Flymage Magazine Issue #12 April 2012 English

Fly fishing & photography magazine

www.flymage.net

Nยบ 12 April 2012

12

Fly fishing & photography magazine

www.flymage.net

Nยบ 12 April 2012

,

DRAGONFLIES, GRASSHOPPERS AND TROUT

By José H. Weigand

HEADING SOUTH EDITION

4

Video: “trutta”

58

FLORENTINE GOLD

By Marcelo Rouvier

62

NEW ZEALAND BROWNIES

By Peter Christensen

84 98

FLY TYING VIDEO CADDISFLY EMERGER

A large foam fly drifts slowly across the surface of a deep stream, thick with weeds and where the reeds wall in the banks.

After several seconds, a brown and yellow shadow rises and swallows the fly before starting slowly away to lie again among the weeds. A few minutes later, the trout on the right is photographed and released. We are on a small river coming out of a lake in the Chilean Patagonia, west of Coyhaique and it is in full dragonfly and grasshopper season. Could there be anything better?

Text & Photos: JosĂŠ H. Weigand

Dragonflies, grasshoppers and trout

The waters of the lakes in this region are clear, sometimes crystal clear and the fishing is often sight casting. The trout hunt by sight and by hearing. The splash of a big foam fly falling onto the water causes the trout to turn and look around the area until they find it. This is especially effective in the bulrushes. Shown is the famous “Aquarium 1�

Misterioso Lake.

Like a military patrol, brown and rainbow trout trace the stone wall all along its length, until they reach the edge, turn round and start again. Pat Verhaaren, casting to a trout that has been moving along a tree trunk under the gaze of guide AndrĂŠs...

... and just minutes later, a beautiful rainbow is photographed before being released into the water. The fly is a typical foam pattern, imitating grasshopper or dragonfly, the Fat Albert.

The silhouette of a foam fly viewed from underwater, as trout sees it. It looks like a real bug. Rubber legs moved by water add a touch of realism that is essential to fool the trout.

At dusk, from a float tube.

Julio Meier netting a brown trout.

Carola Beamonte celebrating her 80th birthday with the best possible gift, a big brown trout, sight cast with a Goddard caddis. A second before taking the picture the trout shifted and bit her nose.

Rods ready. The advantage of having a lakeside lodge is that you often see trout moving along the shore hunting insects.

You just head to the rod holder and choose which one to cast with.

Trout caught by Rosi Ugarte at breakfast time, spotted from the lounge of Misterioso Lake lodge.

Rainbows and browns inhabit the same waters, but depending on which lakes and rivers, there are more of one species or the other. The big difference is that the rainbow is much faster and more voracious than the brown, while browns are caught sight fishing and rise more slowly to the fly.

Proteins

Diego, Julio Meier´s grandson is an experienced guide at just 14 years of age. The dragonfly in this picture was caught in flight by hand.

Alfonso Escrivรก with a golden rainbow. Some of the trout have a special colour, like this one caught during a prolific mayfly hatch.

Waiting for trout rises.

Same river in two different sections, in the rushes area brown trout abound, while 300 meters downstream it’s mainly all rainbows.

During the summer months, trout that have moved down from the lake remain for a time in the river which, due to its low flow, does not allow them to run up until the autumn rains come.

In those areas heavily covered by the forest, where there is little light, the trout become very dark.

Birds of rivers and lakes of Chilean Patagonia.

Julio Meier Jr., with a catch in a strong wind storm.

Wind? Almost always.

Although the intensity varies and the trout are used to it. The danger comes when it is gusty and changeable, you have to be careful when casting...

Lobuno Lake

A beautiful brown trout, which rose from two meters down to a parachute Adams.

Misterioso lake lodge.

Grasshoppers

Two typical scenes from Chilean Patagonia.

Julio Meier

Head of Coyhaique Fly Fishing, a company dedicated to organising fly fishing trips throughout the region. After many years of experience and acquired know-how, Julio has established himself in areas of high quality fishing.

With his family, he runs their own two lodges with both service and family atmosphere second to none. www.coyhaiqueflyfishing.com

Watch our new video trailer

trutta

Flymage Free Su

ubscrption Here

Florentine Gold

By Marcelo Rouvier

Florence is located in the northeast corner of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, just 4 km from the province of Chaco. From here you go 20 km to where, more than 40 years ago, the train used to run to the port of Puerto Piracua, a forestry station from where wood and tannin were transported.

Some years since, the road was renovated, giving access to the fisheries and awaking a giant that had been asleep for many years. A place with no pressure, no commercial fishing and with a population of dorado, pacu and pira pita that would surprise any angler.

The main species to look for is the dorado, their size is incredible, up to more than 20 kg. Our fly caught record to date is 11.300 Kg

Right, Alexis with a 10 kilo dorado.

Another highly sought after species is the pacu, not only for their great fighting ability, but also for the difficulty of fishing for them. The best results are obtained with flies that imitate the fruit they eat.

Their average size is 1 to 4 kg, our record is 8.300 kg.

The pira pita, or river salmon, does not get very big, but its speed during the fight makes it a highly sought after fish.

The San Lorenzo is a river that springs from, and also ends in, the Parana but more than 50 km down from its starting point.

It is very long, and comprises many lakes and streams. This is the best fishing spot for the Pacu, as its banks are covered with Inga, a tree yielding fruit that falls into the water and which is the main food for this species.

The fishing area covers about 80 km of the Paranå River and is made up of a large delta with many miles of inland rivers, lakes and streams. The most important area is the Laurelti, consisting of an island about 5 km long and 500 metres wide, with sand banks and margins littered with fallen trees, created by the river’s powerful currents.

Fly fishing for dorado has been carried on for many years, although its peak in popularity is very recent. Experienced guides are what make the difference in such extensive ecosystems as the Parana river area.

Fly rods used are normally in the # 8 line class, but also lighter, from # 6 to 7, but the angler needs to be used to casting big flies. Best lines are tropical salt water class, working perfectly as the temperature is very similar.

A light rod.

Flies should not necessarily be very large. The most often used are streamers, around 10 to 15 cm, ideally of synthetic material for both easy tying and casting.

Dry flies like the Chernobyl or other surface flies allow very light fishing, and a high level of adrenaline.

Dorado can be fished for all year round, since even in winter, with temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius, the big fish occur more often, which is not the case with the PacĂş, where the best fishing is at higher temperatures.

El Dorado Fly Fishing offers all inclusive service.

Piracua Lodge is located on the shore of Rio Paranรก itself, in an incomparable natural setting. It has 5 spacious rooms with private bathrooms, air conditioning and a Club House. www.excursionespiracua.com.ar

Flymage flies collection tied by Mikel Elexpuru

Exclusive to Flymage, Mikel has designed a collection of 6 “super fishable” flies, all of exceptional quality.

Box of 24 flies (4 per pattern) $100, shipping included.

Want to be the first to buy one of the 50 collections available?

Don´t end up on the waiting list ... Write to shop@flymage.net

NEW ZEALAND Brownies PHotos: Peter Christensen

Peter Christensen, who we had in Flymage with his incredible journey to the Innoko river, to make his now famous video “A Backyard in Nowhere”, is now working in New Zealand on a new video production.

A couple of days ago we received news of him, he was lost for a long time in the woods and strangely found a fishing magazine of the ‘80s, it may be the script for his next job. At the moment we leave you with a sequence of pictures of a big trout catch in a previous trip.

Spotting trout

Cast. Spot the trout?

The reward

Pheasant nymph

Release

Celebration

Peter Christensen:

peterachristensen@gmail.com

ArtĂ­culos de pesca a mosca Fly fishing products

www.urruzuno.com

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Contributors in this issue Marcelo Rouvier - Peter Christensen Mikel Elexpuru - Juan Urán John Langridge - José Luís Garrido - José Luís García

E D I T O R S José H. Weigand Angler, photographer and TV fishing editor at Caza y Pesca channel on Digital+ for 14 years. Contributor to some international magazines, blogs and forums.

Antonio Goñi Antonio Goñi, fishing video producer, photographer and angler. Currently producing fly tying series “The Silk corner” at Caza y Pesca channel on Digital+.

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