Just got home from a week at Lago Strobel and what a crazy week it was. We saw everything the place has to offer.
Arrived Saturday early afternoon. Got settled and then guide took us to lower Moro Creek that was just loaded with 3-6# trout and a few bigger. Fished an orange scud (which I am sure they took for an egg) under an indicator then stripping a small black leech on the floating line. No wind and just hammered the fish.
Sunday bright sun and no wind. Fished some cliffs (more on that later). Could see fish cruising but they were ultra shy. Fished balanced leech under chubby chernobyl. Went 5-10 with biggest about 9# all on the leech. Buddy did a bit better and get 2 on the chubby. After lunch we hit a big flat that had pods of fishy lazily floating and cruising around. Very spooky. Had to lead them by a least 20ft and wait till they approached. Small scud on a 13ft leader. Went 2-4 but nothing big.
Monday was probably my favorite day. Sunny and flat calm. Fished a little bay off the main lake. Just loaded with fish. Spooky but a long lead and wait worked great. All sight fishing. Long leader and used several different bugs. Scud and black leeches were the best. Landed 18 fish that day with 3 10# class fish and one 12-13# hen. And fish were super hot. Hooking to landing ratio much improved. Had been fighting the fish too much like saltwater fish....with the butt of the rod. But with the heavy tippets had trouble just pulling the hook out. Keeping the rod higher than I usually do was the right approach.
Tuesday - now the weather begins to change. Sunny but a breeze in the morning. Went to the switch rod (DO NOT go there without it!). Went 6-6 all good sized fished. Smallest was 8 and two biggest were 11. Then after lunch the wind really started to go. But so did the fishing. Fished one of the smaller lakes on the ranch called Horseshoe. And probably had the best trout fishing session of my life. I stood in one spot and went 24-25 on a small black leech under an indicator in winds blowing 40mph. Every fish was 5-8#. Almost too good to be true but it was.
Wednesday - Winds started out 35mph. Fished the lower Barrancoso River. Water was very high and off color. Not a lot of fish in that section (upper section was much better that day) and not many spots to fish. But I fished 3 pockets and went 4-6 on fish 4-7#. Critical to keep a ton of pressure on the fish so they stayed in the pocket and didn't run down through the rapids as there was no way to chase them. Really cool spot and I'd like to fish it again a bit later in the season when its not roaring. Then went to the main lake for lunch and attempt to fish. A group had fished that bay all morning and they only landed 8 fish between the 5 of them. After lunch they all left to fish smaller lagoons. I stayed just to see if I could actually fish it. Wind was now blowing near 50. Went to switch rod and tungsten leader and went 4-4. Two dinks and a 5 and a 7. No joke on the wind. Gusts over 75 and it was all I could do to stand up. Finally told the guide enough of trying to be a he man and headed to the lodge for beers!
Thursday - Winds starter at 30+. Fished a rocky cliff drop off on the main lake. Switch rods and indicators with balanced leech. Went 6-6 on inicators (had to use bright colored big ones to even see them in the rollers then 4-4 stripping. One small fish about 4 and all the rest were 6-9. Then the wind really started to blow. Headed to upper Moro Creek and fished a short section and went 5-8 on smaller fish. And it was ripping.
Thursday we all conversed at the lodge before dinner to discuss options for Friday (last day). Talking to the guides we all decided to not fish and leave a day early and spend the day in El Calafate. Made for a much easier trip back home too.
Friday - Well we made the right call. Wind blowing 50-60 with gusts over 90 mph. Never seen anything like this short of a tornado or actual hurricane. Just unreal.
So overall the trip was a 10-10. Lodge was fantastic. Guides were even better. Weather was the weather....lol. But man those first two days with calm sight fishing conditions was just so special.
Arrived Saturday early afternoon. Got settled and then guide took us to lower Moro Creek that was just loaded with 3-6# trout and a few bigger. Fished an orange scud (which I am sure they took for an egg) under an indicator then stripping a small black leech on the floating line. No wind and just hammered the fish.
Sunday bright sun and no wind. Fished some cliffs (more on that later). Could see fish cruising but they were ultra shy. Fished balanced leech under chubby chernobyl. Went 5-10 with biggest about 9# all on the leech. Buddy did a bit better and get 2 on the chubby. After lunch we hit a big flat that had pods of fishy lazily floating and cruising around. Very spooky. Had to lead them by a least 20ft and wait till they approached. Small scud on a 13ft leader. Went 2-4 but nothing big.
Monday was probably my favorite day. Sunny and flat calm. Fished a little bay off the main lake. Just loaded with fish. Spooky but a long lead and wait worked great. All sight fishing. Long leader and used several different bugs. Scud and black leeches were the best. Landed 18 fish that day with 3 10# class fish and one 12-13# hen. And fish were super hot. Hooking to landing ratio much improved. Had been fighting the fish too much like saltwater fish....with the butt of the rod. But with the heavy tippets had trouble just pulling the hook out. Keeping the rod higher than I usually do was the right approach.
Tuesday - now the weather begins to change. Sunny but a breeze in the morning. Went to the switch rod (DO NOT go there without it!). Went 6-6 all good sized fished. Smallest was 8 and two biggest were 11. Then after lunch the wind really started to go. But so did the fishing. Fished one of the smaller lakes on the ranch called Horseshoe. And probably had the best trout fishing session of my life. I stood in one spot and went 24-25 on a small black leech under an indicator in winds blowing 40mph. Every fish was 5-8#. Almost too good to be true but it was.
Wednesday - Winds started out 35mph. Fished the lower Barrancoso River. Water was very high and off color. Not a lot of fish in that section (upper section was much better that day) and not many spots to fish. But I fished 3 pockets and went 4-6 on fish 4-7#. Critical to keep a ton of pressure on the fish so they stayed in the pocket and didn't run down through the rapids as there was no way to chase them. Really cool spot and I'd like to fish it again a bit later in the season when its not roaring. Then went to the main lake for lunch and attempt to fish. A group had fished that bay all morning and they only landed 8 fish between the 5 of them. After lunch they all left to fish smaller lagoons. I stayed just to see if I could actually fish it. Wind was now blowing near 50. Went to switch rod and tungsten leader and went 4-4. Two dinks and a 5 and a 7. No joke on the wind. Gusts over 75 and it was all I could do to stand up. Finally told the guide enough of trying to be a he man and headed to the lodge for beers!
Thursday - Winds starter at 30+. Fished a rocky cliff drop off on the main lake. Switch rods and indicators with balanced leech. Went 6-6 on inicators (had to use bright colored big ones to even see them in the rollers then 4-4 stripping. One small fish about 4 and all the rest were 6-9. Then the wind really started to blow. Headed to upper Moro Creek and fished a short section and went 5-8 on smaller fish. And it was ripping.
Thursday we all conversed at the lodge before dinner to discuss options for Friday (last day). Talking to the guides we all decided to not fish and leave a day early and spend the day in El Calafate. Made for a much easier trip back home too.
Friday - Well we made the right call. Wind blowing 50-60 with gusts over 90 mph. Never seen anything like this short of a tornado or actual hurricane. Just unreal.
So overall the trip was a 10-10. Lodge was fantastic. Guides were even better. Weather was the weather....lol. But man those first two days with calm sight fishing conditions was just so special.
. I like that you posted actual #'s and like you said people can decide for themselves. Beside who cares what other people think, what's matters if the numbers you caught satisfied your expectations.... Personally i think you did quite well.....
