Opening 2009/10. Río Pico Chubut-Argentina
A full output and sound Fishing Adventure

por: Enrique Gómez

The season opener is perhaps the annual fishing trip the most wanted, longer than expected.

We spent months preparing.
We, in July, we routinely open the season every year in Angostura. The mouth is a temptation Correntoso full of promise and it is also good to reconnect with old friends.

The Mirror, that lake noble and generous, that water should be warm for a little more, we received each year with its majesty, its endless lunches abandoned cabin and that seems to expect fontinalis.

The soft and accessible Pichi Leufu. Charming river which they missed as a friend who lives far away and we're eager to see him, to feel it. Say hello to Banana, we enjoyed the resort of Bahia Manzano where Julio has a week every year, and we drank whiskey every evening, watching sunset in front of the Nahuel Huapi and dreaming the other day.

Linda routine. Happy and predictable. This year we set a goal of not staying with the comfort of the familiar, without forgetting of course, and decided to travel further south.

Rio Pico, nine years ago was a fate that had made us very happy and decided to return to fish it.

All friends advised us not to take the lake cabins Three. They suggested that'll rent some that are a thousand yards from the beach. They were better, offered more amenities, including cable TV and a grocery had a reach.

We prefer to follow the experience, which was not as good in terms of services, but that filled our memories.

Heating wood, the shore walking distance and with the sight of raging water Patagonian lake with snowy mountains as a background forced from their windows. We're not wrong. We had hot water, never have missed the wood for warm and cozy cabin, we had no TV but it did not matter and made some roasted at home can not imagine elsewhere. In short, the city of Lake Three cabins are not the best but have some virtues outweigh its flaws.
Everyone will know what you prefer.

The guide.

Our guide would be Walter "El Pelado" Ruiz. The fishing plan was well delineated. Pic River First day, second the Nilson, third and Pampa Peak and the fourth day, it would float the lake. Redondito.

From our first conversation with Walter in July or August, it was all anxiety and expectation. Everyone knows him as "El Pelado" but since I do not like the nickname will still be called Walter.

Each node, line or revisábamos team we would take it again and again approaching the time of our trip. We tied flies that we thought the best, we adjusted the rods to the place we bought new lines, and the novelty, July purchased a beautiful bag that we were not tied to the fly caught without which we would like to use.

We have always gone out alone, taking charge of our successes and failures, but we're a little large right and Walter, in addition to guide us, be a guardian of our limitations. Indeed, and we were happy with him for his efficiency, wisdom, patience and good treatment.

We found him in the cottage on Sunday 29.
Figure Patagonia. Bombacha and sheep's wool pullover mix. As thirty-five years. Bushy beard and mustache beginning of the century, blond.
The head was almost always covered by a cap. His eyes, clear and very attentive, fit to the figure of the old gringo South residents although its origin has nothing to do with that inheritance.
A burgundy Toyota plastered with a raft hooked behind, made clear his profession. A determined walk, a frank smile and a loving greeting was the first thing we live by Walter.

The welcoming climate

Our arrival in Rio Pico had been with the harsh climate of the area but no surprises. Persistent wind, cold, persistent drizzle and a lake bothered by gusts that made waves in its entirety.
The mountains showed their snowy summits that we saw in previous years.
The clouds that day were dealing with mist the tops of the hills. The spray painted a dull gray. The vision was filled with promises of rain.
As the night wore disappeared the perimeter of the hills, and a shade misleading, mimic the sky obscuring the horizon the peaks.
Our joy of being in the place did not allow us to reason that this whole landscape was harbinger of bad weather.
We knew when we finished eating, the rain, forced to raise your voice for its persistent pounding on the plates of the cabin.
We heard when we fall asleep and waking up.
 
We dressed for fly fishermen that is as difficult as it to reach the moon and left.

Forbidden to Forbid
   
Walter showed no signs of concern but we saw the way transitábamos thinking it would be easy to continue.
The roads in Patagonia are traversed by opening and closing gates.
 
The fences have pointed out that private property is an icon of the landscape to which we have already used. Lake 3 is enclosed in all areas we covered and a sign "PRIVATE PROPERTY NUÑEZ. PROHIBITED (sic) ENTER. RESPECT "is in sight, with the lake to within five meters of dirt road.

