Chile Patagonia Baker Lodge Day 4
Today was a true test of fishing skills on the Cochrane. In fact it was more than a test of skills, it was an exercise in frustration. First understand that the Cochrane is not an ordinary stream. It is a “U” shaped channel in the sand. Further it is really deep, and is lined with brush and trees. Casting is not just a challenge, in some places it is impossible. One cannot get in the overly deep water, and the vegetation is so dense and to preclude any serious thoughts of casting.
However, in a few places, one can find openings, and if there are trout there, well, one may cast to them. They even take the fly very well. But them, the true wild rumpus begins. There is no way to fight them but to just stand and watch the fish bury itself in the dead branches, bottom vegetation, and undercut banks.
I hooked two very sizable browns on a size 16, black foam beetle on 4X, One rubbed the fly out in the bottom weeds, the other parted it like spider webbing on the sunken branches of a big bush.
I did manage one reasonable rainbow that was feeding in mid currents in a open area where I could move up and down stream about 100 feet in either direction. That was enough to control the fish and get it to hand.
The impossible river, the Cochrane. Any fish with true size will tangle the angler in brush and weeds in a heartbeat.
A nice rainbow, to be sure, but tiny compared to the big browns that sucked in the beetle and quickly parted company with me.