Some of this article appeared on the travel website
“BootsnAll” over 20 years ago. It contains important new aspects of
freshwater fishing for trout and salmon which may be helpful for backpacker
fishermen to be successful. I have therefore
revised and expanded it with new photos and added it to my Fishing Blog, which is called
“Trout and Kitchen”. I catch fish for
eating purposes and do not follow the Purist ideology of “catch and release”,
which I consider to be deliberate torturing of wild creatures by bizarre anglers who do not like eating fish, or do not know how to cook them, so I avoid fishing in such regions so classified. This is a guide
for sensible backpacker anglers who roam the World, and like the idea of catching a fish for
the table now and then for little expense.
OFF WE GO TO EXPLORE THE WORLD:
OFF WE GO TO EXPLORE THE WORLD:
Fishing is a good way to start, but new objectives are necessary. The size of a fish caught is not important, as long as it is big enough to cook for breakfast. A nine incher brown trout is a good catch on some hill streams of New Zealand, or on the moorland burns of Skye in Scotland. I know that a 14 inch brownie weighs 1 lb. A memorable trout of this size I once caught on a home made Red Setter type lure from the Kaiwarawara Stream in Wadestown, a suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, within a short walking distance of my home. In fact, the small streams of the lower Wellington district are ideal to learn the intricacies of fly fishing, particularly with the nymph and dry fly. Lure fishing can be learnt at Taupo on the Tongariro River, and by trolling in Lake Taupo……learn and practice well, and then you are set to take on the World.
Another objective worth pursuing is how many countries can you catch a trout or salmon in? This is
important when you consider what is the best, or the most likely way, of catching a fish?
Much depends on the terrain. The
majority of trout fishing books are written by Purist fly fishermen who have
barely ventured outside the idea of offering insect imitations on some slow
moving chalk stream in the south of England; they consider that this is the only way to catch trout. Such books are good to learn some
basic techniques, but the trout living in Chile, South Africa and New Zealand have many
more tricks up their sleave, so to speak, because the terrain is different from
England. You learn how to cope with the differing terrain by fishing in
different countries. I have caught and
eaten trout and salmon in 12 different countries viz., New Zealand is a good
place to start and learn how to go about it, then Australia (VIC and SA), South
Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe (Pungwe River), Scotland (Skye), USA (Colorado),
Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Chile (Lake District and Fiordland), and Argentina
(Lake District and Patagonia).
I have never tried fishing in England, but I was certainly
inspired by its fishing literature, and realized how different it was from angling in
New Zealand. I was inspired by the
Arthur Ransome books written mainly in the 1930’s, about the Swallows and Amazons,
and the sailing escapades of these children in the Lake District of England,
often catching fish. Ransome was a keen
fisherman and had a regular market for his fishing short stories in the
newspapers of the day… these are collected in his book “Rod and Line” still
available from Online book sellers. Also
I was inspired by the American writer Joe Brooks, who wrote of his fishing
adventures in South America…..I just had to catch a fish in Tierra del Fuego,
which I did on Isla Navarino, only a few kilometers from Cape Horn.
Backpacker Gear to Take
You learn by experience.
My first two “Round the World” trips, which included fishing, were not
optimal, in the sense I had too much stuff.
I had a wheelie bag, or rucksack with wheels, which I dragged along like
an air-hostess. It had arm straps but I never once put it on my back for it was
too heavy. I carried a light two man
tent colored red, a sleeping bag, and a 9 ft 6 inch, 3 piece fly rod with two
reels, of line weight 9; one green floating one and the other a hi-density shooting head
such as used at Taupo on the Tongariro River.
OK for heavy duty lure fishing but cumbersome for light-weight passive fly
fishing. Also the fly rod had to be
carried separately and I was scared of leaving it on a bus. At airports the rod was viewed with suspicion
for it might be a gun. Although my
little tent proved useful in South America and South Africa, I decided there
must be a better and lighter way of doing things.
The wheelie bag was ideal, but next trip I decided to leave
the tent and sleeping bag behind, and take some specialized fishing gear, which
is what this article is all about. First
let us consider how to get to your fishing spot. I had been mostly relying on camping close by
on the riverbank or lake shore which was sometimes ideal but not always
necessary. OK, now I must rely on
accommodation in a backpackers, or guest house, or hotel, or hospedaje and find some form of transport to the
fishing spot, and to return the same day.
