About Ecuagringo
Ecuagringo originally started in 1993 and was known as Andean Outdoor Outfitters. Braden Escobar founded Andean Outdoor Outfitters offering the best hunting possible in Ecuador at the time. Sportsmen from the USA, Europe and South America would count on our services to hunt in some of the most remote, mountains, deserts, islands and jungles that Ecuador offered.
Escobar is avid fisherman and is always looking for something new to offer guest. The word was out that the best marlin fishing on the planet was happening in the Galapagos Islands but there was no one set up to take anglers. In 1998 Escobar began to scout the waters, seamounts, banks , drops and many areas near and far in the archipelago.
The company was official founded as Ecuagringo S.A. By August 2000 our first sportfishing boat was operating from Santa Cruz Island and fishing 0-30 Bank and our first website www.ecuagringo.com was created. Braden Escobar has been a hunting and fishing outfitter since 1993. His sportsmen have hunted and fished Ecuador & The Galapagos Islands, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Most of his staff has been onboard for over 15 years.
In the coming years flights became more regular to San Cristobal Island and by 2005 the obvious move to the best fishing was an easy choice. Our base of operations switched to the furthest Eastern island of the Galapagos and we continue to operate there to this day.
Ecuagringo became the first outfitter to fish and offer fishing packages to anglers from around the world in the Galapagos. The first professional crews and boats were put to work by our company and we continue to train and improve boats, gear and crews every year.
Taking pride in using the best and most reliable fishing gear available, Ecuagringo sources most of its custom rods and tackle from the United States. With the exception of some choice Italian reels almost all of our tackle is proudly Made In the USA. Custom rods from Chaos Tackle & Moldcraft in Florida, Avet Reels from California will be found on all our boats.
Our company has an office in Boca Raton, Florida and one in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Most of the staff is bilingual and love what they do. When you book a custom fishing or touring trip to any of our destinations we will provide anything your heart desires as long as it is legal and physically possible.
We are here to cater to discerning travelers who want to experience some of the best fishing and adventures life has to offer. If you are serious about having the dream trip of your life then we are the people you need to be talking to.
Meet the Ecuagringo Team
Present
Some of the people listed here were with the company since it began. Others joined later but all mentioned are constantly part of the Ecuagringo team.
Braden Escobar
Owner/Manager Ecuagringo LLC
Boca Raton, Florida USA Office
1-754-703-1991
bescobar@ecuagringo.com
Hunting and fishing outfitter since 1993, Escobar has been an avid marlin fisherman since 1979. He founded his outfitting company while still attending LSU in 1993. Originally his focus was helping SCI hunters collect some of the most difficult trophies all over South America. Then by 1997 he began exploring the Galapagos Islands known for their striped marlin fishing potential. The first boats to do any charter fishing in the Galapagos were put in place and trained by Escobar. For over 25 years he has been regularly fishing the Galapagos, training crews, investing in new opportunities and helping out the local community. When you contact our USA office in Boca Raton, Florida you will more than likely be speaking directly to Braden Escobar who oversee and helps plan every trip to the Galapagos Islands.
Captain Jim Hale
Partner/Manager Ecuagringo LLC
Captain Hale is a South Florida native that grew up fishing the inshore and offshore waters of Florida. During his time in the Galapagos he helped several anglers land white pacific snook world records on spinner and fly. Hale has been a professional guide for almost 30 years in the South Florida backwaters, fished the Bahamas and Caribbean quite extensively. Jim is very active when traveling to fishing shows around the USA to talk to anglers.
Jamie is our fly fishing specialist. Having grown up with a fly rod in his hand, he has fly-fished all over the globe and worked at some of the top fly fishing destinations in the world namely Seychelles, the Bahamas, and Kenya as a flats and offshore guide.
He will take you through the steps of catching your first marlin on a fly as well as guide you around the spectacular inshore fly-fishery we have in the Galapagos. Jamie is also a fly-fishing writer & photographer with many stories to tell and you will leave with some incredible photos to take home.
