Fishing Patagonia, Day 1

Well, this is blowing my mind. I'm fishing in Patagonia's Cholila valley along the 500,000-acre Los Alerces National Park. I have so much to say, but I talk way too much anyway. So for my Day 1 report, I'll keep it short. My childhood fishing pal Chad and I are completely impressed. We're staying at Murmullos Lodge. Summertime is just beginning here, so the 25-thousand acre ranch is green, flowered with roses and wild lupine and nestled at the base of huge white-capped mountains with cool names like "The Mummy." Murmullos is located just a few minutes from the still-standing cabin where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid retired. "Murmullos" means murmuring in Spanish, which is what the river does as it runs along the property. We answered the call of the murmuring yesterday, bringing in big, healthy rainbows on streamers and dries during a ten-mile float. Since the lodge is stocked with Montana Fly Company flies, it was fun to see our favorite patterns fish so well at the other end of the world. Looking through pictures this morning from yesterday's adventure, my head started spinning as I realized this isn't a dream. We're headed out now to hit it again, so I'll have much more tonight. Hilary