achalabrookies

My Medalist 1492 is ready to sound with the first brookies of the season!

This is a “historical” photograph. Corresponds to a series that illustrated the final written work of the “Proyecto Fontinalis de Achala”, a development of coordinated actions in order to know more about the Fontinalis in Pampa de Achala and in which I had the honor of participating. Basically, we tried to obtain general environmental records and study of scales in specimens of these brookies captured for that purpose throughout a year with monthly departures to different streams of the Achala region. The conclusions of this work were requested opportunely by authorities of the Quebrada del Condorito National Park who in turn informed us of their own aquatic resource management projects of their jurisdiction. The Achala Fontinalis Project was the first known serious attempt to obtain accurate information on a salmonid population introduced, established and acclimated in the province of Córdoba (Argentina).
While I share this with you, I’m still waiting for the season to officially open in “El Condorito”.

Note: This photo is my own and was used in other publications without mentioning it.

A few years ago, my dear friend Carlos Tam gave me a Pflueger Medalist 1492 AK fly reel. “It is for you, he said, looks very nice on bamboo cane fly rods, you must to make some few adjustments and repair but it will look very good”. Now Carlos is no longer physically with us, but his memory is permanent every time I visit the rivers we share while fishing. These past days, I decided to recover this reel and return it to a decent life. I entrusted a turner known for his good work to make a new outer ring in better aluminum. The one that came from the factory is of poor quality (remember that this model was particularly made in Hong Kong) and had some small marks of friction and shock. Also I am trying to improve the click and pawl system with which it is originally provided. I hope to honor with many hours of good fishing of brook trout to this modest classic, imagining, in passing, Carlos’s accomplice smile!

Finally the opening day of the season arrived, with my son Franco and our friend Gerardo we decided to choose the Yuspe river and its beautiful rainbow trout as a target. Great fishing day full of new and enriching experiences. It is good to know that although this river is quite close to the city of Villa Carlos Paz, one of the most touristic in the mountains of Córdoba, it can still provide good fishing. I show you some photos here:

I received an invitation by mail from “Federico Prato Fly Shop” to attend the “Sage Tour 2018”, a presentation of last generation products that included mainly new models of rods, reels and lines for fly fishing.
Although today I am far from the use of this type of equipment (I am addicted to bamboo and fiberglass fly rods), I thought it would be very interesting to try the “latest fashion cry” and attended the event with a couple of friends this past Saturday.
It was very nice to meet again with friends that I had not seen for a long time, and especially with Federico who gave us a great service and generously provided us with a lot of information about the new world of fly casting.
Federico is the son of Gustavo Prato, an extraordinary bamboo fly rods builder with whom I shared a certain friendship and many unforgettable “philosophical” conversations about the wonderful world of “arundinaria amabilis tonkin cane” and also the art of fly fishing in general.
In this blog there is a post that I have dedicated to him a while back.
Thanks Federico for allowing us to test these modern and very effective equipment!
Here some photos of the event.

I mean the time left for the season opening. I am longing for moments like the one that shows the photo and looking at the calendar frequently!

Three different Patagonian rivers, three different moments and attitudes, but the same passion for fly fishing.
The first photo (from top to bottom) was taken on the banks of the Calfiquitra river, a beautiful relativly small stream surrounded by a landscape that evokes the jurassic period. You are there in the midst of that silent beauty and you would not be surprised to see a Gigantosaurus Carolinii appear with unpredictable intentions!
The second one shows us in the middle of the Kilka river, in a different landscape but also very nice trying to have some catch.
In the third photo I am returning to the water a strong brown of the Pulmarí River, a very interesting place to try with the Salmo trutta fario.
The three mentioned rivers are in the province of Neuquen in northern Patagonia.

If for some strange reason I ever had to choose a single type of fly for the rest of my life as a fisherman, this would undoubtedly be a nymph. Here I show a model born in my fly tying bench, built according to one of the techniques of G. E. M. Skues and that usually inhabits in my fly boxes.
Have a good fly tying and better fishing!

In this old photo we are “hunting” brookies with Ernesto Mazzola in the beautiful Rucachoroi lake, near Aluminé in the province of Neuquen.
I remember it was a great fishing experience on a shallow coast, presenting our flies very close to the rises of the brookies that were very active.
Unforgettable.
This photo was taken by our great friend Abel Wenetz.

The Yuspe river belongs to the region of the mountain range called “Los Gigantes” not far from the Pampa de Achala. Both areas are very visited by fly fishermen who eagerly look for the treasures they keep.
This river possesses a very particular beauty, it is rocky and with very clear and transparent waters, besides being the owner of a remarkable reputation for great trophies achieved some time ago as far as rainbow trout fishing is concerned. Currently has a good and healthy population of these combative salmonids.
A few days ago, the Yuspe offered us a very fun and instructive fishing day.
I invite you to see this photo gallery: