After a week of relative inactivity on the Gallegos our team this week met the challenge with high hopes and expectations.  The river rose 15 cm from Saturday to Sunday although the water did not colour.  However the Patagonian weather was up to its usual tricks and this week it was a period of sustained high pressure with blazing sun, little or no wind and temperatures that would cause even a Brazilian sun goddess to loose her remaining bikini strings.

Despite the heat and conditions being more in keeping with saltwater flats fishing our combined team from France and Sweden were not to be perturbed.  The water dropped throughout the week however with a combination of perseverance, skill and suitable tactics, from day one they showed that it remained possible to catch fish.  As the week wore on conditions become increasingly difficult with the water being not only low but also gin clear.  At times opinions varied, as is the want of fishermen, as to whether there were any fish in the river however the fish did indeed continue to run, smaller ones initially followed by some larger specimens later on in the week.  The hot still days proved to be tricky however and angling effort was adjusted to concentrate on the evenings and this flexibility allowed continued success despite the difficult conditions.
 
Consequently the middle of the day was subsequently reserved for long siestas, sunbathing, extended fish related discussions and an entrepreneurial Swedish team experiencing limited success attempting to show their footballing prowess…..with a Rugby ball.  All in all a hard week however heavy clouds are gathering on the horizon so hopefully the prospects are looking up for next week.

No. of rods: 6
Avg. weight: 8,2 lbs
Biggest fish: 16,5 lbs
Top rod : Per Fossberg and Thierry Willems

TACKLE REPORT

The new Loop Evotech GIII and Classic reels have now undergone rigorous testing since November.  Successfully they have withstood the trials of time having been subjected to not only daily usage but more significantly the daily dust, bounce and bang of their twice daily trip to and from the river.  The Classic reel has continued to sing its song down the river valley and critically the sealed drag units have not succumbed to the dust and wear and provided more than a match for last weeks battle with a 35lb Chinook.  Loop has, for the first time, pushed the new reels beyond “state-of-art”.  The best reels ever!