The Rio Grande winds its way out of the Andes, flowing west to east enroute to the Atlantic Ocean. Kau Tapen Lodge is located on the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The exposed, sparsely populated landscape is reminiscent of windswept Wyoming or the Scottish low country.

Kau Tapen means 'house of fishing' in the Ona language, and here, at the very heart of the Rio Grande, you'll find the best pools on the river, all close to the lodge, and you will fish most days with the winds over your shoulder rather than in your face. Short walks and shallow wades are typical and single-handed rods are usually just right. Skate a bomber over a resting lie, or float a nymph next to a cut bank for sea-run trout you've only seen in your dreams. Kau Tapen Lodge started in the early 1980s, just around the time the Rio Grande turned the corner - becoming the most productive sea-run brown trout fishery on the planet. Despite this distinction, anadromous trout returns change annually based on conditions at sea, tides, water levels, and other environmental factors.

The first brown trout were stocked in Tierra del Fuego by John Goodall in 1935. Shipped from Puerto Montt in Chile, 60,000 salmo trutta eggs survived the arduous journey to be planted on the Candelaria and McLennan rivers, both tributaries of the Rio Grande. These fish eventually found their way to the sea, possibly attracted by the rich nourishment of the estuary.

These sea-run brown trout now complete the yearly migratory cycle of salmonids, spawning during the fall (late March, April and May) in freshwater. Salmo trutta trutta remain in the river for a period of time which ranges between one and four years until their first migration to the sea, where they will feed and grow for about six months before their first return to freshwater, weighing approximately three to six pounds. Researchers have found trout which had spawned more than six times. A trout which has completed four cycles of returning to freshwater can weigh over 20 pounds. The frequency with which they return to freshwater is also an indicator that the fish face very few threats. Whilst also providing a very real example of the benefits of catch and release practices.

Built in 1983, Kau Tapen Lodge was designed to offer guests maximum comfort during their fishing trip, as well as easy accessibility to the fishery. It accommodates up to 12 guests in 10 ensuite bedrooms, five of them with two queen-size beds and the other five with king-size beds.

A large living room area opens up to vistas of the Menendez Valley and Rio Grande Valley. A large roaring fire and well stocked bar will welcome you after every fishing session. Kau Tapen Lodge has a set weekly schedule for Saturday to Saturday stays. Non-fishing rates are also available.

What’s included:

The number of nights lodging and days fishing specified in your package, all meals, all wine, beer and local spirits at the lodge, roundtrip transfers from Rio Grande Airport to the Lodge.