And why not? Who says it doesn’t count? That Creole trout or perch is not well regarded, where is that written? It is ours, it is autochthonous, it takes thousands of years of evolution and adaptation to our Patagonia (trout less than 120 years old) and it is not given away, you have to find it, chop it and fish it. Fossil remains of ancestors of this fish named Percichthys lonquimayiensis They date from between 55 and 65 million years old. It is also quite interesting, when it is of good bearing and fight in the waters of a river, Provides good fishing sensations. More than one has melted his first attacks with a good brown. Although it is not good to say it in a circle of conspicuous flycatchers, it is the reality. Personally, it has happened to me and it will continue to happen to me, God willing. And it is not a sin to admit it, just as it is not a sin to spend time on it, Attention and fly spears to Creole trout. It is very clear that they are not comparable to the original ones, it is a different species, neither as fast nor as agile as the cute salmonids, but making it take a fly and fight it is a challenge.
With Nahuel Moral as guide, and the company of José Luis Moral and Daniel Pappaladro completing the team, we began this survey at a interesting stretch of waters of the Collón Cura, We dedicated the first day to the stretch that goes from the mouth of Catán Lil to Rinconada. We fished pretty well. trout of the order of 600 g to 1.5 kg, mostly rainbows in this course that is part of a rich basin supplied by fantastic trout rivers such as the Malleo, Aluminé and Chimehuin, among others. Very pleasant to float, with practical characteristics of a plain river. Little slope, which means that its waters have a fairly gentle flow, with moderate sliders, many meanders, islands, smaller arms, coastal willow groves, water joints and countless pools and pools. It also has a profuse life of small organisms both on the bottom and in the waters as well as on the shores. Ideal area for fish.
In the backwaters and pools
On the second day we did the route that goes from Rinconada to Balsa Vieja and, upon finding the big perch, we get excited and focus our attempts on them. Instead of looking in fast water and shores, from the boat we tried the backwaters, the gentle countercurrents and practically still waters, at the outlet of an islet or in those deep pools at the foot of the willows. perch compete with trout for food, both genera do well with crustaceans, molluscs, insects and small fish but do not compete for place. Trout are more from fast, well-oxygenated water, and perch from soft, deep, and quieter. That is why one already starts with a pattern of where to look for one or the other.
We did it by wading this time, walking the river, a form of fishing that is not so “comfortable” like from the boat, but that involves the fisherman more with the environment. And it also allows each one to choose their location with the chance to insist, change flies and strategies in a certain location. That is to say, to work thoroughly a fishing boat.
The equipment employees were #4 and #6 power with sink lines and leaders of the order of 5 feet finished in 1X and 2X tippet. In only one place we could see a beautiful perch and there it is interesting to note how they behave, ignoring and rejecting flies. This gives the pattern that, even if they are, they will not always drink. patrol generally Funds or cliffs that go deep with a gentle current, and they choose which food to eat and which to let go, ignoring it as if it did not exist. Strimers mounted on hooks No. 6 to 10 such as Woolly Buggers and their variants, Zonkers and Pancoras Muddler They are very effective for fishing not so fast waters and backwaters. As for nymphs, the larger ones with rubber legs (rubber legs) like the Bitch Creek and Montana Rubber Legs can also walk well. The orange color is very attractive to perch just as much as the olive green. The combination of olive and orange in the same fly is very good. It is important that they also have ballast, which can be on the body or on the head.
effective techniques
a strategy that was enough cast far into a pool somewhat upstream with a well weighted fly, amend the line two or three times and let it sink enough, to begin to pick up two or three jerks and brake, pause and repeat this stripping. With this impasse between collections, the weighted fly gets closer to the bottom, where the large perch go looking for food. The shape and position of their large protractile mouths give us the pattern that, to feed, they tend to search from the depth in which they are swimming and downwards. Being more opportunists than hunters, the stripping speed can be slower and smoother than when looking for trout. Another good way to find them is in a sandy cliff with a gentle current. Position yourself a few meters behind the accident, cast towards the slope, not directly in the direction of the current, but a little perpendicular, let the set go down and once it goes deep, pick up with soft stripes, accelerating them a little when the fly begins to ascend parallel to the slope. . Many times the attack occurs when you are already reaching the highest part of the slope. It does not mean that they are there, but that they are following it and attack it before it climbs onto the flat-bottomed part. that’s why you have to be located away from the change of honduras, for personal safety and because in this way the fish that you want to catch is not scared away.
Scam the perch or creole trout It is not worth disqualifying, we understand that there are better species in sports, but when we go to an area like Collón Cura, or many other wonderful southern fishing boats, the idea is to have a good time and fish. Each species has different quality. You have to get out of some structures or preconceptions a bit, and suddenly the possibilities and alternatives are going to expand and multiply. The fisherman definitely wants to fish, to solve the dilemma of the bite of a rainbow, a brown, a fontinalis, a salmon or whatever populates the waters where he goes. Like when we go to a party where there is a variety of delicious things, sometimes in addition to sushi, gizzard skewers and other outstanding delicacies, there are simple Creole empanadas, and for that reason we are not going to let the waiter pass with the tray without attacking them. They are also part of the menu. And they make us feel that the important thing is to be there, enjoying and participating in the party!
Information about Collon Cura, Neuquén
- Distances: 103 km to Catan Lil (90 asphalt and 13 dirt, about 2 hours 15′ of travel).
- Services: Fishing excursions and floats: Nahuel Moral, Cel.: (02944) 202592, Instagram: @nahuefly.
- Camping, outdoor and fly shop: Örök Outdoor, Av. San Martín 713, Local B San Martín de los Andes. Instagram: @orok_outdoor.