I always believed that everyone can access these spaces.
In Patagonia access, if the owners want to allow their passage is paid and if they do not want, they agree not traded him, allowing those posters of "Forbidden ..." multiply.

This is a recurring theme in which fishermen not labor because they accept it with resignation, and not for me to raise a flag that should raise the institutions that we contain, the authorities should protect and lawmakers who shun the topic because they will not alter a "status quo" that does not affect them.
 
Freedom is only utopian if we allow trample private property rights in our lakes and rivers without access. The worst thing is that there are no signs and arbitrariness of allowing no access to what belongs to everyone, the worst is to be humbled, with resignation.
How can anyone not be able to put a belly boat to the lake a few meters from your car? Why should someone who only owns the land, prevent the passage with only a sign of prohibited happen?. If you really want to protect their animals and assumed that fishermen can break your fences, open a way for fishermen to use their rights without transgressing their pathetic claims that the lake or rivers belong.

An impossible journey
 
Under a shower of snow water began our journey to the Rio Pico. To access necessary part of the lake and surrounding this, as trying to scare us, sent waves covering it completely.
The Toyota Walter moved immediately, and so relaxed conversation seemed that nobody cared as would the road. We opened the first gate, the second and third until we came to a path that looked like a road.

The truck was tested at full strength and toughness. We fit twice. The first, wanting to leave an imprint on the shoulder looking for committed, somewhat higher than other more secure.

Walter left the truck and within minutes he had gathered sticks, twigs and some stones, and at one point he showed us his Baquía and fitness of the vehicle. Dodging logs dry, loose and locked, we moved a little more security. Wanting to regain the natural way, the truck stuck, whining engine and the wheels without support, in the soft mud, matured by other diehards who had stayed before.

When we realized that any effort would be impossible without help, Walter went out on foot for the last gate where we had seen a Ford with chains on their wheels. The cold and wind, insistent, we indicated that we were in Patagonia.

Julio and I stayed out of the van until a sleet forced us to shelter in it. It was over an hour until Walter came back with help. He had run to the camp (6 kilometers) in search of friends with other Toyota, long ropes and experience brought her back to the track safer.
 
When one considers the guides, should put the credit of his services, emergencies for which they have to bear. Not just for the mistreatment of your work vehicle but the risks in order to satisfy their customers. We got embarrassed when Walter said that this day do not charge for the bad times and lost time on our fishing day. We do not discuss the issue but we were determined that was what we would do.

At last fishing

We arrived at the tolling of a gringo that allows fishing on "their" part of the River. The price is forty dollars per person and is the deference that the guides are not charged. This is totally taken for years.
 
We move across country to find the main river channel Pico. Cloudy and rainy day had removed the turquoise color with which he had known. He was pale, almost gray and ran rampant to the Pacific. We left the van and headed toward a slow-flowing arm, filled with willows and algae in its bed. Some clearings Cargos ravines protected us from the wind. At this site we call the "Peak Hold it" did not know if that name or what we thought we heard someone, but watching the race from the mainstream to find seemed an appropriate name.

Julio, had tied a beetle with packing material such as shell body "mudler" deer hair and black rubber feet hook 8. The demonstration came up in a tie made in Marcelo and Laura Morales, but had never put a fish. So when you chose the first course, was to end his tippet that JR Krab. Line as he pulled it into the water I kept looking for another hole to allow me to fish with some comfort.

Blows to the water beetle told me that July had been a success. Unfortunately I later learned that he had put 5X tippet was the factor with the joy of the effectiveness of the beetle, became the source of disappointment at losing the bottom. At first launch, a respectable brown, had gone smoothly and had taken it. When he was marched to the willows stuck and Julio, who knew that if I earned that position trout never take her out, forget the lightness of the tippet and, of course, won the trout. Julio had made his debut for JR Krab and trout once again earned him a fisherman. July, the beetle could restore the cabin when we returned so he used a black Stimulator Lucky cabal that is in routine fishing dry.

nothing more than an anecdote.