This was achieved in many ways e.g., by taking a bus (often getting off
at a bridge over the desired river), by colectivo, by hire car, by hitch-hiking,
by walking; and to return in the evening.
How to find out? Ask your
landlady, or hotelier, or any tour agent…..they will know what’s possible. A colectivo may cost only a few dollars and a
hire car may be $50 there and for pickup later;
it all depends on how wealthy you feel at the time and your desire to explore
the countryside. Often I would arrange
transport to the fishing spot and later in the afternoon, after catching a fish
or two, would manage to hitch hike back into town to enjoy pleasant company and
a comfortable bed.
Another advantage of this system of fishing is that it’s
optional that you might take a companion.
I have on two occasions met up with fellow anglers and have enjoyed
joint fishing expeditions. At backpackers
there are often bored lady backpackers who are just waiting to be asked out for
a day’s trout fishing and perhaps will gladly cook your fish when you get home. And then there are the wonderful local people
you might meet along the riverbank or lake shore……you are a foreigner in their
land so you had better be meek and mild and open to all suggestions…..they
probably know where all the fish are lurking.
Always you can learn something from other fishermen and it’s an opportunity to test out your Spanish if
you are in Latin America.
Recreational fishing is the most popular of activities devised since Isaak Walton, born in Stafford, England, set out the broad principles in his book "The Compleat Angler" (first edition 1653). His methods of using bait, lures and artificial flies to catch a wide variety of fish species is especially relevant to the traveller.
It has puzzled me that on only a few occasions have I met other backpackers fishing whilst thick on the ground are photographers, bird watchers, kayakers, hikers and mountaineers. Maybe fishing has been regulated to the "too hard basket".
Why Go Fishing?
Back home, going fishing is for some a means of avoiding chores, such as mowing the lawn or painting the house. Much pleasure is derived from fishing even when no fish are caught. You will spend a relaxing time communing with Nature at a river or lake, possibly sighting our feathered and furry friends. This makes it all worthwhile. What is important is that you have been enticed into the countryside to enjoy its offerings and meet the local inhabitants. While travelling, rather than always experiencing what may be humdrum tourist activities, you will find yourself exploring new areas of a foreign landscape.
What Gear to Take?
The traveller has to be selective so that fishing gear represents only a minor part of luggage. You will be like a golfer confined to a 5-iron and putter, but you will catch fish and have fun, all for $100 maximum capital investment, but more if you so desire. A handline and one fishing rod is all that is required.
The Handcaster
As a minimum you need a handcaster, which is a 14 cm diameter plastic or wooden reel to hold a thick monofilament line which enables easy distance casting of finer terminal gear. A 1oz lead ball sinker and running line with 1 or 2 small hooks is used to present worms or other bait for bottom fishing, or alternatively with a float for near surface fishing. On jungle streams a wire leader with a single bait hook is best to catch fish having sharp teeth. This is ideal for river, lake and sea fishing. The handcaster is easy to use, it is cheap, and takes up little space. Go for it. Always carry a generous supply of bait hooks since they are useful to batter with the natives when encountered in the wilds of the jungle.
With this simple gear I have caught trout, salmon, perch, catfish, piranha and carp. In Southern Chile, the hand caster is widely used by the locals to catch trout and salmon. In fiordland Chile it seems possessed by all school boys to fish on the way home from school. Foreign anglers, using a rod, call them "tin canners", because the monofilament line is wound around a tin can, the open end of which has a wooden cross-bar to use as a handle. Mother is always pleased when their son comes home from school with 3 lb trout or salmon.
