Flyfisherman 14
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RIFFLES snow- and glacial-melt runoff and act as “cushion reservoirs,” bleeding cold water all summer to deeply graveled rivers, creating ideal trout spawning and rearing habitat. OAD BUILDING BY the Chilean govern- The introduction of trout to these ment in the past two decades has pushed rivers and lakes was so recent (at the a finger of civilization into the remote Dis- end of the 19th century and later) that Trout trict 11—the Aysén region—where moun- their presence in the Andean eco- tains and lakes created by plate tectonics system is less than a geologic mini- and the last glaciers set the habitat stage second. But in about 100 years, for the introduction of trout (and salmon) browns, rainbows, and brook trout R in late 19th century. (and recently escaped Pacific salmon of the This geologic serendipity, with a little from fish farms in the estuaries) have help from colonizing Europeans, created what is now the occupied and flourished in virtually world’s last, and least explored, wild-trout frontier. Fol- all the rivers and lakes of the west- low the new road, the Carreta Central, north through the ern slopes of the Chilean Andes as far Aysén gilded snowcapped peaks of the Andean Cordillera near south as Tierra del Fuego. Chaitén, strap on a backpack, and explore waters where Head eastward from Aysén into Ar- some rainbows, browns, and brook trout have never seen gentina and the rainfall diminishes a fly. This may be the last place on earth that offers the into the grassland (steppes or pam- Created by ancient ultimate freedom of adventure in the search for the Gold- pas). Great trout streams rise there en Fleece of fly fishing—untouched, pure water with in- too, born also from Andean snow- nocent trout in rivers surrounded by ethereal ramparts. melt, but it is in the Aysén western geologic forces, Hurry, because it is being “discovered.” watersheds that heavy annual rain- [To put this geologic/trout story into perspective, see The falls scour hard-charging freestoners this may be the wild- River at the End of the World: Fly Fishing in Argentine Pa- and lakes, creating home waters for tagonia, by Adrian Latimer, available from Medlar Press large trout. trout fisher’s last (medlarpress.com or in the U.S. by emailing callahan@ cheshire.net). The book deals mostly with Patagonia fly- Volcanic Impact fishing history, but also includes Argentine/Chilean An- Chaitén volcano erupted in 2008 frontier. dean geologic history and how it created the fly fishing we and 2009 after 1,000 years of dor- explore today. THE EDI T OR .] mancy. Torrential rains flooded Chai- JOHN RANDOLPH tén village with ash and mud, sending Los Lagos Region the residents fleeing into a roadside The lakes of the eastern Andean (Aysén) region are barn in a nearby village as we arrived what create the great trout habitat. They absorb the to fish in late March 2009. The rivers were on the rise, so with ➤ Snow and ice from the Patagonian Andes melt cold the help of Patagonian Basecamp Photo ❱ John Randolph water into the deeply graveled rivers of the Aysén Photo Mike Michalak region to create ideal trout habitat. ➤ Rio Palena tributaries (this one unnamed) offer ❱ Lodge guides, we explored tributaries wilderness fishing for browns and rainbows. and lakes of the Rio Palena, Figueroa, and Rosselot drainages, the core trout rivers of the region, along with the ➤ Large foam rubber-leg dry flies and a variety of streamers work Rio Yelcho, all flowing to estuaries on well in Aysén Province. Inset: Freshwater crabs (pancora) are a Photo ❱ John Randolph the Pacific. major food source, especially for large trout. I previously fished the Palena from its uppermost reaches down to its mid- river haunts, and was familiar with its long wading flats and its hook-jawed browns and rainbows concealed un- der massive bank logs. It was (and is) a river of large fish (Joan Wulff caught a 9-pound+ brown there), where, fishing from framed rafts, you lure trout by cast- ing Fat Alberts, articulated leeches, Chile Buggers, Double Bunnies, or Swimming Jimmies. You twitch them . working the large flies hard and with riveted at- tention until your arms are limp with exhaustion. Large fish suddenly loom up beneath your fly: spectral images ascending from dark depths. 