Tierra del Fuego puts a spell on you. Between the vast open spaces, the insatiable wind, and some of the largest, most aggressive trout on earth, it's hard not to let it get under your skin.
But for Tommy LaJous, it's in his blood. Picking up where his father, Danny LaJous, left off (Danny is a former guide and the owner of Estancia Despedida, on the famous Rio Grande) Tommy has dedicated himself to understanding the river and its renowned sea run browns. Over the course of each year's fishing season, Tommy and the other guides at Despedida put in some serious R & D time, refining their techniques for catching double-digit fish on double-digit flies. From January to March, there's no place he'd rather be than Tierra del Fuego—and you can't blame him.
“I Will Die Here, My Friend” is a short film companion to "Who Tied This Knot? Four Conversations in Tierra del Fuego," an essay from The Flyfish Journal editor Jason Rolfe in issue 17.1.
Special thanks to Fly Water Travel for their support. Visit Fly Water Travel to learn more about Estancia Despedida Lodge.
Filmed and Produced by Jason Rolfe
Edit by Colby Mesick
Music: “Svefn-g-Englar” | Sigur Rós