Another important use of the handcaster is for trolling a spoon when lake fishing; as a backpacker you might be lucky enough to be invited fishing on somebody's boat. Failing that try hiring a local fisherman to take you fishing in his rowboat. On Lago Llanquihue, out from Puerto Octay, Chile, I did just that, costing US$40 for a day's fishing, ages ago. My botero was a Lebanese Chilean who had a Mapuche Indian helper/rower. He trolled two lines from handcasters. which had their monofilament lines passing over upright springy saplings to absorb the strike of the fish. The lines had paravanes attached to get some depth. We caught two salmon of about 10 lb size which were handlined in and gaffed aboard. We happened to be rowing past a salmon farm at the time which may have helped matters....maybe they were escapees?......still it was lots of fun. Rowing speed was slow as we had to stop at a lakeside bar to buy a flagon of wine to fuel the rower, and also stop there to refresh everybody at the end of the day. I stayed overnight at my botero's house which served as a backpackers. Mama cooked one salmon and the other was prepared for the smoke house. A happy day was had by all.
The handcaster is always useful to fish with when on a "float trip" down a river in a rubber dinghy, by using either a bait, or to troll a spoon. I have tried this out in South Africa, and in Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Chile. It is easy to catch piranhas on jungle streams, but be careful when hauling them aboard as they are dangerous. Piranhas are very bony fish and not worth eating.
Angling
Since the time of Isaak Walton, angling for trout has resulted in a voluminous literature written mainly by fly fishermen. Their methods developed on the slow moving chalk streams of England where the wiley brown trout have an appetite for insects. The "Purist Model Trout" is insect eating and can be deceived by presenting an imitation insect, either floating (dry fly), or sunk (wet fly), or embryonic insect (nymph), by using a fly rod and line. The fishing is passive or on the drift. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as catching trout is concerned.
Such a model has limited application worldwide because the expanded system is more complex viz., there are brown, rainbow, brook trout and salmon of many varieties, having different habitats that live in diverse waterways and climatic conditions. Trout happily eat insects, but also minnows, worms, snails, shrimps, and crabs. The culinary best fish are those deep orange-fleshed ones that feed on crustacea. Fish caught in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are particularly good eating and have this deep orange flesh. When you clean a fish on the river bank a hoard of crabs, or cangrejos, come crawling out from the stones towards you to feed on the wastes. In turn the fish eat the crabs which result in the river banks being strewn with crab shells and pieces. The sea run brownies and salmon are similar in having a pink or orange flesh color, likewise the farmed salmon, which are fed pellets with the desired ingredients. However, in New Zealand, trout that feed on insects alone, such as the Wellington brownies, have a white flesh; whereas the Taupo rainbows do eat some crustacea and have a pink flesh. Fish are like human beings, you are what you eat.
More useful is the "Waltonian Model". i.e., the trout is an omnivorous, voracious creature with a strong territorial instinct. Besides being hungry, a fish can be moody, grumpy, joyful, curious, sulky and sexy -- like human beings. All these variables can be exploited to catch your fish!
Lure fishing is used to do this. Whether by fly rod using a feathered lure (2 to 6 cm long) or a spinning rod with metal lures, the principle is the same. This is an aggressive form of fishing whereby you may interfere with the territorial instincts of a fish and provoke it to strike. Feathered lures can be used with a fly rod and sinking line, or using a floating line with a weighted leader, or with a spinning rod and using a lead ball weight, casting across and down in a river, or into a lake.
Lure fishing has nothing to do with imitating insects. At times the lure may imitate a minnow. The same can be said of Taupo-style nymphing (New Zealand) which would give an entomologist nightmares. The Lake Taupo fishery is unique in that the winter spawning runs of rainbow trout are fished in the lower reaches of the rivers that flow into the lake. A popular nymph rig has a bizarre bug-eye weighted nymph to sink a little "orange nymph" or roe imitation, to provoke trout with sex on their minds.
In summary:
,
Fly Rod
Passive angling---ideal for presenting insect imitations, also natural insects and worms, especially on small to medium size streams and lakes in open country. Very good for aggressive fishing of feathered lures on medium to large rivers, and on lakes; also with a shooting head (short hi-density line, this is really spin fishing using a fly rod), and for Taupo-style nymphing.
Spinning Rod (with open face reel)
Spin fishing using metal lures and plugs e.g., spoons, wobblers (especially tobys) veltic spinners, Devon minnows etc.; bait fishing with sinker or float; feathered lure with lead ball casting weight; artificial flies with a float. Good for closed bushy terrain and long distance casting on rivers and lakes. The travelling backpacker angler usually has to be content with only one rod. Fortunately, special backpacker rods are made that do all this and pack away to almost nothing, so you can carry it within your backpack.
