Dory Stories with Brian O'Keefe

In the second installment of the Dory Stories with Brian O’Keefe video series, Brian discusses what makes Chile such an amazing place to explore with a fly rod. 

Brian O’Keefe is Eleven Angling’s Product Manager. But to sum Brian up solely by the title of his job would simply be unjust. Here’s why: Brian has lived a lifetime’s worth of fishing adventures—in fact, he’s probably lived three or four lifetimes worth. Brian has earned the reputation as one of the world’s finest fly fishermen and fly fishing photographers. His name appears in books like Lords of the Fly next to all-time greats like Lefty Kreh and Andy Mill, and his photos have been featured in just about any fishing publication that you can name. As of late, Brian has been spending more and more time in Chile, fishing for the wild brown and rainbow trout that populate the remote rivers of Patagonia. Chile has quickly become one of his favorite spots, not only for the fishing, but for the culture, the scenery, people, food, and of course, the pisco sours.

O’Keefe: When you meet a fishing guide in Chile; in the trout zone down south in Patagonia, introductions are made and hands are shaken. That’s the same all over the world, from the Seychelles to the Southern Louisiana Marsh. What is different about the guides that I have fished with in Chile, and more specifically at Rio Palena Lodge, is that they treat you like a friend who has come to visit their country – a country they very much want to show you. 

So far, I have kept up with these guides on my Instagram and Facebook accounts long after the trip is over. I get emails about the birth of a new child, photos of big fish, and just ‘checking in’ messages from a buddy. It is special. Local guides in Chile don’t blow up if you miss a strike and they are quick with smiles and information about things outside of the boat: history, flora and fauna, farming and ranching, rodeo, hating Argentinian soccer teams, food and drink, their family, and they are also curious about you and your life and your family. I’ve fished with many guides from Chile who travel to the Henry’s Fork in Idaho to guide in our summer, their winter, or some that go to Iceland, Kamchatka, and Alaska. Their low-key style often hides an enormous amount of experience and expertise and when you learn more, it is humbling to be in their boat.

And then, add the fishing and scenery and the food! Yelcho Lake dragonfly season is a Top 10 fly fishing experience in the world. Stripping big, articulated streamers in the Palena and Futaleufu Rivers for monster browns one day and fishing a size 18 BWO over selective rising rainbows in glassy tailouts the next, well, it’s just what we do. 

Salmon have also become part of the river ecosystem. At times, fry and smolt patterns rock the big fish, as in 30 inches, just like an Alaskan river. No kidding, there are chinook, coho, and Atlantic salmon. And they will hit a woolly bugger, although I prefer to fish the ‘after hatch’ fry and smolt flies for big browns and rainbows. My last float on Rio Palena (which is such an unbelievably pretty river that dry fly fishing can at times be difficult because it’s hard to stay focused on your fly) included a chrome bright chinook and a 24-inch brown, on the same fly. The chocho/lupine flowers were out in full force, the Rio Palena Lodge hot tub was steaming, pisco sours were flowing and the chef was setting up a carne asada experience of a lifetime. 

Dang, that is living large, and my guide just told me he got permission from the helicopter pilot to fly into a rarely fished lake with rainbows that look like steelhead. Oh yea, I’m going back. 

By: Brian O’Keefe
Angling Product Manager