Patagonia
On the remote southern tips of Argentina and Chile, sea-run brown trout swim into the mouths of wide, shallow rivers after fattening up in the Atlantic Ocean.
These trout are legendary for both their abundance and their size. Anglers have been known to catch record-breaking, 30-plus-pound trout here.
Just about everywhere you go in this sparsely populated region of endless grasslands and spiky peaks feels like your own private wilderness: There are only two million inhabitants in an area more than twice the size of California.
And many of Patagonia’s lakes and creeks, along with its famed rivers, offer long, smooth surfaces that are ideal for landing your flies.
If going easy on the environment is a priority for your family, you’re in luck. The region’s extensive eco-friendly initiatives include the creation of huge new tracts of parkland and strict catch-and-release laws on the Rio Grande River. Area guide companies, such as Nervous Waters, support those conservation efforts, ensuring anglers will be able to fish these waters for years to come.
The best fishing is in spring and summer, which means November through March in Patagonia.
Mongolia
With its sprawling landscape of lofty mountains and vast empty plains broken up by deep forests, this largely rural country bordering both Russia and China boasts an untamed splendor. Pure, transparent rivers and streams teeming with fish crisscross the landlocked nation.
The region’s elusive and powerful taimen, also known as the Siberian salmon, can be a tough adversary for even top anglers. But the sense of accomplishment from catching one of these noble creatures is certainly worth the trip. These beautiful gray and red speckled fish migrate long distances via Mongolia’s rivers, feeding as they go until they can weigh as much as 100 pounds.
Fish Mongolia is one outfit that seeks to protect taimen habitats while guiding customers on one-of-a-kind fishing adventures.
Fishing season in Mongolia runs from June through October. READ ARTICLE
