Some things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a yearly case of warm weather wanderlust for our team once the snow starts to fall in the Rockies. While deep in the Winter months here in the Northern Hemisphere, few things sound better than a way to escape the mundane routine of shoveling snow and head south for a chance at some one-of-a-kind fishing. For us, that’s a trip down to Argentina. After being lucky enough to embark on this annual migration for about half a decade now; we essentially have the whole program memorized. Our favorite hotel in Buenos Aires, the phone call to our dear friend, Peter Kaminski, to ask for him to call Don Julio for us, the place to get the best exchange rate, and most importantly, the tools we need to make sure we have for an adventure either in Patagonia for trout or Northern Argentina for golden dorado. 

The Purpose of this Guide: 

This year, our adventures led us on a thrilling two-week trip with SET Fly Fishing, hunting golden dorado all over the Corrientes province. As we prepared for this exciting journey, we found ourselves facing an angler’s typical dilemma. The question of: “What do I pack for a trip like this?” 

It occurred to us then that, even with our experience in this fishery, we were still asking this question – a dilemma that comes with high stakes as you can’t just “replace” something if you forget it. So to face this head-on, we decided to team up with our friends at YETI to analyze our gear to see what was important and what wasn’t, in hopes of creating a helpful reference for those who might be planning a similar trip in the future and are looking for some gear guidance.

And yes, you might be asking this as you read: “It’s just stuff. Who cares as long as I’ve got my bare essentials”? To that, we answer: Yes, it is just stuff. But with all the time, money, and energy it takes to get to the Argentinian jungle for the experience of a lifetime – do you really want to leave anything up to chance? We’ve all done it: the ritual of laying every piece of gear out on the garage/ living room floor for a scrupulous analysis of every fly box, rod segment, and sun hoodie – only to arrive at your destination a few days later to realize you forgot a key piece of gear. Instead of spending your first night of a trip that took 3 years of pinching pennies to afford, tearing apart your suitcase, and cursing out your past self, why not sit back with a cocktail or glass of wine, and relax with the ease of mind that you’ve got it all under control. Save the frustration for the big fish that gets away – that much you’re on your own for.

While some items on your packing list may overlap with those provided by your outfitter or lodge, we have some unique suggestions that could aid in taking the guest work out of your pre-planning. Our aim is to highlight our own experiences to help you become a master packer, ensuring your gear reaches its destination safely and is easily transferred to and from the water each day. Even if you’re not headed to the jungles of Argentina any time soon – in this breakdown, we’ll aim to highlight key essentials for any warm weather/ big game trip, that you can utilize to optimize your experience wherever your travels may take you!

The Process: 

Here is where you become a master packer. Having a good process and better organization. There are a few things that help us stay organized with all the different gear we are bringing along with us on this two-week adventure. You have to categorize items as Fishing Gear, Clothing, and Personal Items (what you want on the plane / traveling short distances). 

Breaking these out helps us remember everything we need to bring for a trip. While some things cross over, forgetting your underwear becomes less of a worry if you compartmentalize what you need. This helps once you’ve arrived to know when you need to grab your flies, reels, rods, etc. they are all in one place together. 

 Overall Tips

Establish Bags for Each Category 

Fishing Equipment:

Typically, we pack our fishing gear in waterproof bags. Our preference for this is YETI’s Panga Duffles, which range from the Panga 50 to the Panga 100 (50 Liters – 100 Liters). We pack all of our rod and reel carriers into these duffles to keep them in one place, along with our fly boxes, pliers, leader material, and flats shoes. While any army surplus duffel could work, we prefer the Panga’s for their durability and waterproofness – especially on trips like this where gear is getting tossed around in airports and vans, and travel by boat is a big part of the overall journey.

In the same vein, having a waterproof backpack is arguably one of the most important items you should pack. There are a lot of good options, but most of us, as well as most other anglers we work with, prefer the Panga backpack. It’s a simple, sturdy pack with not too many compartments/ frills to break or lose stuff in. Plus, no matter the conditions you face, either during travel or during your days fishing, you know your gear will be safe and dry – an assurance that is much appreciated when exploring tropical climates.

Additionally, on longer trips where you want to bring it all and won’t have access to a fly shop, it’s nice to have some sort of a hard case with you. For this, we love the Yeti GoBox as a safe way to transport some fly-tying equipment, such as vises, as well as some other fragile items like reels, sunglasses, and anything else you wouldn’t trust to the heavy hands of the TSA. 

Clothes and Travel Resources

For clothing, let me put you on something… Packing Cubes. Packing cubes have changed the packing game. When going on these big trips, I like to have a packing cube for each category of clothes. a large cube for fishing shirts, a large cube for fishing pants and shorts, a medium cube for undergarments, a small cube for socks, and a medium cube to be used as a dopp kit.

With everything compressed into packing cubes, we can fit all of our clothing into a standard suitcase. Something to consider when picking a suitcase is to find one that has wheels and a telescoping handle. On international trips, there’s no doubt you’ll be walking your luggage around a lot – something like the YETI Crossroads 73L is a great lightweight and portable option. Important note: just in case your luggage gets lost (which is not an uncommon occurrence on international trips), have a set of clothes with your personal items to hold you over until your luggage is found! 

Last but not least is your personal items. For personal items, we usually like to keep things compact. A backpack like the Crossroads 27L backpack, and a small packing cube is pretty much all we need. This is where you can keep all your travel essentials like your extra change of clothes, computer, headphones, water bottle, and whatever else you like to have on your person. The small packing cube is where we like to keep charging cables organized, and is a great place to stow your passport once you’ve made it past security.

