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The Land of the Giants

Lago Strobel, aka “Jurassic Lake”, is almost a household name in the international fly fishing community.  I have heard stories of this legendary lake for more than 20 years: A place stocked sometime in the late 80’s with McCloud River rainbow trout; A place where the fish and

the wind can reach large double-digit numbers;  A place where you won’t see another angler outside your travel group on a giant lake they measure in kilometers, not acres (20km x 15km). This trip was a must-do on my bucket list. So with an invitation, I gladly accepted.   

Out wandering the vast moonscape land near the lodge.
Almost everyday while in transit from the lodge to the lake we would see the iconic guanacos wandering the plains.

“Lago Strobel, aka “Jurassic Lake”, is almost a household name in the international fly fishing community. ”

ELV Lodge has 12 lakes to fish, including Jurassic. After capturing this insane sunrise, I made a few casts in the pond next to the lodge for a trophy trout before breakfast.

One and a half days of travel brought me to a beautifully appointed lodge with some amazing fishing right out of the back door and a short drive to the “main lake”. We saw some perfectly calm days, along with some windy days I didn’t know you could actually fish in.  The guides had all kinds of little nooks

and coves that provided just enough cover to get our fly in front of the fish. A week of catching multiple “biggest trout of my life” paired with incredible Argentinian wines and meals was a trip I wish I would have done way sooner.  I can’t wait till next season! 

-Abe Blair

Dennis and guide Martin with a classic rainbow from Monster Bay.
Guest Brian releases a perfect Jurassic Lake trout.
We brought a few Sea Eagle pack rafts, and on the light wind days we fished some of the outer reefs.
Jessica and guide Martin put the finishing touches on a great trout.
Staying at the outpost camp means longer fishing days and great views from the water.
How big? 10, 12 or 15 pounds? Not many places in the world where every fish is a lifetime catch.
Dennis has a jumper out in the SeaEagle boat.
Yes, it can get a bit windy. But the rewards are worth every cast.
Sometimes its hard to remember you are hundreds of miles from the ocean.
Target aquired in the Barroncoso River.
Left: This is the only way to top off the best day of fishing in your life. We ate some of the most amazing and diverse meals you could imagine at a lodge. 
Right: Can’t leave Argentina without a classic Asado cooked lamb. The lodge spent 5 hours slow cooking the meat while we slayed the rainbows.
Our guide Martin gets the first of many 15lbs+ trout into the net.
When the wind is cranking, fishing a spot with deep water right off the bank makes the casting easier than the catching.
Left: If the weather beats you down a bit, the lunch apps and wine sure make it better. 
Top Right: A warm piaya lunch is cooked up by master chef and guide Martin. 
Bottom Right: A group lunch was a great time to share fish stories and warm up with a hot meal and a glass of wine.
These are some of the most perfect trout in the world, especially when this one is considered an average-sized catch on your day of angling.
Don makes contact with a Barrancoso River trout. Spending a day fishing the intimate pocket water with a mouse fly and other large attractor patterns is a dream trip in itself.
A pack raft lets us fish those outside lines you just can’t quite cast to from shore.
Brian fishes the outside line of this beautiful cove.
The outpost lodge sits under the southern Milky Way sky and Magellanic clouds. The lake is visible in the near distance.

Contributed By

Abe Blair

As an artist choosing to work with the medium of photography, I am always trying to push the natural limits of my cameras, whether it is film or digital.  I am traditional in my method, working to get the image correct in the camera without building one in the computer.  This makes every finished image a personal success. Through this traditional method, each image has a life and soul of its own.  I am excited to introduce and share them with my viewers and collectors. 
Working with my first film camera in 1992  ignited a fire and passion that has burned strong ever since.  Shortly after high school, I followed my passion and pursued a career photographing skiing and snowboarding.  Through those years, I traveled the world while honing my craft.  I learned how to work with nature’s dramatic and rare light that is often found in the mountains, while reading weather patterns and putting myself where the light was best. Now I use my camera as a painter would use their brush, focusing more on the mood and power of a pre-visualized scene before the camera even comes out of the bag.  Through a process of continued visits to my selected locations, I am able to study the light and weather patterns through the changing seasons and truly connect with my surroundings.  This process, combined with patience and great light, is a path I look forward to following for many years to come.     
You can view many of my favorite pieces on my website at  www.AbeBlair.com.   
“A photograph captures a moment in time, altering life for an eternity. ”- Abe Blair   
 

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