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Fishing

18 to 25 February: Weekly report from Tierra del Fuego

by Roxtons

LA VILLA MARIA BEHETY LODGE
By Diego Motter – Head Guide at La Villa

The eighth week of the season just ended here at La Villa.  The fishing was a bit slower this week, with 60 fish landed. There were 19 fish over 15 lbs, 7 over 20 lbs, with an average weight 11.5 lbs.

We had clear water the first 4 days and then it got dirty the last 2 and the fishing was much better with dirty water.

The air temperature was lower than the water temperature all week, that was one of the reasons why the fishing got slower.

Fish 1
We used heavy sink tips and big flies, as the fish  were taken deep.

Top rod of the week was Steve W with 20 fish to the net, the biggest 21 pounds. Paul S landed the biggest fish of the week a beautiful 28 lber!
Water Conditions:
Water colour and visibility: Very clear water the first 4 days and then it got dirty for the last two days.
Water temperature: 7° – 13° Celsius (44.5° – 55° Fahrenheit)
Water level: higher than January, the river is in a very good water level situation.

Weather Conditions:
Wind speed ranges through the week: The wind blew northwest as usual, but it wasn’t too strong.
Air temperature ranges through the week: 2° – 20° Celsius (35.5° – 68° Fahrenheit).

Fish 2
Fishing Conditions:
Flies that are working the best: Medium size streamers, with hooks number 8 and 6, as well as tube flies. We used big flies for the last hour, leeches and big tube flies.

In the dirty water tube flies were the best again, sometimes used in tandem.
Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc.):
Skagit heads with different lengths of T-14, 17, 20 were the most common.
Floating lines didn’t work as well, althoug we got some fish on top with plastic tubes. We used heavy sink tips, even T-20, up to 15 feet.

Length and strength of tippet and leaders: 7 to 12 feet, 12 to 15 lbs in strength were used.

Most of the fish were in the lower and middle part of the river, we didn’t get many grabs or fish in the upper part.

Fish catch statistics:
Number of rods for the week: 6
Total number of fish landed for the week: 60
Weight of the biggest fish: 28 lbs
Number of fish landed over 15 lbs: 19
Number of fish landed over 20 lbs: 7
Notable catches: Paul S’s first fish on the first morning of 28 lbs!

LA VILLA GUIDES
Diego Motter (Head Guide)
Jorge Castro
Guido Perillo

ESTANCIA MARIA BEHETY
By Federico Molinolo – Head guide at Estancia Maria Behety Lodge

Another week just finished, here at Estancia Maria Behety Lodge and it was a complicated fishing week. The river changed a lot in a few days as the water went up and down, and from cold to warm and from clear to cloudy more than once. We had some good sessions fishing sunray shadows on top.

85 fish landed. 14 fish over 15 lbs and 4 fish over 20lbs
Top Rod was Charles G with 16 fish landed
Anna-Lena Dand Duncan M landed the fish of the week, at 21.5 lbs

Water Conditions:
Water colour and visibility: The week finished with the water dropping and visibility 2-3 feet
Water temperature: 42°F – 56°F
Water level: The water came up 2 inches the first days of the week and went down by the middle of the week and came up again a little by the end of the week. The water level of the river is very good right now.
 
Weather Conditions:
Wind speed ranges through the week:  We experienced mostly a west wind, 5 to 40 mph. And on Friday the wind blew from the North. Air temperature ranges through the week, were 35°F – 76°F

Fish 3
Fishing Conditions:
Flies that are working the best: With the clear water nymphs worked the best –Red butt, Aurelia Prince, EMB Rubber legs and TDF Prince. Also, medium size buggers, TDF Taxi, and Yuk Bug.
For cloudy water days and for the last 30 minutes of the day, Leeches, big tube flies, and intruders worked well. We landed some fish on top with Sunray Shadows.

Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc.):
Light tips and Scandi heads for low water conditions, as well Poly-leaders and Spey versi-leaders. Heavy tips and Skagit heads were used for high water conditions, with different lengths of T-14 and T-17. We also used T-20 in some pools.

Length and strength of tippet and leaders: Short leadersfor heavy tips, 3 to 5 feet. Long leaders for lights tips, 10 to 15 feet.

Fish 4
Fish Catch Statistics:
Number of rods for the week: 12
Total number of fish landed for the week: 85
Weight of the biggest fish: 21.5 lbs
Number of fish landed over 15 lbs: 14
Number of fish landed over 20 lbs: 4

Notable Catches: 
Anna-Lena Dunn landed a 21.5 lber
Duncan Morrison landed a 21.5 lber
Rick Hearne landed a 20.5 lber
Mike Millard landed a 20 lber

ESTANCIA MARIA BEHETY LODGE GUIDES
Federico Molinolo (Head Guide)
Genaro Molinolo
Miguel Angel Zangla
Nauhel Stauch
Marcos Hlace
Exequiel Bustos