After such a late morning my fishing was excellent, by the amount of trout and the quality of the method used for their catch. Walter, had spoken of this site for fly fishing girls and my memory was at a Royal Woolf glad he had managed a distant tomorrow with five or six trout in the same place.
 
I opened one of my dry box and was chosen fly hook classic Adams 16. My team was the Sage Launch 4 that without being the best helmsman of the world is very good for me and a Medalist 1494, despite his age and because of my things I fall I can not change.

Walter passed the fly, and hauls without being too cumbersome, were not ideal. More than once fly hooked up in some bushes. The course, with his gentle water route, showed sporadic eating trout up whoppers. I had the first pick at the first dunk of the season.
All we fish know what that means.
 
A beautiful and strong brown and Walter had taken photographs pulled from the water to fly in the trout in my hands that first task. So we left, I drove seven trout there, and not to look lost piques my fly was open the gape of the hook. A mistake, almost naive, that went through my anxiety, by the desire to be the fly in the water or gil. Perhaps all these causes together.

Julio, had caught more or less the same, except for the size of a brown photograph addressed by comparing it with the rod from the top of the handle. At that time I was alone and did not want the trout were.

Then we cross the tributary to the other side by a bridge too long. Iron, planks and bolts sorted, removed or at least altered the intangible air of the area. He replaced an old suspension bridge that seemed to belong to the landscape, this was rather an outsider to the landscape by man's need.

The wind was a bit uncomfortable to have him front and stopped the sinking trout than we enjoyed. Yet I managed to get one more.
The day culminated a little earlier. The clouds were dark and thick and prevented the evening light we offer fishing for a while.

I photographed a trout with a deep cut in half his body. Presumably by the attack of a cormorant. I did, because despite such an injury, the surface continued to eat trout. This confirms that the return of the trout should be always hurt no matter what we like when we draw.

With fear of night enveloped us, we started looking for the tranquility and warmth of the cabin after an endless day, full of imagined actions and others that were beyond our imaginings. The reality had finally caught up with our imagination and fishing, once again, we had returned with joy all the accumulated anxiety and discomfort passes

Conclusion:

Rio Pico is an exceptional destination to fish. Its lakes and rivers offer fishing styles and choice of each fisherman to find or conclude which is best. We fish one afternoon this stream we call "the quiet of the Peak", we wanted to do it the other day but the weather did not allow it.

While conditions were more or less good fished very well with light equipment and dry girls. In our previous experience we can say that they also take great dry, but this time, or throw them into water.

If where they found good weather is very difficult to fail in these places. We wanted to float the Three Lake but there were no circumstances to do so, when we do, surely write about this experience. The July caught a little Pampa, narrow-flowing stream, and got good bite in the time it was. The cold and exhaustion prevented us from continuing to do so by promising to return the next day, which we did because we choose another destination.

The climate is harsh, almost always. Wind is an inevitable companion. This lack is that when fishing is extraordinary and dreamed environments. We were never touched us, so far, that fate. What the region is abundant in variety of style options and types of fishing. Infrastructure exists to serve them and the roads, which in this trip were constraints to leave, are passable if you do not have fifteen consecutive days of continuous rain.

The weather is not surprised and we were ready, simply choose another option this time, because after three days we knew that any atmosphere would be ideal for both fish after bad weather.

Services
Department of Tourism of Rio Pico
Municipal Cabins Three lakefront.
Bunk beds, excellent mattresses, hot water, fireplace and salamander to heat the bathroom. Kitchen, Fridge and new water heater. Canillas deficient but who provide essential utility. Warm rooms with the best view. Steps from the lake. Attention unconditional love and full of good treatment in place by the responsible administrator. The "Basque" Quito
Reservations: Department of Tourism of Rio Pico
Mrs. Esther. 02945-492114

Cabañas "Los Toldos"
They offer more complete amenities and excellent service, also have a permanent procedure. Before the municipal property are more or less, 1000 meters from the lake.
Reserves: Mario Garcia or Magdalena
02945-15692963
02945-15412751

Guide: Walter "Pelado" Ruiz
Must be seen in action.  tpolibre@hotmail.com
02945-450815
02944-15487657

Greetings

Patricia Carzoglio