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JORGE TRUCCO:
A great friend said to me some time ago: “you had a dream and you made your dream come true”.
I first began fishing In Patagonia when I was a young kid and was immediately caught by the mysterious, irresistible attraction of the water. Every time I caught a fish I felt what was once so beautifully described to me by Gwen Cooper: “ a brief encounter with a dazzling creature from another dimension is like a splendid summer romance – the handsome trout is caught, his picture is taken, he is returned unharmed to his watery home, and there is nothing left but a happy memory.” The attraction became a passion and soon an obsession, skipping school or work as often as I could to go fishing anywhere.
It’s funny the way life takes you places…
I studied business in college, got my degree in 1976 and worked as an executive in the financial world until age 27. Still my passion for fishing kept growing, I escaped as often as I could to come fishing in Patagonia.
At age 27 things came round full circle. I couldn’t resist temptation, when the opportunity came up, and bought a hotel in the town of San Martín de los Andes, in northern Patagonia. I turned a page in my life, gave up my position in the financial world and set out on this my great adventure.
 As from 1978 I started pursuing my dream of running a major outfitting business in Patagonia and started traveling to the US in search of enthusiastic and adventurous fishermen who would find a fishing trip to Patagonia -an unforgettable challenge-. This is how as from my very early years I came to meet and fish with many of the well-known characters of the fly fishing world such as: Billy Pate, Mel Krieger, Ernie Shwiebert, George Anderson, Mike and Susie Fitzgerald, Leigh Perkins, Lee and Joan Wülff, Leftey Kreh, Art Lee, Steve Rajeff, Trey Combs, Jack Dennis, Mike Lawson, Barry and Cathy Beck and Val Atkinson.
Not having had any formal guiding training or guiding examples, I had to pull out all the fishing knowledge my mentors in Argentina Rula Firpo, Jorge Donovan and Bebe Anchorena had previously taught me. And I used a lot of common sense to study the rivers, plan my strategies and kept my eyes open for every learning opportunity I had.
 From Bebe Anchorena I learned the elegance in casting; from Jorge Donovan I understood the meaning and the importance of conservationism; from Prince Charles Radziwill I learned the nail-less nail knot; Mel Krieger showed me the art of teaching how to cast a fly; Don Williams taught me how to read the water; from A. J. De Rosa I learned how to float the rivers; Lee Wülff I taught me the Portland Hitch; from Lefty Kreh I mastered the art of the double haul; from Art Lee I learned the excellence of matching the hatch using 20 ft. . leaders, he also taught me an interesting concept: “the quickest way not to catch a big fish is to catch small ones”. Bus Bergman showed me how to tie the Bimini twist; from Ian Neale and Simon Gawesworth I learned the art of Spey-casting and Jack Dennis told me how to win the ‘One Fly’. Bud Hodson took the time to show me the essence of the Alaskan fishing and Doug Larsen introduced me to the majestic Atlantic salmon
All these people I’m indebted to for in one way or another they helped me become whom I am today by helping me experience what I most love and enjoy doing throughout all of these wonderful years. These memories shall always dwell in my heart, with gratefulness and acknowledgement.
 I was fortunate and soon found myself guiding many enthusiastic and adventurous fishermen in the rivers and streams of Patagonia. These early years were amazing; I really didn’t know whether I was working or playing. Experiencing the pleasure of being in these incredibly productive rivers with no one around but my clients and living through all the imaginable fishing situations was just too good to be true.
Then came January 1983, time for the big leap, my encounter with Frontiers. Bill Reed, then a Frontiers consultant, who had heard of me through “the Tenesseean” (a Memphis newspaper), tracked me down. Soon after that I met Mike and Susie Fitzgerald and started a very fructiferous association with Frontiers, which has grown and improved with the passing of time.
 During the first few years my fishing program consisted in having clients stay at inns in San Martín de los Andes and then drive from these to the different Estancias that would open their gates to me to fish the different rivers and streams.
Throughout the years, different Estancia owners re-furbished their houses and turned them into first quality lodges providing me with the possibility of accommodating my clients at their homes. This is how the program is now run with almost all of the fishing done out of the lodges in the Estancias.
All along my career I’ve had the privilege to fish with, guide and meet many unforgettable people who have certainly left their print in my memory and who have played an important role in making my dream come true.
Jorge Trucco |
