Estancia Tecka Lodge

Less than two hours south of Esquel, Argentina, Estancia Tecka Lodge is a 435,000-acre ranch with an incredible 96 miles of fully private trout water. Over the course of a week, anglers float the Corcovado and Tecka Rivers and walk-and-wade several spring creeks, all within the ranch boundaries and ultimately draining into either the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean. Rainbow and brown trout make up most of the catch, with a few brook trout mixed in. Guests stay either at Tecka’s Headquarters Lodge or at the Caridad Lodge.
In parallel with the fishing, Estancia Tecka maintains its century-old ranching operation, exporting roughly 800,000 pounds of organic wool each year while refining cattle and sheep genetics. This is a hands-on operation for the Ochoa and Pax families, who value long-standing relationships with their angling guests and consistently provide a warm atmosphere, refined accommodations, and high-end service that bring anglers back year after year. For any fly angler seeking sophisticated lodging paired with one of the finest private trout fisheries in the world, Estancia Tecka Lodge is the clear choice in central Patagonia.

The Estancia Tecka complex includes sheep and horse paddocks and two independent guest lodges, each with a wine cellar, green house, luxurious spa, daily laundry and a shared air strip for private charter flights.  Headquarters Lodge is the original ranch house built in the 20’s and has been renovated to comfortably host 8 anglers in 4 well-appointed double rooms with large ensuite bathrooms. It is surrounded by verdant lawns, tall conifers, and poplars, with the Tecka River a short walk away. Cocktail can be enjoyed in the large living and bar room or the outdoor fire pit to sip malbec and share stories of the day.

Caridad is the second guest lodge within the property and sits on the banks of a massive spring creek, they call “The Spring Creek” and offers views of the snowcapped Andes Mountains. Caridad is a modern, upscale lodge with 4 double rooms and 1 single room in the main lodge and 2 double suites in the annex. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms and views of the Spring Creek.

The talented crew of chefs take great pride in delighting guests with a true organic farm to table dining experience. Lunch on the river can sometime mean a full blow chef prepared barbeque of grilled meat and veggies on a skillet or on a rotisserie powered by the river current. The classic country dish Pollo al Disco is also slotted for at least one riverside lunch during the week.

No other lodge can boast 96 miles of private trout water like Estancia Tecka. The freestone Corcovado drains Lago Vinter and changes its name to the Río Palena as it crosses into Chile on its way to the Pacific. From drift boats, guests fly fish for brown and rainbow trout averaging 18 inches. Hooking 17–20-inch trout on dries, nymphs, or streamers is a daily occurrence on the soft-flowing, crystal-clear Corcovado. There are 14 different sections inside the ranch, each containing two to four beats.

Río Tecka is a delicate, wade-only river running for roughly 39 miles along the eastern side of the ranch. A 5-weight rod rigged with terrestrials is all that is needed to connect with hard-fighting 15–17-inch rainbow and brown trout. This private gem also consistently produces surprisingly large browns usually found in the deeper holes. Since COVID, the estancia has been removing invasive willow trees along parts of the Tecka to open access to several prized sections that were previously unfishable.

The Spring Creek at Caridad Lodge is a large spring creek flowing through grasslands as far as the eye can see and is perfect for a 4- or 5-weight rod. Fango and Humel are two smaller, more technical spring creeks flowing within the property and are a must-see for at least one day. For more variety, anglers can venture to a nearby private lake system with brown and brook trout. Skating hoppers and mice is a favorite technique on these pristine lagoons. Estancia Tecka is such a massive property that it can take 10 minutes to over an hour to reach certain fishing spots, and all roads within the ranch are gravel but extremely well maintained.

ESTANCIA TECKA LODGE 
(7 nights; 6 days fishing)

Day 1      Arrive Buenos Aires (EZE). Transfer to the domestic airport (AEP) and fly to Esquel (ESQ) The staff will pick you up and transfer you under 2 hours to the ranch. Fish the afternoon if you have time.

Day 2-7      Six days trout fishing private water at Estancia Tecka Lodge. Typically, you’ll leave the lodge at 9am and return by 8:30pm, but your daily schedule is up to you.

Day 8      Check out. The staff will transfer you back to the Esquel Airport for your flight to Buenos Aires and home.

Rate: $ 8,400/angler
Included: Lodging, meals, open bar, laundry, guided fishing with license and transfer to/from Esquel
Not included: Flights, gear, gratuities, services in Buenos Aires.

With over 26 years organizing trips in Chile and Argentina, we make travel planning efficient and worry free. Our specialized travel agent ensures your international flights connect smoothly with the exact domestic flights you need for your lodge dates. If preferred, we’ll even have our team in Buenos Aires meet you when you land.

• After an easy overnight flight, anglers land at the Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) and transfer 45 minutes to the Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Domestic Airport (AEP) for their flight to Esquel (ESQ). Four hours minimum is required between your international and domestic flights in Buenos Aires.
• Upon landing in Esquel on Saturday, a Tecka staff member will greet you and transfer you under 2 hours to the lodge. The following Saturday, they will be driven back to the Esquel Airport for your flight back to Buenos Aires or to your next destination in Patagonia.
• Tecka has its own air strip for guests wishing to fly privately.