Gear and equipment
Tackle suggestions
Important Note: We feel that properly outfitted and prepared anglers have the best chance of having a trip of a lifetime. Our main concern is that you have a great trip. This is a guideline to help anglers assemble a successful collection of flies and equipment. It's not necessary you have everything listed in this pamphlet, just a good cross section. One thing that we've all learned from years of fishing Strobel Lake, Barrancoso river, Moro creek and the chained lagoons, is that it is almost impossible to tell what kind of lines and flies are going to be most successful on the river at a given time. Conditions can change without warning and we must be able to adapt to conditions at hand. Guides nomally have a selection of flies on hand in case you don't have the right fly for the situation, and flies are for sale at the Lodge. There is a fly tying desk at the lodge and guests are free to use them. (A great gift for guides is tying materials. They are always running low).
Rods
For Lake Strobel and the smaller lakes we suggest strong powerful rods capable of handling strong winds and with enough backbone to land hard fighting double figure fish that could go over 20 pounds. We recommend fast action 9/10 ft. rods, for 8/9 weight lines.
Spey rods perform excellent on the big lake, so if you prefer double handed rods, this is a great place for you to bring that kind of tackle, when conditions are windy. It is important to know that during calm wind days, presentation becomes extremely important, and that is why single rods are recommended on those situations When fishing at Barrancoso river, we suggest 8/9 ft. rods for #6/7 weight lines. This river doesn't require long casts in most cases, presentation is important, and to be able to handle and mend line properly. Reels We strongly suggest for Lake Strobel large arbour reels, with good backing capacity (100 meters) and excellent breaking quality, because even though it's a lake you are fishing, these trout usually make long and explosive runs.
Lines and tippets Our guides suggest guests to bring a floating and an intermediate lines for all the rods guest will use during their stay. We also recommend to bring lines known as "shooting lines, models such as RIO OUTBOND, AIRFLO 40 PLUS, ROYAL WULFF AMBUSH, or SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS DISTANCE, (both floating and intermediate lines) to use at the lake for the rod weight you will be using there (#8 and #9 weight rods are the recommended ones). This type of lines allow anglers to cast further under windy conditions, making it easier to gain distance, cover more water, and accomplish that with less effort.
We suggest the use of heavy tippets (12-15 lbs) in order to be able to land and avoid cuts in rocks underwater, when playing. When fishing at beautiful Barrancoso River, we suggest weight forward floating lines, with 9 ft. leaders (8-10 lbs), although these river receives almost no fishing pressure, due to the clear waters, fish can be very spooky and challenging at times.
Flies
Streamers/Wet flies: We suggest all kind of buggers, scuds, zonkers and matukas, weighted and unweighted in assorted colours, especially:
-Bead head Wolly buggers, black, brown and olive are very productive (sizes 6/8/10) (rubber legs perform well on occasions, some popular colours are white or yellow). A favorite is a Woolly Bugger with black chenille, or cactus chenille in size 8 to 10, with bead head.
-Zonker/Rabbit in medium to small sizes, white, black, olive (sizes 6/8/10/12).
It is good to have weighted and unweighted flies. In some of the river pools, it is necesary to go down fast, so heavily weight big streamers are usefull. Same patterns described before.
Dry Flies
With regard to dry flies, big and medium size attractor flies work well, such us Chernovyl Ant, Fat Albert, Tarantula, Parachute Madam X, Gypsy King, Stimulator (yellow and green), and Stimulator Rubber legs (sizes 6/8/10/12), among others.
Nymphs:
During calm conditions, medium and small nymphs perform well, such as Hare's Ear, Bead head Prince, Scuds (green, orange), Cooper Johns, Bead head Pheasant tail, etc (size 10/12/14).
It is very important that flies are tied in strong heavy wire, to avoid bending or breaking of hooks when playing or landing big fish.