What I take Now
The fishing rod that I take now when travelling is a special backpacker's rod designed by the American company "Shakespeare" and is made in China. The outfit consists of rod and two reels, a fly reel and an open faced spinning reel; without lines, it costs about A$75 or US$50.
The rod is a Shakespeare's "Snake River" model, a 5 piece graphite (6 really as the handle pulls apart), 7 feet long (2.13 meters) and it takes a #7 weight fly line. The handle is reversible so as to fit a spinning reel for spin fishing. It is ideal for small stream fishing yet strong enough to cope with a big fish on larger rivers. Also, which is important, it packs in readily with your other gear.
I carry a floating line for all types of fly fishing. To fish a feathered lure I may use a swivel or lead shot on a long leader to get some depth, or use a weighted homemade lure. For lure fishing I use a level leader of 10 or 12 lb strength, ditto the mono-filament for spin fishing. Do not be fooled into thinking that it is sporting to fish fine when lure fishing....it is only necessary to do so for success when imitating insects on the drift.
Flies
What is required are 3 or 4 favorite "flies" and the confidence to fish them successfully anywhere in the world. My ones include a scruffy Red Setter style of lure, size #4 to long shank #1 for medium to large rivers and lakes. I often tie such lures without the aid of a vice since the scruffier they are the better they seem to work. A friend told me he once caught a nice rainbow trout with a toothbrush embellished with a few red feathers and trailing a hook, so don't be too worried about appearances. Curiousity killed the cat or the fish, in this case. For small stream fishing I use a pheasant-tail nymph or small Mrs Simpson lure.
,
Wading
Backpackers don't wade. You can't carry waders all around the World. If wading is essential, say to recover a valuable lure or fly, then go in "bootsnall", or in bare feet. Even at Taupo when fishing the Tongariro River I rarely wore thigh waders, which are cumbersome. Get used to fishing from dry land. Gym shoes are quite adequate for wading in. Using a shooting head helps to get distance and depth.
On the Tongariro River, a view down river from the Turangi footbridge to the large Major Jones pool may show 4 or more anglers fishing in chest waders; I call them the "black submariners". It means that there is a run of fish in the river and the pools are full of fish, so get active and go upstream to where it is less crowded with anglers.
When there are no anglers fishing the Major Jones pool then it is easy to fish the pool without waders from the shallows, but you wont catch any fish because they are not there; they've already swum up stream to a distant pool to spawn. You'll have to wait for tomorrow, or the next rain flush, and pray for a new run of fish from the lake over night, then next morning you may see 6 anglers competing in the Major Jones pool. You see, the Major Jones Pool acts as a fish barometer for the Tongariro River, as does the fullness, or otherwise, of the TALTAC (Tongariro and Lake Taupo Angling Club) fish storage hut, which is always worth a look into on arrival in Turangi, even in the dead of night.
It is a dangerous activity for these "submariners" to be wading on slippery boulders with water lapping up to their chests; it is particularly dangerous to do so at stream mouths in the lake, because here the loose pumice deltas so formed will slide away given the slightest earth tremor. Many anglers have been drowned wading chest deep at the deltas. However, backpackers who don't wade deep, will live happily ever after to fish another day.
Landing a Fish
Forget about landing nets Large fish can be a problem. You have to play out your fish. Ideally, when the fish is near exhaustion you then "walk" it ashore on a sandy beach. If this is not feasible then get into the water and carefully take hold of the fish by the gills and heave it onto the bank.
Cooking of Fish
I carry a wire rack in my backpack for cooking on a little camp fireplace made of stones. Aluminum foil is useful to wrap a fresh fish when cooking over hot embers. Try hot smoking, which doesn't require any gear. Preferably hang and dry the fish awhile beforehand. On the river bank fill a shallow hole with hot embers, cover with dry wood' then lay the fish on the rack and cover with large leaves or damp newspaper. Watch it like a hawk to douse any flames. Keep a mug of water handy for the purpose. In Chile very conveniently growing along the riverbank is the edible plant "nalca" or Gunnera chilensis, which is like an enormous rhubarb having leaves several feet across, It is ideal to cover the fire when smoking trout.
