Pyrenees Fly Fishing

Lodging Locations and Options
While there are several different lodging options when fishing with Fly Fishing Pyrenees, the two main (and our favorite) options include the boutique Hotel Vinas de Larrede in the Pyrenees and the Palacio del Obispo hotel in the town of Graus. When fishing the high mountain waters, Vinas de Larrede is the ideal location, where Graus and the Palacio provide the easiest base of operations for the low river areas. One thing to note is that a week-long itinerary can include a stay at both hotels, as fishing can be split between the high mountain areas and the lower foothill areas.

Hotel Vinas de Larrede
Located in Sabinanigo in the Tena Valley, this is the ideal hotel location for fishing the high Pyrenees. This high-end, 17-room boutique hotel is basically a small mountain lodge and, in fact, serves as a ski lodge in the winter for outdoor enthusiasts looking to access nearby Formigal-Panticosa Ski Resort (15 miles from the hotel) and Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (40 minutes form the hotel). Each of the 17 rooms features private bathrooms, a flat-screen TV, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, comfortable beds, and ample space. Some rooms have large seating areas and amazing views of the mountains or pool area. There is a 24-hour front desk, a main bar and lounge, concierge service, a full-service restaurant, swimming pool and deck area, a second-floor outdoor terrace, gardens, sauna, steam room, and a complete on-site spa facility. The hotel is very popular with couples, rating 9.5+ in customer reviews. Housekeeping is provided daily. The hotel also has a three-bedroom private villa adjacent to the main building – the ideal accommodations for small groups or families.

Palacio del Obispo
The Palacio del Obispo Hotel is a beautiful and historic hotel located in the ancient center of the town of Graus (Huesca) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The hotel was a former bishop’s residence, built in the 17th century. The Palacio maintains its original façade, with guest rooms featuring exposed stone walls and designs that honor the history of the building. When staying at the Palacio, anglers will be picked up each morning by the guides and transported to the nearby rivers of the low country. Being situated in the middle of Graus, guests can explore the old town in the evenings – enjoying dinner at the hotel’s El Criticón Restaurant or eating out in any number of Graus’ restaurants. All rooms at the Palacio feature air conditioning, comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs, a mini-bar, and free Wi-Fi.

Food and Beverages
Aragonese cuisine, like much of Spanish cuisine, has inherited its flavor from the different cultures that once resided there. There are several dining and food options with Spain packages, and many meals will be taken at local restaurants throughout the course of a trip. Both hotels that are part of these packages have in-house restaurants, including the dining room at Hotel Vinas de Larrede and the El Criticón at the Palacio del Obispo Hotel. The El Criticón restaurant comes from the best-known work of the famous Spanish Golden Age writer Baltasar Gracián. There is a breakfast buffet each morning and a traditional Spanish menu for dinner. The in-house restaurant at Vinas de Larrede is beautiful, with huge windows overlooking the valley. There is a fantastic breakfast buffet each morning and an expansive dinner menu in the evenings. In all restaurants, there is, of course, a great selection of Spanish wines.

For each fishing day, lunch is usually taken in small towns in the mountains, or it is packed in if you are fishing a remote, high-mountain creek. As with Spanish custom, all meals are usually served in multiple courses, which means that after a huge lunch and a good bottle of Spanish red wine, you’re usually ready for an afternoon nap! The guides have a few of their favorite lunch restaurants near each river. One day you might be enjoying a huge dish of Spanish paella in a local café, and the next sitting outside in a garden, enjoying a four-course meal as you look over a small alpine town with a 1200-year-old church in the center. The food throughout Spain is incredible, and long social meals – often in spectacular settings – are one of the trip’s highlights. No matter where you are, the food in Spain is simply amazing.

Typical Length of Stay
Anglers can arrive and depart on any day of the week based on itinerary details, and trips of any length can be arranged. Whether you’re interested in a dedicated, week-long fishing package, or simply looking to add a few days to a longer non-angling trip to Spain, any itinerary can be accommodated.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
Most of the fishing with this program takes place in Aragon, an autonomous community that is about as far off the beaten track as you can hope to find in Spain. Situated in the northeast of Spain on the border with France to the north and Catalonia to the east, Aragon is hardly touched by tourism. Surrounded by mountains with the Pyrenees in the north and the mountainous Sistema Iberico area to the south, Aragon is home to some of the finest Mudejar architecture in the world. Most of the high mountain waters are in Aragon, with some of the lower tailwater rivers found in the Catalonian region to the east.

