Gary Borger Clinic of Fly Fishing in Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Mendoza Fly Shop Argentina

I am in Mendoza, Argentina, having just finished a clinic in celebration of the 20^th anniversary of the Mendoza Fly Shop. I arrived Friday, sans my fishing bag, but with my carry ons that included my computer and other materials for the days demonstrations and discussions. Friday night, at the shop I got together with the staff, including owners Benito and Pablo Perez. Benito is the father of angling entomology in Argentina, having spent many months each year collecting and identifying the aquatic insects of the rivers, here. We talked fishing, drank some very fine Malbec wines, for which Mendoza is world-known, and ate impanala, a small, fried meat fold-over. Very, good, indeed.

Today, we left the hotel at 7:30 am, and went to a local restaurant where we were to hold the clinic. Casting started at 10 am after some time to talk about the 20^th anniversary of the shop. I discussed curving the line in a variety of forms, both casts, and mends, and tossed in a good dose of casting instruction on the three-point grip, overhead cast, the elliptical stroke, across the head casting, and much more. After a great lunch of impanala, vegies on a stick, chicken sausage, cheese and ham foldovers, followed by very hearty bowls of stewed beef (served with wine, of course—I didn’t have any because I dared not fall asleep). Then we spent 2 hours discussing nymphing and dry fly fishing, before a break for a snack of sweets—very nicely made strawberry tarts and other such items. This was followed by a fly tying demonstration on spinning loops.

Then came the diploma presentation, many, many photos, much hugging, hand shaking, and on and on. The people of Mendoza are very open and warm, and so the day went very positively and ended that way, too.

Tomorrow we head south toward Patagonia to worry the fish just a wee bit. Many photos of the trip on my return.

Toasting the river, the fish, the 20th anniversary of the shop, my first trip to Argentina, and anything else we could think of.

The very Patagonia-style restaurant where we held the clinic.

There was a fountain flowing into a little stream running under the floor of the seating area.

A large painting of Penaphlebia mayfly dun by Benito Perez, owner of the shop.

The crowd was very attentive and we all had a great time at the clinic.

The day ended with presentation of awards, raffle items, and many photos and handshakes, hug, and photos.

Gary Borger
http://www.garyborger.com/