Dial In Your Kit for the Water

Once you have made it to your destination, there are a few things from each category that you want to take on the water with you each day. To consolidate, we load everything we need for the water into either the GoBox or a Panga Backpack.

Larger items like fly boxes, a rain jacket, and a camera (something most of us travel with these days), go in the main compartment, while smaller items like sunscreen, leader material, and our phone, can be stored in a Sidekick Dry Gear Case – a convenient and necessary add on to any waterproof backpack.

Something we learned on the last trip is the velcro patch on the inside of the panga backpack is great for storing flies before throwing them back in your fly box. Additionally, you can attach your water bottle to a carabiner outside the backpack for quick access to hydration – something we could always do with a little more of.

Pack Smarter…

When packing for time on a boat, you should keep in mind these two essential factors: compactness and organization. Ideally, you’re bringing as little as necessary onto the boat with you. Boats are small as it is, even the larger pangas, which have become very popular amongst South American guides in recent years, fill up quickly. This is why it’s important to be intentional with what you pack for a day out.

Adding onto that thought, let’s talk about organization. Being organized is one of the most important elements that lots of people neglect when getting on boats. No one likes the angler whos getting on the boat with their junk spilling all over the place. It’s annoying to get around and it’s a magnet for fly line, and more importantly: it’s not safe. All too often, we’ve seen guides go to make a run and someone’s sandal, empty water bottle, or fly box decides to take flight as soon as the boat gets some speed. Or, with clutter everywhere, especially when it comes to big saltwater flies, and with most people being barefoot, you’re cooking up a recipe for a barbed hook lodged somewhere that leads to a day cut short and a quiet boat ride home.

It’s for these reasons that we recommend the Panga or GoBox system so much. Both are built to be compartmentalized and can hold a lot, while simultaneously taking up the least amount of space possible. Whichever option you decide, you’re going to make your guides very happy when they’re not playing hopscotch with your gear, and you’ll be happy too when you know exactly where your raincoat is when the inevitable torrential dump starts.

The Packing List: 

Here, we’ve organized a short list of the essentials for a trip like ours. We won’t say there isn’t room for more on this list based on angler preference, but here are what we consider to be the essentials… Note: all products listed here are what WE use/used and what worked for us, but again, what you decide to go with is going to come down to your budget and preference.

Fishing Gear: 

Storage + Organization:

Keeping your essentials safe and dry is priority number 1.

Tools and Technical Gear:

A rod and reel are essential, but here are all the things that’ll aid in getting the job done.

Line and Leader:

Stay prepared with a few lines to choose from for different scenarios. GD are dynamic fish, so you can go from searching to stalking in a matter of moments. Here’s what we brought:

Rods: 

The more rods, the better. We were chasing different-sized fish in different habitats, which required many different rod applications. Having multiple rods set up in multiple weights/ lines, allows you to quickly switch from floating line to sinking to intermediate. Here is what we brought with us. 

  • 7 Weights
    • Sage Salt R8 7wt
    • Steffen Brothers graphite 7wt 
  • 8 Weights
    • Steffen Brother fiberglass 8wt (super fun to fight Dorado on this) 
    • Orvis Helios Blackout 8wt
    • Guideline LPX Coastal 8wt 
    • Sage Salt R8 Salt
  • 9 Weights
    • Orvis H4 9wt
    • Guideline LPX Coastal 9wt 
  • 10 Weights
    • Orvis H3 10wt 
    • Sage R8 Salt 10wt 
    • Guideline LPX Coastal 10wt

Reels: 

The reels for this trip were matched to rods. Just make sure whatever you decide to bring is ready for a big, powerful, fish to put it to the test. Preferably, look for reels with a large arbor and sealed drag system.

All of these reels are applicable in any size from the 7-10 range:

  • Abel SDS
  • Ross FS
  • Ross Evo R Salt 
  • Sage Enforcer
  • Guideline Halo 
  • Sage Spectrum LT
  • Orvis Mirage 

Clothing: 

When it comes to clothing, it’s mostly personal preference. The only factors that really need to be considered are to focus on SPF and breathability. The South American sun is strong – a battle against heat exhaustion/sunburn can put a quick end to your fishing trip.

For on the Water: 

And as a courtesy to yourself and everyone around you, pack plenty of socks and underwear. Please. 

Travel: 

Luggage: 

  • Water Bottle
    • 15 L Yonder Bottle with Cap

  • Electronics
    • Portable Phone charger 
    • International outlet adapter
    • Wired + Wireless Headphones
    • Camera (optional)
      • Fun Tip: If you’re bringing a bigger camera, like we did, a YETI hopper makes a great, waterproof, storage option for it when on the water at the lodge.

 

        • Walkie Talkie (obviously optional, but great to have on hand with larger groups)
  • Personal Items + Organization
    • Packing Cubes 
    • Travel First Aid Kit
The “Don’t Forget” List:

Just so we can say we said it…

  • PASSPORT
  • Tooth Brush
  • Sun Screen
  • Phone charger
  • Immodium (don’t travel internationally without it) 
  • Ibuprofen 
  • Dude wipes (thank us later).

We hope you found this guide helpful! As mentioned before, this covers the basics, but know there’s always room to expand and get creative. Remember, in the end, it’s not about the stuff you bring on the way, but the adventure you have when you’re there. Additionally, know that no amount of nice gear can make up for practice! Make sure to go out in your yard or to the local park and make some casts! It should be second nature once the time comes, because with trips like these – you don’t really get a do-over. 

Thanks to YETI for helping make this guide possible – and for always having us covered for all our travel essentials! Be on the lookout for more of these travel guides coming soon! 

Gear Review: YETI LoadOut GoBox 15 and 60 Gear Case

YETI: ‘A2B’ – An Anglers Guide to Swedish Lapland

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.