Patagonia, by all accounts, is preeminent trout nation. The southern thirds of each Chile and Argentina boast a number of the world’s high trophy trout rivers. From the Malleo to the Limay, and from the Paloma to the Rio Grande, this wild area alongside the backbone of the southern Andes provides maybe the biggest number of trophy trout rivers on the earth.
However what in regards to the area’s lake fishing? Definitely, we’ve all heard of Strobel Lake in Argentina, even when solely by its kitschy nickname – Jurassic. However, past that unbelievable trophy trout fish manufacturing unit, is lake fishing actually a factor on the southern finish of South America? Completely. In truth, die-hard stillwater trout anglers who might need handed Patagonia by, assuming it was only a area of trout rivers, ought to put a pin within the map proper round Coyhaique in southern Chile, and one other throughout the border in Argentina at San Martin de los Andes.
So many choices
On each side of the Andes, passionate lake anglers have plenty of decisions in relation to stillwater fishing. Even anglers visiting the area’s famend lodges and estancias with the intent of fly fishing its heralded rivers are sometimes diverted by the chance to chase actually huge trout in lakes that the majority have by no means heard of.
And, usually talking, lake fishing in Patagonia is not an uber-technical pursuit relegated to boat-bound anglers armed with depth finders and sonar. Fact be instructed, the lakes are usually too huge to think about using a float tube or perhaps a kayak—the latter could be doable, however Patagonian wind storms can whip up out of nowhere at any given time, churning up a gale and turning a once-placid lake right into a frothy morasse of whitecaps and random waves.
As an alternative, like most fly fishing in Chile and Argentina, the pursuit entails an excellent quantity of spot-and-stalk work, even when the stalking is finished from a drift boat or a cataraft captained by an in a position fly fishing information. Definitely, anglers might make use of conventional blind casting strategies to easily cowl water. However let’s be sincere. Touring half a phrase away to spend days on finish blind casting to trout might be not a marketable proposition.
However a rigorously guided cataraft pushed alongside the sides in the hunt for cruising and consuming trout is a special proposition altogether. That the lake-bound fish are sometimes larger than their cousins within the close by rivers simply provides to the enchantment.
Even higher? Some Patagonian lakes, like Lago Brown, as an illustration, sport huge sand and gravel flats — chasing big-shouldered trout on the flats is not in contrast to looking for bonefish within the tropics. The water even seems much like the Caribbean flats – emerald inexperienced depths give method to crystal clear water only a foot or so deep that, ought to they select, anglers might simply wade.
A Lago Brown rainbow trout (photograph: Chris Hunt).
Nonetheless others, like Lago Elizalde, additionally in Chile, boast glorious construction starting from steep cliff faces, drowned timber and even weed beds that appeal to spectacular aquatic bugs life and, by extension, cruising trout.
On the Argentine aspect of the border, anglers can comply with nearly any famend trout river to its headwaters and are available throughout a lake that is probably value fishing. As an illustration, the storied Rio Malleo begins at Lago Tromen in Lanin Volcano Nationwide Park, and is a superb stillwater fishery for large brown and rainbow trout, in addition to brook trout.
A bit to the south, the place Argentina’s estancia nation has spawned a trout-fishing subculture, Lago Filo Hua Hum is a stellar trout fishery that births its namesake river — one of the crucial technical trout rivers in Patagonia.
Trout of all flavors
Patagonian lakes, too, supply quite a lot of species for anglers to select from. On Lago Yelcho, anglers can fish for trophy browns and rainbows through the well-known dragonfly hatch, and later within the 12 months, the lake really will get a run of Atlantic salmon—escapees from a pervasive near-shore fish farming trade.
These fish run up the Rio Yelcho, a ravishing rainforest river that drains the world-renowned Futaleafu basin that features each the Futaleafu and Palena rivers. Farther south, close to Coyhaique, anglers have affectionately renamed Lago Cordero to “Zero to Hero” Lake in honor of the huge brown trout that prowl its prolific weed beds.
On the Argentine aspect, a large reservoir, Embalse Alicura, backs up the Collon Cura and Limay rivers, and is dwelling to huge browns and rainbows. Within the fall of the 12 months, the reservoir produces the most effective “occasions” in Patagonia fly fishing — its well-known “minnow run.”
Beginning within the lake in March, the migration of small bait fish runs up the Collon Cura, and that is when lake anglers have the very best of each worlds. From boats, it is doable to comply with the run up into the river, after which it is time to swap gears and begin swinging streamers within the present for significantly fats lake-dwelling rainbows that comply with the baitfish up the river.
Along with turning up in Lago Tromen, brook trout, which are not as prolific as browns and rainbows, thrive in Lago Basic Vintter, and make a well-known downstream run into Argentina’s Rio Corcovado. However lake anglers can chase these launched char all season lengthy as they prowl the shores of the lake.
Lago Brown in Chile (photograph: Chris Hunt),
Get your lake on
Patagonia is a magical place –— trout anglers might fairly name it the fishiest place on earth.
However, if and if you resolve to go to, do not method a visit to the southern Andes with blinders on. Sure, the area’s rivers are the stuff of legends. If in case you have the chance to fish the Rio Blanco or the Traful, you should not bat an eye fixed. However, ought to a information or an clothes shop counsel a day on a lake, open your thoughts.
You will very probably end up on a sight-fishing journey that may check your forged and reward you with plus-sized trout that may even be a bit larger than the behemoths you might need been fortunate sufficient to tangle with the day earlier than on the river.
Sure, Patagonia is a land of rivers. However bear in mind this: nearly each nice Patagonia river begins in a lake.