Non-angling activities in this area are limitless and include hiking and trekking in the mountains, visits to medieval towns and villages, touring ancient monasteries and castles, Somontano wine excursions and wine tasting, museum visits, and of course, the culinary experiences that Aragon has to offer. The small streets and age-old architecture found in the remote mountain towns and villages also make these trips ideal for photographers. Daily tours for non-anglers can easily be arranged for couples or groups that are looking to combine daily fishing options for anglers with great sightseeing and tours for non-anglers. 

Aragon was once a powerful kingdom with territories stretching far and wide across the Mediterranean and was later conquered by the Muslims. After the victory of the Spaniards over the Muslims during the Reconquest, this area remained tolerant to the Muslims, leading to a legacy of architecture in the beautiful Mudejar style. A rich and long history, architectural magnificence, and a deep-rooted culture make Aragon an interesting and unique tourist experience. What really makes the region so alluring, however, is its natural and diverse beauty.

The Pyrenees dominate the Huesca region of Aragon. The Ordesa National Park contains scenery that is arguably probably the best Pyrenean scenery on the Spanish side of the mountain range. Huesca city was the capital of the province and has a pleasant historic center. The capital is now Graus which has a fine main square and some imposing mansions. Visit Jaca for its 16th-century citadel and its cathedral, Barbastro and Montanana for their architecture, and Fantova and Pararrua for their medieval centers. The Route of Santiago de Compostela is an extensive interconnected network of pilgrimage routes in Spain – many of which wind their way through Aragon and the region where most fishing takes place. One stop is the amazing San Juan de la Pena Monastery, built from under a bulging rock and a church that at one time was reputed to have housed the Holy Grail.

Internet / Communications
Cell coverage throughout most areas of Spain is great, and all hotels, guesthouses, and most restaurants offer dependable, high-speed Wi-Fi. 

How To Get There
Most anglers will travel through Barcelona, arriving in the Aragon region by high-speed bullet train or via a private taxi which can easily be arranged. From Barcelona, there are trains to either Lleida or Zaragoza – and the guides and outfitters can easily pick you up at either location. If you are starting with the high mountain water locations in the Pyrenees, Zaragoza is where you want to arrive. If you are fishing the low country out of the town of Graus, then Lleida is an easy location for rail travel. If you prefer to drive or want to arrange a private driver to meet you and transfer you to your destination, the drive is approximately 3 to 3.5 hours long. Once you arrive at the hotel or guesthouse, all transportation, tours, and fishing transfers are included, so a rental car is unnecessary. Many guests combine a fishing itinerary with non-angling visits to Barcelona, San Sebastian, and Madrid, and itineraries of any length can be arranged.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
Anglers can arrive and depart on any day of the week based on itinerary details, and trips of any length can be arranged. Most anglers fly in and out of Barcelona and utilize high-speed trains to travel to the Pyrenees. As all trip itineraries are customized, arrival details will be set up to ensure that you are met by our outfitter at either the airport in Barcelona or at the train station in either Lleida or Zaragoza. Many visitors choose to add non-angling portions to a fishing trip in Spain, and we can certainly accommodate any desired scheduled or overall trip itinerary.

Documents Required
All U.S. citizens must have a valid passport that does not expire within six (6) months of trip dates. There are no visa requirements as long as you intend to stay for less than three months. Please be sure that your passport has at least two blank, unstamped pages, and that it is not torn, delaminated or damaged in any way. 

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations and ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.

Travel Tools
– Airline Ticketing
– Moon Phases
– Rent This Rod
– Trip Insurance and Emergency Evacuation
– Global Rescue Membership 

General Information
There are basically two different worlds of fishing with this Pyrenees program: the high mountain waters and the low area waters. Both are great, and both offer very different experiences. The good news is that both are legitimate when it comes to finding a true Spanish travel experience, and both offer very legitimate fishing.

We do not say this lightly, but the high mountain waters may be the most beautiful fisheries in the entire world of freshwater fishing. Small creeks scattered throughout the high mountains and alpine valleys are home to gorgeous wild and indigenous Mediterranean brown trout, aptly named for the black stripes along their sides. These tiny fisheries are stunning beyond belief, and they typically hold large numbers of feisty browns that are primarily fished with small to medium-sized dry flies. Numbers are the name of the game with these waters, and most fish run anywhere from six to ten inches. And while catching small fish may not sound immediately appealing to everyone, the places where these fish live, the fact that you are almost always fishing dry flies, and the spectacular, pristine nature of the browns themselves combine to create one of the most unique and special fisheries in the world. While conditions and fish behavior obviously change regularly, it is not uncommon to catch several dozen fish daily on the typical high-mountain stream. It is recommended that anglers who wish to fish the high mountain streams be in reasonably good shape – able to hike and climb throughout steep terrain. 

