We started the season with a very good water level and lots of fish in the pools. It seems like an earlier run came into the river. We ended the season as good as we had started and in the middle we caught 1500 fish, which was even better than last season.
For this new Kau Tapen season 2011 we welcomed once again an incredible team of international and local Argentinean guides. Our guides are always very pleased to come back to the Rio Grande to start a new season and we were all very excited to be here, on the best sea trout river of the world!
We started the season with a very good water level and lots of fish in the pools. It seems like an earlier run came into the river. For our first week of the season we landed 182 fish. What a great start!
Traditionally at this time of the year with still cold water we were using sinking line and leeches, and progressively going to an intermediate line with sink tips, and rather smaller flies. The Collie dogs, leeches, and streamer swere very effective.
Mid January we had some heavy rain and the water level rose and brought colored water for a few days, giving our guests difficult fishing but bringing some very nice fresh fish in Kau Tapen’s water. We ended the week with one 24 and one 25 pounder!
This “high water condition” brought a lot of fish in the river and the season kept going very well landing close to 1000 fish in 6 weeks! The water level was very good and then started dropping, and as the water lowered the rubber leg nymphs and the “guide bug”, especially the black body, yellow legs and heavy eyes, were very efficient. A good amount of nice fresh fish were caught this way, using floating line and sink tip. The green machine has been working very well too, and we all know since many years that this fly can be very productive using it on different line and depth, while some other guests and guides were also using tube flies. For the “magic hour” we were using the traditional string leeches or sunrays and had great time.
The river finally dropped a lot and the river got pretty low. The fishing in this condition was still very good but more challenging as we had to fish “light” and use long leader, delicate presentation and small flies on a floating or intermediate line.
About numbers: we landed 1487 fish, so in terms of number of fish caught it was a better season than the previous one.
149 fish over 15 pounds and 30 fish over 20 pounds with some beautiful 23, 24, 25 pounders and the record of the season with a huge male of 26 pounds caught on a leech at dusk by Mark from the U.S.A.
The 2011 season was a very good season as in terms of statistic and we did better than last year. Better number of fish landed and hooked. Better average fish per rod per day and a better average weight as well. So a great season at Kau Tapen for 2011!
The Rio Grande itself at Kau Tapen and Villa Maria has provided huge sea trout once again and many of our guests have hooked and landed a fish of lifetime. Some of our guests have landed several fish over 15 and 20 pounds during their week and there is for sure NO other place and river like this in the world for sea run brown.
To Sum Up
- We caught and landed 1487 fish for 2057 fish hooked;-
- Average fish per rod per day: 1,80
- Average weight: 8,78 pounds;
- Biggest fish for the season: 26 pounds;
- 149 fish over 15 pounds and 30 fish over 20 pounds.
The Kau Tapen staff has been working very hard to welcome, help and serve our guests. This season the bookings were great and we are proud to see that Nervous Waters lodges are coveted by keen fisherman in search of luxurious accommodation, fine cuisine, great service and staff and very professional guides. I would like to thank our guests for coming at Kau Tapen to share this incredible experience and we are already looking forward to seeing you next season!
Have a great 2011 fishing season and tight lines!
Jean Baptiste Vidal
Kau Tapen Lodge
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