Buen provecho!
Some Backpacker Hotspots
Head for the Chilean Lake District and hole up in a Puerto Varas backpackers. You may decide to stay a month before taking the catamaran trip across nearby Lago Todos los Santos to Argentina to see their equally beautiful Lake District at Bariloche. In the evening watch the locals catch trout from the Puerto Varas jetty using handcasters or a spinning rod. The outlet rivers of any of the dozen lakes in the region are promising fishing spots. At Puerto Varas it is only a short bus or colectivo ride to the bridge over the Rio Maullin which flows gracefully out of the huge Lago Llanquihue, which is full of trout and salmon. Follow the river below the bridge for good fishing and picnic spots. Now it's up to you to find the hundreds of other hotspots to go fishing in South America.
OK, here is some help. The Rio Petrohue outlet from Lago Todos los Santos; ditto at Hornopiren and the Rio Negro and Rio Blanco; At Chaiten the Rio Blanco. At Puerto Aisen the Rio Aisen; At Coyhaique both the Rio Simpson and the Rio Coyhaique are within walking distance. Near Paine National Park HQ is the outlet Rio Serrano with big fish. At Punta Arenas try the Rio San Juan near Fuerte Bulnes.; also at Puerto Natales try Lago Sofia on the way to the Cueva del Milodon.
Be Legal
In some countries and places it may be necessary to buy a license to fish for trout and salmon. Enquire at the nearest angling shop or tourist information center. Often there is a countrywide license as well as specific licences for tourist fisheries and National Parks. There may be special rates for foreigners e.g. Chile, Argentina and New Zealand. Hotels and fishing clubs may have their private lake or stretch of river stocked with fish. Visiting anglers are normally welcome, and you may have to pay per kilo for the fish caught. Always ask before fishing. Park Rangers invariably stop a roaming angler to check on his credentials and to have a chat.
Chile, Argentina and New Zealand have exceptionally good fishing for trout and salmon. There are many fishing lodges that cater for well-off fly fishermen, by providing guides, transport and meals. All inclusive costs can be over $1000 per angler per day. Perhaps one day you will be a customer. First you will have to learn to be a fly fisherman, for they don't take spin fisherman. But the world is a pretty big place and there is plenty of fishing space for everybody. The District Fisheries in these countries, that is outside certain National Parks, have few restrictions on how to fish and so welcome the traditional fly and spin fisherman tourist and backpacker. Go for it!
Where to find Allano
This update of an old fishing article I wrote over 20 years ago will hopefully be of some use to backpackers. I have given up fishing and backpacking, having decided to quit while I am ahead, at age 85, and having survived the ordeal, plus ditto riding a motor bike, and driving a car. Now my mobility is poor but there are still plenty of challenging things to do involving reading, writing and arithmetic. There are all those politicians to keep in order and give advice to, and gemstones to admire. To follow what I am doing now is easy.....just look for me on Facebook.
Regards from Allano
It has puzzled me that on only a few occasions have I met other backpackers fishing whilst thick on the ground are photographers, bird watchers, kayakers, hikers and mountaineers. Maybe fishing has been regulated to the "too hard basket".
Why Go Fishing?
Back home, going fishing is for some a means of avoiding chores, such as mowing the lawn or painting the house. Much pleasure is derived from fishing even when no fish are caught. You will spend a relaxing time communing with Nature at a river or lake, possibly sighting our feathered and furry friends. This makes it all worthwhile. What is important is that you have been enticed into the countryside to enjoy its offerings and meet the local inhabitants. While travelling, rather than always experiencing what may be humdrum tourist activities, you will find yourself exploring new areas of a foreign landscape.
What Gear to Take?
The traveller has to be selective so that fishing gear represents only a minor part of luggage. You will be like a golfer confined to a 5-iron and putter, but you will catch fish and have fun, all for $100 maximum capital investment, but more if you so desire. A handline and one fishing rod is all that is required.
