The very first week of the season, the first opportunity for all of our Guides to see the water for the first time before our opening group with guests. This year, we’re excited to welcome a few new faces to the team, Lucas and Juanjo both from Argentina, and Eugene who will arrive here a few weeks later. Hernan, Paulo and Nick remained part of the team from previous years.
Guides week is not only a chance for all the new Guides to learn their ways around the river, get to know every pool and the way we approach them, similarly this time is needed to see how much certain pools change, how they fish and if holding areas have shifted. Hence, regardless of the years spend in this place, it helps all of us massively to start into the new season with confidence.
The overall conditions were great. The weather was stable while bright and overcast days took turns. Mild climate kept the water temperature at good 12-16 °C and the also the water level remained fairly stable, only dropping at a very low pace. A newly installed watermark will help us track changes in water level much easier from now on. Starting into our first week with guests, we are having a comfortable 10 cm above what we’ve established as “zero” or “normal”.
While our 2019 season was a very early one with plenty of fish in the system already by the end of December, the 2020 season seems to be slightly delayed, and the main run of fish has yet to arrive with the next full moon. The river is in great shape, however, and fresh fish will have no problem running into our beats once they have entered the river. The clear water in combination with mild temperatures already allows us to fish a variety of flies. While the fish are still spread out over the many pools and one has to search them a bit, completely different approaches have broad fish so far. But especially in the lower part of the river, more and more fresh fish are being seen and caught, and our hopes are high that the run is entering just in time for the new season!
All of us here at Kau Tapen wish you a happy new year and are very excited to start into this 2020 season together with you guys. May it be a memorable one!
Paulo Hoffmann – Kau Tapen Fishing Guide
