, I can offer you special rates, better than booking through the usual channels. Contact me for a quote.
The fishing
Spring, October to early January: the big trout run up the Barrancoso and the sheer volume of fish is staggering. Summer, mid January to mid March: sight casting to giants cruising the shoreline. Autumn, mid March to May: the fish feed hard before winter, the brightest chrome of the season. Streamers and nymphs mostly, dries on the upper Barrancoso and in calm conditions; the wind is part of the game. Seven and eight weight rods for the lake and lower river with floating, intermediate and sinking lines, a four or five weight for the upper river, strong leaders. A seven or eight weight double-hander earns its place too.
Trusted partners
I work directly with the Jurassic Lake Lodge, the team that has run the lake and the Barrancoso from the beginning. For booking, you can build your stay directly with me, or go through the French partner travel agencies I collaborate with: DHD Laïka and Fishing Adventures GTS, both fully licensed and specialised in fishing travel.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is it called Jurassic Lake?
- The nickname comes from the prehistoric size of its rainbow trout: an average above eight pounds, fish over twenty pounds landed every season, and a density found nowhere else in the world.
- How big are the trout, really?
- The average sits between eight and thirteen pounds, and fish over twenty pounds are caught every season at the mouth of the Barrancoso.
- Do I need to be an experienced angler?
- No. The fishing is done from the bank or wading, at short range, and the guides adapt to your level. Being able to hold a line in the Patagonian wind helps.
- How do I book?
- Contact me directly to build your stay, accompanied or independent. The short stay combines very well with the northern Patagonia trip.
Get in touch to plan your trip →
« I fish not because I regard fishing as being terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant. »
Robert Traver