    
Robert Parker
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Monday, November 11, 2002 - 12:29 pm: | |
Subject: Chile 2002/2003 Season Opener Report – Lakes Distr
By Robert Parker
In Chile, it is often said that if you don’t like the weather then just wait 15 minutes, in reference to the rapidly changing conditions. In the case of this past winter however, we waited several months. It has been a very long, cold and wet passage of time spent in anticipation of our return to the rivers of our home waters in the Lakes District. But as always, the seasons turn, spring arrives and we find ourselves once again rigging the drift boat and pushing off in search of Chile’s incredible trout.
As if on cue the first high-pressure system established itself off the coast of the Lakes District a week before opening day, bringing an end to the dismal rain that so characterized the winter. With the summits of volcanoes Osorno and Calbuco in clear view and the sun finally present, myself and guide Reinaldo Ovando, along with fishing buddy Francisco Guererro, repeated the spring ritual that we as fly fishermen dream of during the dark months of winter – the careful rigging of rod, line and leader; the selection of the first fly, tied in the company of friends during long nights; the first pull on the oars; and the long awaited first cast of the season, full of hope and anticipation. In a perfect world that first cast would have brought the hard strike of a big brown, all full of fight and defiance after his own long, dark winter, but this would be too perfect, too easy. We would need to search for that fish, to work hard for that strike, but with certainty it was coming.
Those first strikes came within only a few minutes of put-in, small but strong coastal brown trout, silvery from their time in the saltwater. Not exactly doubling over our rods, but a good start to the season and a release of the nervous anticipation. The Río Petrohue was flowing higher than anyone could remember during November, but completely clear, with the bottom visible in even over ten feet of water. As during each November we found that we had a new river to learn, new channels to explore, and while old favorite spots and structures didn’t exist anymore there were others that appeared, beckoning for a presentation. Because the Petrohue flows through a wide, mostly gravel flood plain the river changes, often drastically in places, over the winter. The result for the angler is that, except for the fact that every day brings a chance for a new personal record; it’s never really the same year to year. Each season there are new opportunities to explore and learn the river’s intricacies, making the fishing fun and challenging.
Because of the high flows we decided on the tested favorite combination of heavy 200 – 250 grain express sink tip lines and six to seven-weight rods, rigged with our favorite streamers. Floating along in our Hyde Drift Boat with a strong back ferry we probed the banks, mid-channel structure, and drop-offs and were not disappointed. Today would be a day for brown trout, seemingly in far better concentrations in the Petrohue than in past years, but this is November and the coastal and sea-run browns tend to come up into the river in good concentrations through the end of the year during any given season. The sea-run browns here are beautiful silver blue in color, loosing much of their brownish hue during their time in the salt. They fight much like rainbows – often making long, hard runs and getting aerial throughout the battle – and seem to be a species apart from those that we’re familiar with in North America for this reason. It wasn’t long before Francisco’s rod was doubled over and keeping time to the beat of the thrashing brown below. With the fish suddenly breaking the surface we were greeted by the sight of a now flying sea-run a good three feet out of the water, and somersaulting wildly to break free. A few minutes of nervous tug-of-war later the 20” trout was in the net and quickly released.
Stopping at one of our favorite bars (not the nocturnal type) I’d soon have my own turn. Setting up to wade at the head of a promising run I began a series of down and across, hard stripping presentations with the seemingly never fail Cone Head Zoo Cougar and was into fish almost immediately, landing a number of rainbows and browns in the 14” to 16” range. Not trophies by anyone’s standards, but still these average Petrohue fish are some of the strongest in their size class that you will ever catch, and more tend to shake the hook than do come to the net. Anglers can expect god numbers of fish in this range during this time of year, and everyone will probably be humbled by loosing a few after hooking up. These fish literally do everything in their power to break off and can make impressive upstream runs. Once you’ve caught, and maybe lost a few you can appreciate what a special occasion it is to be here with something substantially larger on the other end of your line and then actually land it. For me, that would be coming, but I’d be spending some time getting humbled first.
As we worked the banks and stopped numerous times to wade both Farncisco and Reinaldo caught, occasionally lost, and landed good numbers of trout over 16”, with a couple running near 20”. By days end we were exhausted and stopped to try one last bar within sight of takeout. I waded down to a current seam at the end of the bar that I had never stopped at before to fish on foot, in the past only drifting through but always with good success. I was pleasantly surprised. Swinging the streamer deep from both sides of the seam into the line of confluence of the two currents I was rewarded with at least five fish, one of which was a beautiful brown topping 20” that made an incredible upstream dash before rolling hard on the surface within 10 feet of me and cutting the 12-pound test leader with his teeth. In my book that counts – better a big fish that kicks my butt than one that runs right to the net – and made for a great end to an awesome day on the Petrohue.