The Handcaster
As a minimum you need a handcaster, which is a 14 cm diameter plastic or wooden reel to hold a thick monofilament line which enables easy distance casting of finer terminal gear. A 1oz lead ball sinker and running line with 1 or 2 small hooks is used to present worms or other bait for bottom fishing, or alternatively with a float for near surface fishing. On jungle streams a wire leader with a single bait hook is best to catch fish having sharp teeth. This is ideal for river, lake and sea fishing. The handcaster is easy to use, it is cheap, and takes up little space. Go for it. Always carry a generous supply of bait hooks since they are useful to batter with the natives when encountered in the wilds of the jungle.
With this simple gear I have caught trout, salmon, perch, catfish, piranha and carp. In Southern Chile, the hand caster is widely used by the locals to catch trout and salmon. In fiordland Chile it seems possessed by all school boys to fish on the way home from school. Foreign anglers, using a rod, call them "tin canners", because the monofilament line is wound around a tin can, the open end of which has a wooden cross-bar to use as a handle. Mother is always pleased when their son comes home from school with 3 lb trout or salmon.
Another important use of the handcaster is for trolling a spoon when lake fishing; as a backpacker you might be lucky enough to be invited fishing on somebody's boat. Failing that try hiring a local fisherman to take you fishing in his rowboat. On Lago Llanquihue, out from Puerto Octay, Chile, I did just that, costing US$40 for a day's fishing, ages ago. My botero was a Lebanese Chilean who had a Mapuche Indian helper/rower. He trolled two lines from handcasters. which had their monofilament lines passing over upright springy saplings to absorb the strike of the fish. The lines had paravanes attached to get some depth. We caught two salmon of about 10 lb size which were handlined in and gaffed aboard. We happened to be rowing past a salmon farm at the time which may have helped matters....maybe they were escapees?......still it was lots of fun. Rowing speed was slow as we had to stop at a lakeside bar to buy a flagon of wine to fuel the rower, and also stop there to refresh everybody at the end of the day. I stayed overnight at my botero's house which served as a backpackers. Mama cooked one salmon and the other was prepared for the smoke house. A happy day was had by all.
The handcaster is always useful to fish with when on a "float trip" down a river in a rubber dinghy, by using either a bait, or to troll a spoon. I have tried this out in South Africa, and in Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Chile. It is easy to catch piranhas on jungle streams, but be careful when hauling them aboard as they are dangerous. Piranhas are very bony fish and not worth eating.
Angling
Since the time of Isaak Walton, angling for trout has resulted in a voluminous literature written mainly by fly fishermen. Their methods developed on the slow moving chalk streams of England where the wiley brown trout have an appetite for insects. The "Purist Model Trout" is insect eating and can be deceived by presenting an imitation insect, either floating (dry fly), or sunk (wet fly), or embryonic insect (nymph), by using a fly rod and line. The fishing is passive or on the drift. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as catching trout is concerned.
Such a model has limited application worldwide because the expanded system is more complex viz., there are brown, rainbow, brook trout and salmon of many varieties, having different habitats that live in diverse waterways and climatic conditions. Trout happily eat insects, but also minnows, worms, snails, shrimps, and crabs. The culinary best fish are those deep orange-fleshed ones that feed on crustacea. Fish caught in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are particularly good eating and have this deep orange flesh. When you clean a fish on the river bank a hoard of crabs, or cangrejos, come crawling out from the stones towards you to feed on the wastes. In turn the fish eat the crabs which result in the river banks being strewn with crab shells and pieces. The sea run brownies and salmon are similar in having a pink or orange flesh color, likewise the farmed salmon, which are fed pellets with the desired ingredients. However, in New Zealand, trout that feed on insects alone, such as the Wellington brownies, have a white flesh; whereas the Taupo rainbows do eat some crustacea and have a pink flesh. Fish are like human beings, you are what you eat.
More useful is the "Waltonian Model". i.e., the trout is an omnivorous, voracious creature with a strong territorial instinct. Besides being hungry, a fish can be moody, grumpy, joyful, curious, sulky and sexy -- like human beings. All these variables can be exploited to catch your fish!
Lure fishing is used to do this. Whether by fly rod using a feathered lure (2 to 6 cm long) or a spinning rod with metal lures, the principle is the same. This is an aggressive form of fishing whereby you may interfere with the territorial instincts of a fish and provoke it to strike. Feathered lures can be used with a fly rod and sinking line, or using a floating line with a weighted leader, or with a spinning rod and using a lead ball weight, casting across and down in a river, or into a lake.