2 • Fly Fisherman • • flyfisherman.com • 3 RIFFLES THE LeADING MAGAZINE OF FLY FISHING [Palena means “River of Spiders” Editorial in the native Tehuelche dialect. It EDITOR Ross Purnell was discovered by Father Nicolas ART DIRECTOR Jim Pfaff Mascardi in the mid-17th century. MANAGING EdITOR Geoff Mueller THE EDI T OR .] EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Amy Jackson Aysén Today PUBLISHER EmERITUS John Randolph Mike Michalak and I explored riv- Advertising ers, lakes, flats, and tributaries of the PUBLISHER Steve Hoffman Aysén region for six days in March ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING DIRECTOR 2009 with the help of young Patago- Linda Walter Wood 717-695-8074 nian Basecamp Lodge guides, and SaLES REPRESENTATIVE / CLaSSIFIED adVERTISING here are my findings. Ben Hoffman 717-695-8075 On a Palena River drift, guides and PRODUCTION MANAGER guests depart in the early morning, Mike Bentler 218-824-2533 drive two hours to the upper river adVERTISING PRODUCTION Jan Schneider 218-824-2523 launch, float downriver in 14-foot Cat- arafts, and then boat- and wade-fish flyfisherman.com the long upriver flats and midriver EdITORIAL DIRECTOR Jeff Simpson logs. They overnight at a small river- adVERTISING maNAGER Ben Hoffman bank lodge and the next day float and fish down to the main lodge. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Lefty Kreh / Dave Whitlock / Kelly Galloup When the river rises in spate, the / John Barr / Jim McLennan / Charlie Meck guides jetboat up into gin-clear Pale- / Gary Borger / George Anderson / Mike Lawson ➤ Marcel and Caro Sijnesael own na tributaries, where waters spread FIELD EdITORS Photo ❱ John Randolph Patagonian Basecamp Lodge on the over wide flats ideal for wading and Mike Mercer (West Coast) banks of the Rio Palena. Ben Romans (Western) streamer fishing for large browns and Matt Supinski (Midwest) rainbows. (On all Aysén region wa- Guides use jetboats and rafts to transport fly Pat Dorsey (Southwest) and lakes because they are the dri- patterns include Turck’s Tarantulas, ters, carry two rods—a fast 5-weight ➤ Paul Weamer (Northeast) est. The region experiences from 200 Fat Alberts, Zonkers (white and ol- Photo John Randolph fishers to and from Patagonian Basecamp Lodge for drys, and a fast 7- or 8-weight for ❱ John J. Larison (Northwest) to 300 inches of rain annually (due to ive), articulated leeches (black, white, outpost camps and the main lodge. Zach Matthews (Southeast) streamers.) steep watershed gradients, rivers go olive, and purple), stonefly nymphs, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rio Rosselot is an ideal driftboat Barry & Cathy Beck / Ted Fauceglia into spate quickly and drop fast when beadhead Hare’s Ears and Prince freestoner with long drifts followed on floating lines or 200-grain integrat- a sightseeing itinerary and other off- / R. Valentine Atkinson / Terry & Wendy Gunn rains cease), and since boats are the nymphs, Royal Wulffs, and Griffith’s by overnights in a platform tent camp, ed shooting heads. water activities. / John Sherman only means of reaching and fishing Gnats for scumline fishing. making the trip both an eco-fishing On this river, as well as the Rio If the rivers are up, guides and the waters, good timing can mean the Rods should include 5- and adventure and a learning experience Cinquo or Figueroa, boat fishing is anglers horsepack to clear high- Editorial Office difference between river or exclusive- 7-weights, with matching floating for beginners. Large browns and rain- the only access. mountain lakes and sight-fish for 6385 Flank Drive, Suite 800 ly lake fishing. and 200-grain sinking-tip lines. bows take Chile Buggers (black body, They are rivers where both fishers browns or ’bows up to 25 inches. Harrisburg, PA 17112 The many small tributaries can Patagonian Basecamp Lodge in white rubber legs), Autumn Splendors, and nonfishing companions can eas- Or, if the weather is calm and [email protected] provide superb fishing for large trout, 2009 banned the use of foreign wad- or black Crystal Swimming Jimmies, ily catch trout in addition to planning clear, they launch on Lago Rosselot and the experienced guides know ing boots by guests to prevent the in- to “scumline fish” small flies for 18- Subscription Questions them well. (An 8-foot, 3- or 4-weight troduction of invasive species such as to 20-inch trout surface sipping spent Write to: rod and a selection of #12-14 Royal whirling disease, New Zealand mud insects. Fly Fisherman Wulffs or Stimulators are ideal for this snails, and didymo. It has equipped ➤ Heavy browns and rainbows up to 25 inches populate Photo ❱ Cathy & Barry Beck 6385 Flank Drive, Ste 800 the Rio Palena system and nearby watersheds. When scumlining is at its best, ex- Harrisburg, PA 17112 fishing.) The guides also fish six or the lodge with rubber- and felt-sole pect 30- to 50-fish days, with most Please enclose a copy of your mailing label seven small lakes that provide excel- wading boots with sizes for all guests. fish in the 18- to 20-inch range. The or call: 866-429-0131 lent sight-fishing to cruising browns Sijnesael says these boots will be used scumlines are fished effectively with For Fly Fisherman back issues, call: up to 25 inches. exclusively on the waters that the #18-22 Griffith’s Gnats or other midge 800-260-6397 lodge fishes. Guests will not have to imitations (on 5X tippets).