The next morning found us starting off where we had finished the previous evening, Reinaldo and I now joined by guide Rodrigo Moll. This season we are running the Petrohue a little differently, taking advantage of new access agreements where we can float in a manner that allows starting off on sections that the others won’t be fishing until afternoon, and taking advantage of great locations that are typically passed up during the end of the day by our competitors in their rush to take-out. This also means that we can spend more time fishing in each productive spot and not be pressured by the clock, often having a particular section of the river to ourselves.
Contrary to what many will tell you, the Petrohue fishes quite well during the early morning hours, especially on clear days when the fish are more active during the period from dawn to sunrise. A quick ferry brought us to our first wading spot, and spreading out we began systematically covering the most promising locations. My attention was soon caught by Reinaldo’s hoots and looking across the bar I saw his rod well bent in fight with a brown that he later said ran just under 20”. This same scene was repeated many times throughout the day on what I’d consider a trip that was nothing less than spectacular. Finishing up on the bar we headed downstream in the boat, drifting along the gravel bank drop-offs, making casts within inches of shore and working fast to begin an aggressive, hard strip. Easily following my fly in the clear water I saw the telltale flash of a big fish and soon things got hectic. There’s nothing like the sound of line being stripped off the reel by a big rainbow on a run, and the ensuing give and take fight repeated twice before the fish decided to head for the sky. I not sure who tired first but bringing the trout along the side of the boat brought into view one of the better rainbows I have caught on this river at about 22” and a fat 4 + pounds. The action continued throughout the morning, having picked up quite nicely from the day before, and using streamer tactics we were rewarded with a good number, albeit smaller in size, of rainbows and browns.
The next big fish of the day came just after our sandwich buffet lunch. Managing to lazily drag ourselves out of our chairs (why eat on the ground if you don’t have to?) and continuing to float we soon passed a spot that has always yielded good surprises in the past, including a guest’s now famous two fish hook-up on a double fly rig. Making a comment, more or less to myself, that we were passing a favorite location I witnessed an impressively sized rainbow go for my fly but miss. Ever ready to take advantage of another’s mistakes and to blatantly poach water Rodrigo cast to the same spot before I could recover and the fish reappeared, this time hitting the target and rewarding him with a beautiful catch. Goes to show that the position in back of the boat can have its advantages. I not sure what it is but Rodrigo consistently has the ability to out fish anyone in the boat, time after time. He can be using last years leaders, forget to cut the tag ends off his knots, and have what amounts to a bare hook tied on and still catch more fish than anyone else. I chalk it up to good presentation, but still suspect that he’s not divulging his secrets.
These last two fish exemplify one of the great things about fly fishing on the Petrohue – the fact that from the boat, in the clear waters, an angler gets to witness many of the chases and strikes. This can work to ones disadvantage of course, since many (myself included) can have a tendency to freeze upon seeing a big trout charging the fly, but when it happens and a hook-up follows it is a beautiful thing, and brings all the excitement of dry fly fishing to the more effective streamer tactics that we often use.
With the afternoon wearing on and finally feeling a bit tired after a long day I decided to set the rod aside, shed my waders and take a break while Rodrigo and Reinaldo headed off along our last wading location we would cover. Taking in the welcomed sun in a cloudless sky, and with a beautiful view of the summit of Osorno in the distance upstream, it began to sink in that winter had passed, spring was here, and the new trout season in Chile was now in full swing. I watched to Petrohue flowing by, the water the product of all that past rain, and thought about how there is so much more to fly fishing here in Chile than just fish. It is the friendships, the culture, and just the place itself that makes it so wonderful. It’s important to sometimes just sit back and take it all in. In the end, that first cast was indeed a special one, but now putting the rod down was even more so, satisfied to be back again and feeling fished out.
We are looking at a great season ahead with the weather now stabilizing and the water high but clear. The flows should sustain a great fishery throughout the season, without the low, warm water experienced by January during the last year. This means strong, healthy trout well into 2003. We have many prime dates available for the season, so please get in touch to discuss your options if you’re considering a trip to Chile. We would love to share the experience with you.
Best regards,
Robert Parker
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Rios Austral Fly Fishing Outfitters
Specializing In Exceptional Fly Fishing Adventures In Chile
In Chile:
Viajes Rios Austral Fly Fishing, Ltda.
Casilla 1229
Puerto Montt, X Region
Chile
Fono: (56) (65) 258663
Fax: (56) (65) 258696
Celular: (56) (09) 9199807
In the United States:
Rios Austral Fly Fishing USA
North American Operations Office
PO Box 2906
McKinleyville, CA 95519
Toll Free Phone: 1-866-GO-CHILE
Phone/Fax: 707-839-9885
Email: info@riosaustral.com
Web Site: www.riosaustral.com
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