Lure fishing has nothing to do with imitating insects. At times the lure may imitate a minnow. The same can be said of Taupo-style nymphing (New Zealand) which would give an entomologist nightmares. The Lake Taupo fishery is unique in that the winter spawning runs of rainbow trout are fished in the lower reaches of the rivers that flow into the lake. A popular nymph rig has a bizarre bug-eye weighted nymph to sink a little "orange nymph" or roe imitation, to provoke trout with sex on their minds.
In summary:
,
Fly Rod
Passive angling---ideal for presenting insect imitations, also natural insects and worms, especially on small to medium size streams and lakes in open country. Very good for aggressive fishing of feathered lures on medium to large rivers, and on lakes; also with a shooting head (short hi-density line, this is really spin fishing using a fly rod), and for Taupo-style nymphing.
Spinning Rod (with open face reel)
Spin fishing using metal lures and plugs e.g., spoons, wobblers (especially tobys) veltic spinners, Devon minnows etc.; bait fishing with sinker or float; feathered lure with lead ball casting weight; artificial flies with a float. Good for closed bushy terrain and long distance casting on rivers and lakes. The travelling backpacker angler usually has to be content with only one rod. Fortunately, special backpacker rods are made that do all this and pack away to almost nothing, so you can carry it within your backpack.
What I take Now
The fishing rod that I take now when travelling is a special backpacker's rod designed by the American company "Shakespeare" and is made in China. The outfit consists of rod and two reels, a fly reel and an open faced spinning reel; without lines, it costs about A$75 or US$50.
The rod is a Shakespeare's "Snake River" model, a 5 piece graphite (6 really as the handle pulls apart), 7 feet long (2.13 meters) and it takes a #7 weight fly line. The handle is reversible so as to fit a spinning reel for spin fishing. It is ideal for small stream fishing yet strong enough to cope with a big fish on larger rivers. Also, which is important, it packs in readily with your other gear.
I carry a floating line for all types of fly fishing. To fish a feathered lure I may use a swivel or lead shot on a long leader to get some depth, or use a weighted homemade lure. For lure fishing I use a level leader of 10 or 12 lb strength, ditto the mono-filament for spin fishing. Do not be fooled into thinking that it is sporting to fish fine when lure fishing....it is only necessary to do so for success when imitating insects on the drift.
Flies
What is required are 3 or 4 favorite "flies" and the confidence to fish them successfully anywhere in the world. My ones include a scruffy Red Setter style of lure, size #4 to long shank #1 for medium to large rivers and lakes. I often tie such lures without the aid of a vice since the scruffier they are the better they seem to work. A friend told me he once caught a nice rainbow trout with a toothbrush embellished with a few red feathers and trailing a hook, so don't be too worried about appearances. Curiousity killed the cat or the fish, in this case. For small stream fishing I use a pheasant-tail nymph or small Mrs Simpson lure.
,
Wading
Backpackers don't wade. You can't carry waders all around the World. If wading is essential, say to recover a valuable lure or fly, then go in "bootsnall", or in bare feet. Even at Taupo when fishing the Tongariro River I rarely wore thigh waders, which are cumbersome. Get used to fishing from dry land. Gym shoes are quite adequate for wading in. Using a shooting head helps to get distance and depth.
On the Tongariro River, a view down river from the Turangi footbridge to the large Major Jones pool may show 4 or more anglers fishing in chest waders; I call them the "black submariners". It means that there is a run of fish in the river and the pools are full of fish, so get active and go upstream to where it is less crowded with anglers.
When there are no anglers fishing the Major Jones pool then it is easy to fish the pool without waders from the shallows, but you wont catch any fish because they are not there; they've already swum up stream to a distant pool to spawn. You'll have to wait for tomorrow, or the next rain flush, and pray for a new run of fish from the lake over night, then next morning you may see 6 anglers competing in the Major Jones pool. You see, the Major Jones Pool acts as a fish barometer for the Tongariro River, as does the fullness, or otherwise, of the TALTAC (Tongariro and Lake Taupo Angling Club) fish storage hut, which is always worth a look into on arrival in Turangi, even in the dead of night.
