Week 7: February 10th to 17th, 2023
BY ALEJANDRO MARTELLO – VILLA MARIA LODGE FISHING MANAGER
This week was different and even special from a weather standpoint. We came from warm and sunny days, but the week that just ended was more like autumn. What does this mean? Well, we began to have brief and intense rains both in the valley and in the mountains. This caused the river to rise an inch or two almost daily and then recede back to the normal level during the day. Additionally, there was a polar wave, which was a very strong wind coming from the south. This caused an intense drop in temperatures throughout the country, resulting in very cold mornings and slightly warmer afternoons. Of course, this made the water temperature drop as well, especially overnight.
This situation forced us to adjust the fishing techniques that we had been using in the previous weeks to more suitable setups for these conditions. Instead of using small nymphs, the fish began to move to slightly larger flies with a slightly more noticeable silhouette. It was not necessary to use heavier lines, but in several fishing spots, it was necessary to use some slightly heavier flies. The all-mighty Wonder Bug, which has been catching fish for decades, continued to give us joy.
The situation was not ideal, but with a lot of work and a good attitude on the part of the fishermen, we managed to close a good week. Every rod caught a fish of 16 lbs or bigger. Nigel and Jim scratched the 20 lbs mark by catching back-to-back beautiful fish. Mika and Konsta had a great final session where Konsta beat his personal record for a sea trout, and Mika managed to hook 13 fish, including a super stout 19-pounder which he didn’t want to give up.
Now we have to see what will happen next week when the forecast tells us that certain rains can arrive together with low temperatures. It will be a new week and a new challenge!
