Friday 20 April 2007

Malleo River - Junin de los Andes - Patagonia Argentina

It was the first week of November of some years ago, it was going to be my first fly fishing trip to Patagonia Argentina with all the feelings that represents: nerves, last moments runs t buy the things I needed. I spent the whole winter tying my first flies and analyzing all the possible places of fishing. After many advices from other fly fishermen I decided the best place to go was Junin de los Andes in the Neuquen province. Junin the los Andes is for a fisherman what Mendoza represents for the Malbecs Lovers. Near this small city we can find the most famous rivers of Northern Patagonia such as the Malleo, the Chimehuin (and its world famous “Boca”), the Collon Cura and the Alumine among others. Lakes such as the Huechulaufquen, Tromen and Curruhue gives us the opportunity to fish in quite waters and enjoy the beuty of the environment. In this opportunity I had arranged with a local guide to do my first cast in the Malleo. The Malleo river is born in the Tromen lake and after crossing 60 km it finishes in the Alumine River. It is an middle size river and has like great advantage the great amount of public accesses what allows to fish almost all the river in an easy, comfortable and safe way. The landscape that welcomes me that cold mourning I have it between my best memories. A cleared day, the celestial sky without even a cloud, and the Lanin covered of snow in all its splendor contrasting with the green grass and great willows that finished in a river of crystalline waters. From that day the Malleo became not only a stop in my fly fishing trips, but a constant part of my pleasing memories and my life itself. Talking about fishing, The Malleo River surprise us every year with the quality of fishes Catching some fishes that surprises us with their sizes and with the techniques we use. Don´t you expect trouts bigger than 4 kg but I can assure you that a brown trout of 3 kg Attacking a grass hopper tied to a 5X tippet in 50 cm of water depth is something difficult to forget. This river is recommended to all levels of fly fishers, to the ones they had never cast and to the ones with 30 years of experience who loves subtle fishing. About the tecniques we can concluded that you can fish this river all season with #2 to #5 rods, floating lines or sometimes a sinking leader to get to a deeper place. This river is special to use dry flies (adams, caddis, stimulator, royal Wulf, among others) and ninphs such us prince BH, Pheasant Tail, Hear´s Ears.

1 comment:

Tregoa said...

I would like to talk to you about fishing opportunities in Argentina. Please contact me tregoa@gmail.com: