Kings in Chile
King salmon were first introduced into Chilean waters in 1886, but the plant did not take. A single stocking of juvenile fish in Rio Santa Cruz about 1930 produced a viable wild population of spawning kings. Then in the mid 1970s, the fish were introduced in fish farms along the coast of the Chilean Patagonia. There are now viable, reproducing populations in several rivers in the area, established by escapees from the fish farms.
The Patagonia encompasses the southern portion of both Chile and Argentina. The name is derived from a tall person described in a Spanish novel of the early 1500s. Magellan used the word to describe the “giant” people he encountered in the region in 1520. They were taller than the Europeans of the time. It’s a good place for the giant king salmon.
Like all kings, they get big and fight like bulldogs, shaking and plowing around with serious vigor. Occasionally one will jump, but more often the fight is deep and very strong. And like other salmon regions of the world, anglers searching for the Patagonia Kings often hunt them with Spey equipment.
My friends at the Mendoza Fly Shop are no exception. Pablo Perez, Manager, and owner with his father, Benito, has been developing a series of very nice rods—his Aguas Claras (Clear Water), which I enjoyed fishing last year on my trip to the Argentine Patagonia. Pablo recently spent time on the Peulo River near Puerto Montt in the Chilean Patagonia is search of kings on which to test his new G3 Spey series. The rods worked very well, delighting Pablo with big kings on the bank.
The Chilean Kings have established spawning populations. They came from fish farms in the cold waters along the coast of saunter Chile.
A delighted Pablo with a big king in his G3 Spey rod. Note the size of the river behind him.
The Spey rod certainly measures up to the big kings.