|
Fly Fishing in Alerces Park, Argentina
By
David Kotok 
Trout cruise the foam line. That's the lake's surface section formed in the lee
from the wind. It contains some fallen leaves, the white speckled
clumps of
bubbles that make up foam and, most importantly, bugs. Trout like bugs.
We had already ridden an hour into the wind in Kent Schoenauer's small rubber
zodiac. We hugged the lee shore to avoid the whitecaps. The wind rolls off the
glaciers whose cold water nurtures Lake Menendez in Alerces Park and its resident
trout. Welcome to Argentina fishing.
Finally, the turn in the lake was at hand. The mountain ridge blocked some of
the wind. We stopped at the first lee spot, an enticing cove with a bamboo shoreline,
some overhanging limbs and a foam line.
| Relevant
Pages and Information | |
|
"I'll try a Chernobyl"
I said. One quick Duncan's loop knot and the fly was firmly tied. Strip out some
line on the floor of the zodiac. Now wait for the cruising fish to show its direction.
Two minutes and "there he is." The water in Menendez was crystal clear. The cast
has to be accurate. We 
must not "spook" this wild Patagonian trout. "Place the bug about ten feet ahead
of the fish so he will find it naturally" I thought.
Sixty feet away. Two false casts to get enough line out. Gently now.
The Chernobyl Ant landed softly; it mimicked a large insect that might have fallen
off a tree. Seconds later: bingo! A quick lift of the fly rod, the hook is set
and we're off to the fight.
That first cast yielded this result:
"A brookie" said Kent "unusual for them to feed on the surface." I removed
the barbless hook and put him back to quickly vanish.
I fished with the Chernobyl Ant fly pattern all day; caught and released forty
fish averaging twenty inches and probably missed an equal amount. All but
the first one were rainbows.
Lago
Menendez is remote and protected. It's found within a terrific Argentine national
park. No roads and no overnight camping limit a fisherman's access to day trips
on portaged boats. In addition to great trout fishing, the lake houses a grove
of majestic Alerces trees; they're older than the California redwoods and located
along a hiking trail the park has created for visitors.
For information and photos about the lake, the park and the Alerces tree see:
Esquel-on-Line For information about a trip with my friend and fishing guide,
Kent Schoenauer,
see: Argentina Chile Fly Fishing I'm going back again next year. Editors
Note: David R. Kotok is the Chief Investment Officer
of Cumberland Advisors, Inc., a Vineland-based financial
| 