Deybi Guanoluisa
Webmaster/Marketing
Guayaquil, Ecuador Office
+593 98 926 8300
info@ecuagringo.com
A fishing outfitter is only as good as the team that supports it. Guanoluisa has been managing the artwork, websites, logos and general office in Ecuador since 2009. As the world wide web changes so does Ecuagringo have to adapt to get our information out there. When you book a trip of a lifetime with Ecuagringo Deybi is in charge of double checking all the services to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. If you visit us at a future fishing show you may run into Deybi so don’t be afraid to say hello.
Lorena Gencon
Chief Hostess
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Gencon is an award winning guide and host that lives in Guayaquil. She is in charge of all guides, hosts and most tours on mainland Ecuador. When you arrive in Guayaquil or Quito to get through the Galapagos the first person outside of custom you will see is Lorena or one of her guides.
It’s important to note that some of our boats may be seen elsewhere sold by agents not affiliated in any way to Ecuagringo. Ecuagringo is the only company that guarantees that you will be fishing with company tackle and equipment which is the best fishing tackle money can buy. If you do not book with us understand that you will not be getting the same tackle, equipment, crews or level of service that we guarantee and have built a reputation for over 24 years at the Galapagos’ first and foremost fishing outfitter. Our captains are hand picked and trained by Braden Escobar himself.
Captain Yury Gutierrez
Captain Gutierrez is son of another legendary captain by the same name. Both father and son began to fish with Escobar on the Striper in 1998. Escobar watched young Yury grow up and become a full fledged sportfishing captain. Gutierrez is today at the helm of 36 ft Patricia. This custom sportfisher is now the leading boat for chasing giant blue marlin out of Isabela Island. Gutierrez is one of the youngest captains in the Galapagos with more blue marlin 500 to over 1000# released.
Captain Julio Rodriguez
Rodriguez has been fishing with our operation since he began as a mate out of San Cristobal in 2006. He was one of the few people who without speaking English could communicate quite well with guest. Julio has a natural ability to find fish and learns very quickly. He is regarded by Braden Escobar as perhaps the best mate and now captain he has ever trained. Funny, witty and very creative, Rodriguez was one of the first mates to be promoted to captain in less than two years. He is the best fly fishing captain in all of Galapagos and the most experienced.
Captain Oswaldo de la Torre
Captain “Teclas” who’s real name is Oswaldo de la Torre is today the leading sportfishing captain out of San Cristobal Island. Captain Teclas runs the 36 ft On The Hook. He is an experienced captain in the pitch baiting and teasing fish for fly fishing as well.
If your game is topwater fishing for tuna or mahi this captain is hands down one of the best in all of the Galapagos. As Ecuagringo continues to develop the blue marlin fishery around San Cristobal and nearby islands this captain will be sure not to disappoint.
Past
Everyone mentioned in this section played a vital part in putting the Galapagos Islands on the map of international fishing. These wonderful souls may no longer be with us physically but their contributions have not been forgotten. Their memories will live on with us.
R.I P Captain Gustavo Hernandez (1976 – 2021)
Gone but not forgotten. Captain Hernandez fished with Ecuagringo since 1999 to 2021 when he sadly passed away after a bout with COVID19. He was a personal good friend of Braden Escobar and considered a major part of the Ecuagringo family. Gustavo helped explore the far reaches of the Galapagos and was instrumental in placing the islands on the international fishing map. Together Escobar and Hernandez formed for years the perfect duo in exploring and developing new areas in the Galapagos to produce giant blue marlin. “Gus” as we called him released more striped, blue and black marlin than anyone else currently fishing the Galapagos waters. He was head of the On The Hook for many years.
Captain Starr fished the from Montauk for blue fin tuna for many years before heading to the Florida Keys and ending his fishing career in the Galapagos Islands. Allan fished many trips in the Galapagos at the helm of the Blue.
His knowledge of tuna fishing brought much to the table when training crews to target the large bigeye tuna which are sometimes caught in the Galapagos. He was also instrumental in the development of the topwater yellowfin tuna fishery. He is missed by most that knew him and it was honor to have had him on the Ecuagringo pro team.
Captain Paul Ivey
Perhaps the most legendary and internationally known captain on our roster made a guest appearances 2007, 2008 and 2009 to help train crews and bring them up to the next level. Captain Ivey was one of the most renowned captains to help make Venezuela’s La Guaira Bank famous. Fishing with Ivey was an incredible honor and were fortunate enough to have him with us.