The low area waters close to the town of Graus are a totally different experience, with more of a countryside versus mountain setting, larger rivers and streams, and the possibility for browns (and occasionally rainbows) that are legitimate trophies. Where the Pyrenees win out for stunning beauty and scenery, the low areas win for the size of the fish. This trip is typically out of the small town of Graus – the perfect base of operations as it is surrounded by several fishing options. Most rivers involve a drive of 30-60 minutes from Graus – which is never an issue as the sights and scenery of the low country terrain in both Aragon and Catalonia are a big part of the trip experience. These rivers are usually fished with dry flies, a dry-dropper combo, or occasionally with streamers. Although most fish average anywhere from 12-14 inches, fish well into the 20-inch range can be caught. 

Each fishing day in Spain is usually broken down into two sessions: a morning session and an afternoon session divided by a classic and relaxed Spanish lunch break. Most days, lunches are taken at a small, local restaurant serving the traditional multi-course Spanish culinary experience. Great food, wines, fresh bread, and of course, dessert is all a part of the typical lunch. For some high-mountain Pyrenees locations and the more remote fisheries, the guide will pack a full lunch to be enjoyed in an alpine meadow or along a mountain creek. 

There are several things that are synonymous with both the high mountain waters and the low country experiences. First off, all fishing is wade fishing, as most of the streams and rivers are small and shallow. Light rods – 3 and 4 weights on the smaller streams and 5 weights on the larger rivers – are the norm, and floating lines are the standard. While the outfitter can provide all necessary equipment, for those that want to bring their own gear, be sure to have non-felt wading boots, as felt is banned throughout Spain.

Equipment
The outfitter can provide all trip equipment, including boots and waders, rods, reels, and all flies and terminal tackle. For those that want to bring their own equipment, lighter rods in 3, 4, and 5 weights are ideal, and floating lines and light leaders and tippet will suffice for all fisheries. All flies are provided and included in these packages. While many high-mountain fisheries in the Pyrenees can easily be wet-waded during the warmer summer months (lightweight pants and wading boots), waders are recommended for the tailwater fisheries in the low country.

Fishing Licenses
The outfitter will arrange and secure all permits and licenses which are included in these packages. Spain is a country with 17 autonomies and 17 different ways to obtain a fishing license. In addition to the fishing license required for each specific region, a daily fishing permit is required for each river or stream. Daily fishing permits are obtained at the corresponding regional administration center, and all these bureaucratic obstacles can make it difficult for foreign fishermen to organize a fishing trip on their own! With all fishing packages booked through Yellow Dog, our outfitter takes care of all licensing and permits, making things easy and all-inclusive. They also have special passes allowing exclusive access to some of the best fishing reserves and on high mountain roads in areas with restricted access. 

The Seasons
While anglers can find fishing in Spain 365 days a year, the season for the high mountain rivers runs from May 1st to October 31st.

• March: The month before run-off from the mountains usually begins. The flows are optimal, and the trout are active during the central hours of the day.
• April and Early May: Spring begins in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and the fish are more active. The mountain rivers run cold from the thaw. It is an excellent time to fish the low-country flat rivers and small tributary streams.
• Mid-May through late October: This is the time of year when the high mountain rivers are at their very best. 
• November and December: There are still a few places you can fish in November and December for large trout in the low country tailwaters. 

Package Rates
Note that all rates below are quoted in Euros. Please be aware that rates below can and do fluctuate based on exchange rates between the Euro and the US dollar. Final trip cost may be slightly adjusted based on Euro-to-Dollar exchange rates at time of final payment. Please visit this currency converter to confirm exchange rates at time of booking. Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter.

OPTION #1

Spain Ultimate Two-Location Combo Trip – 7 Nights / 6 Fishing Days

Season: June 1-October 31

Three (3) nights and three (3) days of fishing Larrede + four nights and three days of fishing Graus.

• Double Occupancy Package (two anglers) = 5205€ per person
• Single Occupancy Package (one angler) = 6730€ per person
• Couple’s Basic Package (angler + non-angler) = 8620€ for two people
• Couple’s Activity Package (angler + non-angler) = 11,310€ for two people

OPTION #2

Graus Low-Country Fishing Trip – 7 Nights / 6 Fishing Days

Season: May 1-June 1

Seven (7) nights and six (6) days of fishing the Graus region.

• Double Occupancy Package (two anglers) = 4785€ per person
• Single Occupancy Package (one angler) = 5810€ per person
• Couple’s Basic Package (angler + non-angler) = 7350€ for two people
• Couple’s Activity Package (angler + non-angler) = 10,050€ for two people

OPTION #3

Biescas High Mountain Fishing Trip – 4 Nights / 3 Fishing Days

Season: June 1-July 31 and September 15-October 31

Four (4) nights and three (3) days of fishing the high mountain region of the Pyrenees.

• Double Occupancy Package (two anglers) = 3055€ per person
• Single Occupancy Package (one angler) = 4180€ per person
• Couple’s Basic Package (angler + non-angler) = 5185€ for two people
• Couple’s Activity Package (angler + non-angler) = 6710€ for two people

OPTION #4

Graus Low-Country Fishing Trip – 4 Nights / 3 Fishing Days

Season: March 1-December 30

Four (4) nights and three (3) days of fishing the Graus region.

• Double Occupancy Package (two anglers) = 2475€ per person
• Single Occupancy Package (one angler) = 3320€ per person
• Couple’s Basic Package (angler + non-angler) = 4200€ for two people
• Couple’s Activity Package (angler + non-angler) = 5550€ for two people

SPECIAL NOTES:

• The prices listed above are for full board accommodation with accommodations in the best rooms available (suite or similar).
• For the couple’s trips, all prices are based on one angler being accompanied by one non-angler. The couple’s “Basic Package” does not include daily guided activities for the non-angler, while the “Activity Package” includes a private guide each day and a full tour itinerary and sightseeing activities for the non-angler.
• All quotes include private ground transfers from Zaragoza airport or train station or Lleida train station. 
• The outfitter describes these packages as “nothing to worry about” packages where everything is included from the moment you are picked up at the train station or airport in Zaragoza, or the train station in Lleida. 
• Private ground transfer services from Barcelona or Madrid can be arranged for an additional fee.

What’s Included:

• The number of nights of lodging specified in your package
• All daily guided fishing as specified
• Use of all equipment including rods, reels, waders, and boots
• Flies and all terminal tackles
• Round-trip ground transfers from the train station or airport in Zaragoza, or the train station in Lleida
• Daily ground transfers to and from fishing areas
• Breakfast each day at the hotel
• Picnic lunch on the water each day with your guide, of lunch in an area restaurant close to the fishing
• Dinner each evening in different restaurants
• All taxes
• Spanish fishing license and regional fishing permits

What’s Not Included:

• International flight to and from Spain
• Train tickets to Zaragoza or Lleida
• Gratuities for guides, hotel staff, and transfer drivers
• Most alcoholic beverages and wines at dinner
• Any special transfers not included in above packages

Trip Deposit Information
A 50% deposit (per angler) of the total package cost for each trip package is due to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures (YDFA) at the time of booking to secure the reservation. Yellow Dog reserves the right to charge a handling fee of $100.00 per person for date changes after the initial reservation has been made. Full payment is due 90 days before departure.  

SPAIN CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY
For all Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, L.L.C. (YDFA) fishing packages to Spain, both deposits and final payments received are non-refundable, regardless of the reason. Because of the operator’s no refund and no credit policy, we highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. In no event will the operator be responsible for any cancellation of services or operations due to inclement weather, any event of force majeure, airline delays, missed travel connections, or any other reason beyond the lodge’s control. If a cancelled package is resold by either the lodge or by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, then a full refund will be sent or credited minus a $100.00 per person cancellation fee charged by Yellow Dog Flyfishing. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW YELLOW DOG GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND CANCELLATION POLICIES

Payment Terms For All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings

In order to lock in your trip reservation, we ask that you please remit payment at the time of receipt of invoice. For your convenience, Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a direct and secure ACH platform – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Note that all Yellow Dog invoices include a live link that takes you directly to the Yellow Dog ACH platform for fast and easy payment. For open and existing invoices with a remaining balance, payment reminders also include this easy link to the ACH page.

Other customary forms of payment that are accepted are checks or wire transfers. If you would like to pay in a different way or have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (888) 777-5060 or (406) 585-8667. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Please note that Yellow Dog will apply a 3% convenience fee for all credit card transactions.

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures Standard Forms For Payment

• ACH online payments (for US banking institutions only).
• Traditional checks (sent via mail)
• Electronic wire payments (client is responsible for any wiring fees)

*Please contact us if you prefer or require a different payment option. Convenience fees may apply for other payment methods.

**Please be aware that the ACH platform is only available for US financial institutions and bank accounts. International payments can be made via wire or with a credit card.