1. January & February are considered to be prime time months when chasing these monster trout. However, the truth is that the late season has always been extremely consistent in terms of numbers. Whilst early birds have the chance to hit the magic “trophy fish” window where the water level, temperature, and wind align perfectly for a run with the highest possible average size of fish, the later months of the season usually provide more consistent numbers. There is also a very good amount of so-called “dream fish” being landed all through March and April. As a matter of fact, Mel Krieger, who has fished these big sea-run brown trout waters in the south of Argentina more than most anglers, preferred the late weeks in April. The fish are still fresh and they are plentiful. It’s the time of the year when you are most likely to hit a hot pool and get a dozen takes on a fresh pod of fish. If you prefer warm and nice weather however the early season is still the safer bet.
2. Autumn run: Rio Gallegos has a late run of fish that usually arrives at the end of March with the last big flood of the fishing season. These fish are extra bulky and extra aggressive because they have less time to reach the upper spawning beds. These fish move significantly faster through the river and stir up the fish that are already defending their future reed areas.
3. Warm water – small flies: Every rule has an exception, and this one too. On a hot and bright day – add windless to the mix to create your very own “worst case” scenario on seatrout – you might want to try something that creates a bigger silhouette against the blinding lights. Especially when the fish “stare“ into the sun. At a given time, the angle of the sun is literally blinding them in some of the more shallow pools. These fish require a different approach. When blinded by the light, try a big fly despite the conditions. You will be surprised.
4. Gallegos brown trout: Rio Gallegos has a very strong population of native resident brown trout. In fact, if targeted the brown trout fishing at Las Buitreras is probably up there with the best brown trout fisheries in all of Southern Patagonia. The few anglers that have managed to resist the urge of constantly trying to catch the sea run browns and spent some time with lighter equipment trying for the resident brown trout will know what we are talking about.
5. Flies: Sea-run brown trout fishing has a long history in Europe. And just like any other fishery with a rich history, a myriad of patterns and local sub-patterns evolved. Euro patterns and South-American fly patterns are nothing alike. Whilst most patterns in Central Europe and Scandinavia are ought to be fished as a swung fly, South American flies are often stripped, jerked, nymphed, as well as swung. Confronted with brown trout that went sea-run, the local anglers in the south retreated to the safest base they could find, steelhead patterns – in particular, Great Lake Area flies. For Rio Gallegos, we have developed our own favorite patterns over the years and people who have fished with us will recognize such names as the Yellow Yummie and Buitreras rubber legs to name a few. These patterns just seem to bring out the worst in our beloved trout in Gallegos.
6. Genetics: Brown trout are one of the most genetically diverse vertebrates known. There is far more genetic variation present across British populations of wild brown trout than between any populations in the entire human race. Brown trout belong to a single, polytypic, species. They are however so variable and adaptable that attempts have been made to assign them to at least 50 separate species.
7. Resident Trout: Many so-called resident brown trout do undertake migrations. They may be of a lesser extent than sea-run brown trout but they move up and downriver and sometimes in and out of lakes at various times during their lives, for spawning, feeding, and shelter.
8. Sea-run brown trout undergo amazing physiological changes as they move between fresh and seawater. Special cells in the gills either take in or excrete salts and the fish’s kidney adapts either to produce loads of or a little urine dependent on the type of water around the fish.
9. Sea-run brown trout are more commonly known as seatrout in big parts of the world. They can grow up to 130 cm in length and reach a weight of 20 kg. The biggest landed in Las Buitreras to date, weighed in at 14.2 kg (32 lbs).
10. Brown trout is a European species that have been introduced and naturalized in many countries and regions. These include Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Kashmir, Bhutan, the Falkland Islands, Chile, and Argentina. In North America, brown trout are in places still known as German trout or Loch Leven Trout.
