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CHILE!! 
*****AWESOME SEASON IN CHILE IS NOW COMING TO A CLOSE, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR EMAILS AND SUPPORT, SEE SOME OF YOU IN CHILE IN 2007 FOR SURE! GET READY FOR A GREAT SEASON IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, WITH GUIDE TRIPS GETTING SET UP FOR THE LOWER SAC, UPPER SAC RAFT/FLY FISHING, McCLOUD, KLAMATH, LOWER KLAMATH, PIT, HAT CREEK, AND TRINITY RIVERS. WE ANTICIPATE ANOTHER GREAT SEASON IN NORCAL.*****
Ah, a wonderful photo of Lago Yelcho in the fall makes anyone stop in their shoes and take notice. Possibly the best fly fishing lake in the world, ask any of our customers who fly fished it this season and they would agree. In fact, I don’t remember anyone who fished Lago Yelcho not catching at least a huge trout on both drys or streamers. Take notes that fly fishing is best on Lago Yelcho in the month of January due to the enormous amounts of dragonfly hatches, in which the trout rise up from the depths like Lochness Monsters to gorge themselves as many others do at the annual rib cook off competition in Reno, Nevada every Labor Day weekend. Which reminds me of the other day when I myself had a great lunch at our lodge called the Puerto Pilar, some 30 minutes outside of Puerto Varas, Chile. I got into my truck and cruised down the spectacular coast highway that is lined by ferns, huge lush green Eucalyptus Trees, Fushia Plants as well as native Coihues. The greenery in some places actually is like driving through a forested cave where the light filters through in a heavenly brilliance. As I made my way closer to Puerto Varas, I picked up reception on my radio in the truck and heard a song from the Fleetwood Mac band, and a smile came over my face as I thought about my sister M’Lissa who loved this band so much growing up in Northern California. Chile is so close to home that missing it is never a thought that crosses my mind. And hearing Sara, by Fleetwood Mac with Steve Nicks at the microphone is a dream within a dream that dates my age to all of you reading out there. I looked up at the views presented to me, and thought to myself what a wonderful world. jt
After finishing up with Henry and Lucia Hossfeld, I flew back to Puerto Varas out of Chaiten, in a little two stroke Cessna. The views were amazing from the air and off in the distance I could see the Rio Negro that makes its way out into ocean. The fiords, tiny chains of islands and mountain tops we cruised over at low altitudes left me breathless, but
I guess it wouldn’t be a Jack Trout Adventure if we didn’t have a little drama, romance and action, now would it?
I found this flat rock island to be the most interesting spectacle I witnessed on my journey back home. It’s such a small island and was the only one that looked like this? Isn’t
life interesting? Here you have an island surrounded by other islands that have trees, good soil and are a bit larger in size, and yet this one island is completely the opposite of its neighboring islands? I guess that’s what you would call the miracle of life. You never know what’s around the corner or what the Sky Pilot has in store for us next,
you just have to get out and experience it! Some people in life don’t like changes, but if you think about it, life would be boring with out it. Changes for the good and bad make life more interesting in the end. So embrace the changes that occur and see the miracles of life that lie ahead around the corner. (This island certainly did!)
I started to get tired from the attitude and all the days out with customers and drifted off into day-dream that placed me back on the Rio Futaleufu with Henry Hossfeld clammering about a nice fish he took on a dry fly with Nico rowing him to safety and eventually landing the chunky monkey. I remembered a story that I heard of how locals in this region do not have telephones and do most of their communications over a public radio. Talk about Paton Place. Small towns like Mt Shasta, California are bad enough with the gossip scene and if you haven’t heard a rumor in Dunsmuir, California by 11am, go out and start one! We laughed about a story Nico told of how a girl broke up with her boyfriend over the radio and a call back from him that no one should have ever heard besides the two at heart! Of course with our sense of humors we laughed with the customers cause Nico is so good at telling these radio stories and making us chuckle, allowing us a unique insight into a remote Chilean culture. Once in this zone we have no access to banks, and gas is only in Chaiten. Everything must be planned and organized well. I woke up after the 15 minute catnap to the tires of the small aircraft hitting the ground at Puerto Montt Airport and scratched my noggin, rubbed my eyes and adjusted my cap….
After landing I only had a 1/2 hour in the airport before I recognized a man in a top brimmed hat calling my name as I edited a story from a previous web adventure. It was Tom Rich,
my next customer telling me that the group had arrived early
and were outside in front with Poncho! After that we all exchanged hugs and hand shakes and left the airport for a great lunch at Alessandros Restaurant in Puerto Varas.
Bill Vanderweken and Tom Rich, who I had guided last fall on the Trinity River in Northern Cal, as well as Tom’s sister Mary Ellen and her friend, Frolin, were all happy to be in Puerto Varas and commented on the how beautiful the area was.We enjoyed a 5 star Italian meal and took them to the lodge afterwards.
Bill and Tom were here to fly fish, Mary Ellen and Frolin were here to check out the scenes. The first day Poncho took Bill and Tom out fly fishing on the Maullin and I toured the ladies around the Island of Chiloe. We saw this Chiloten getting his wood in place for the rainy cold winter that laid ahead in the months to come. The people of Chiloe are so nice and always have a smile to share or a wave to give when passing by.
Mary Ellen and Frolin enjoyed a boat ride around viewing many types of ocean going birds and penguins.
I enjoyed the nice German guide that seemed to know a lot about the area.
Looking back towards the beach you could see all the different operators, two restaurants and the cabañas for rent.
Once back on a shore I thought I was dreaming again when a Chilean goddess from out of nowhere appeared and helped drag the boat in! If this girl was a mermaid she could take me to the sea of love where everyone would love to drown! She is what I would call a Sizzlababe, Sizzlers!
Back at the ranch I had a nice conversations with all of the crew and watched the girl from Germany carve out wooden penguins that would later be sold for the benefit of the wildlife penguin protection center.
The next day Tom Rich was out fly fishing and wading on the Rio Petrohue, what a beautiful river!
Classic shot, Tom! He reminds me of Steve Martin.
Another one to burn in the memory banks!
Dinner at the lodge is always spectacular and the Chilean fine wines are our excuse to wash it all down.
One of my favorite dishes of the season was this congrio ocean fish covered by a chilean margarita sauce entertained by
adding fresh local shrimp!
Every morning meeting over at Tom and Bill’s cabin was a must and Bill was always sneaking a shot of whiskey into his coffee
to start the day off right!
Later that morning, I rowed Bill on the Rio Maullin while Poncho took Tom out both using streamers. Bill Vanderweken is the best fly fisher I’ve ever seen sitting down inside the drift boat. Boy can this man cast sitting down. Both enjoyed many hook-ups, catches and releases!
Another fine specimen, way to go Bill!
Bill is such a great past customer who I enjoy to hang out with anytime we fly fish together! He’s such a quality person.
Tom now lives in Montana on a large piece of land that borders
the Madison River. What a life!
One day Tom hooked up on several larger fish nymphing on the Rio Petrohue. They all gave him a great fight and he enjoyed his day thoroughly!
Nice fish for a nice guy!
It’s people like this that make guiding great, it’s places like this that make life memorable!
Tom and his sister Mary Ellen out in front of Mary Ellen and Frolin’s cabin-home. See this trip was kind of a payback for Tom. The time was back in the early 70’s, Tom was 22 and Mary Ellen was 32. Mary had just bought a brand new white Corvette. They were partying with friends and smoking a little grass, drinking some when Tom got this idea to go out and get a pizza for the group. Being a lot less responsible then, he drove the mighty powerful jewel into a 1000 pieces, luckily he himself wasn’t hurt. Afterwards he called his sister Mary Ellen and said he had an accident. Mary Ellen said, just come home. Tom said, I can’t! She later came and started picking up pieces of her prize that was not to be. Even years later she still had saved pieces of her Corvette which she stored in her purse. This trip 30 years later was Tom’s payback for that ominous night of tragedy. It’s great that after all those years, they can laugh about it and stand in front of Volcan Osorno, which resembles the color of that classic roadster that once rumbled down the highway like the erupting volcano itself. Cheers Tom and Mary Ellen, to all the stupid things we do when were young and how we learn from them and later laugh out loud!
Mary Ellen, Tom and Frolin, what a classic!
Later that night I had requested that we have an asado for a special group, and have kind of an end of the season party to boot! The owner of our lodge and my very good friend Christian Benetiz, put on a show for the ages, cooking up a BBQ on a wok the Chileans call a disco.
The disco contained beef, chicken, pork and sausages. Complimented by tomatoes, onions, garlic, other spices and a secret sauce pronounced chimmichurae. It was so good and the smells that traveled through the entire lodge could be heard being talked about as far away as Puerto Varas. To say the least, it was awesome! Thanks Christian and all the staff at the Puerto Pilar for a perfect season again!
The dinner was halarious and yummy! We kind of tied one on, if you know what I mean, and Tom nor anyone was driving anywhere that night!
Dessert was always splendid as usual!
The next day, I woke up and looked out of my room at the wonderful views from our lodge. Another great week, more happy customers and more to come! Thanks to everyone involved with making this my best season ever in Chile, Sizzlers!
Jack Trout
*****STAY TUNED AS CRAIG AND GRETA MITCHELL COME DOWN AND CHECK OUT THE FLY FISHING AND VIEWS IN AND AROUND PUERTO VARAS AND YELCHO AREAS!!***** THANKS FOR WATCHING JACK TROUT