It is a dangerous activity for these "submariners" to be wading on slippery boulders with water lapping up to their chests; it is particularly dangerous to do so at stream mouths in the lake, because here the loose pumice deltas so formed will slide away given the slightest earth tremor. Many anglers have been drowned wading chest deep at the deltas. However, backpackers who don't wade deep, will live happily ever after to fish another day.
Landing a Fish
Forget about landing nets Large fish can be a problem. You have to play out your fish. Ideally, when the fish is near exhaustion you then "walk" it ashore on a sandy beach. If this is not feasible then get into the water and carefully take hold of the fish by the gills and heave it onto the bank.
Cooking of Fish
I carry a wire rack in my backpack for cooking on a little camp fireplace made of stones. Aluminum foil is useful to wrap a fresh fish when cooking over hot embers. Try hot smoking, which doesn't require any gear. Preferably hang and dry the fish awhile beforehand. On the river bank fill a shallow hole with hot embers, cover with dry wood' then lay the fish on the rack and cover with large leaves or damp newspaper. Watch it like a hawk to douse any flames. Keep a mug of water handy for the purpose. In Chile very conveniently growing along the riverbank is the edible plant "nalca" or Gunnera chilensis, which is like an enormous rhubarb having leaves several feet across, It is ideal to cover the fire when smoking trout.
Buen provecho!
Some Backpacker Hotspots
Head for the Chilean Lake District and hole up in a Puerto Varas backpackers. You may decide to stay a month before taking the catamaran trip across nearby Lago Todos los Santos to Argentina to see their equally beautiful Lake District at Bariloche. In the evening watch the locals catch trout from the Puerto Varas jetty using handcasters or a spinning rod. The outlet rivers of any of the dozen lakes in the region are promising fishing spots. At Puerto Varas it is only a short bus or colectivo ride to the bridge over the Rio Maullin which flows gracefully out of the huge Lago Llanquihue, which is full of trout and salmon. Follow the river below the bridge for good fishing and picnic spots. Now it's up to you to find the hundreds of other hotspots to go fishing in South America.
OK, here is some help. The Rio Petrohue outlet from Lago Todos los Santos; ditto at Hornopiren and the Rio Negro and Rio Blanco; At Chaiten the Rio Blanco. At Puerto Aisen the Rio Aisen; At Coyhaique both the Rio Simpson and the Rio Coyhaique are within walking distance. Near Paine National Park HQ is the outlet Rio Serrano with big fish. At Punta Arenas try the Rio San Juan near Fuerte Bulnes.; also at Puerto Natales try Lago Sofia on the way to the Cueva del Milodon.
Be Legal
In some countries and places it may be necessary to buy a license to fish for trout and salmon. Enquire at the nearest angling shop or tourist information center. Often there is a countrywide license as well as specific licences for tourist fisheries and National Parks. There may be special rates for foreigners e.g. Chile, Argentina and New Zealand. Hotels and fishing clubs may have their private lake or stretch of river stocked with fish. Visiting anglers are normally welcome, and you may have to pay per kilo for the fish caught. Always ask before fishing. Park Rangers invariably stop a roaming angler to check on his credentials and to have a chat.
Chile, Argentina and New Zealand have exceptionally good fishing for trout and salmon. There are many fishing lodges that cater for well-off fly fishermen, by providing guides, transport and meals. All inclusive costs can be over $1000 per angler per day. Perhaps one day you will be a customer. First you will have to learn to be a fly fisherman, for they don't take spin fisherman. But the world is a pretty big place and there is plenty of fishing space for everybody. The District Fisheries in these countries, that is outside certain National Parks, have few restrictions on how to fish and so welcome the traditional fly and spin fisherman tourist and backpacker. Go for it!
Where to find Allano
This update of an old fishing article I wrote over 20 years ago will hopefully be of some use to backpackers. I have given up fishing and backpacking, having decided to quit while I am ahead, at age 85, and having survived the ordeal, plus ditto riding a motor bike, and driving a car. Now my mobility is poor but there are still plenty of challenging things to do involving reading, writing and arithmetic. There are all those politicians to keep in order and give advice to, and gemstones to admire. To follow what I am doing now is easy.....just look for me on Facebook.
Regards from Allano
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