The old fish

I found a picture today and a wonderful story comes to mind. These are the great things about fishing pictures... they are as a computer that bring past to present and you can live and feel some special catch to live.
It was a cold day of March, some 15 years from now. I remember that was not a typical day, no wind... that in Patagonia is incredible, specially at the Chimehuin Boca. It was my last day of the fishing season and my last five hours at the river, so I decide to do my fishing taking the time for everything. First some "mates" to bring some relax and to heat my body a little.
While I was heating the water to prepare my mates a little breeze start to flow, It was strange I thought, it was a "Puelche"... Puelche is a strange kind of wind that flows only 1 or 2 times in the year. People say that when the Puelche flow, all the fish return to the lake, so they were not the best wishes for my last attempt.
I take a walk near the coast with my mate looking for some movement before I decide what rod to choose and what kind of line and fly to make my try. As they were not the best conditions to fish I decide to take a rod and a line that I really enjoy to fish.
I prepare my Orvis Joe Brooks Favorite with a Perfect reel and an SA Aircell Supreme WF6F.
This outfit cast like a dream and I was sure that I will enjoy every minute at the river. Many cars arrive to the river and when they saw the Puelche, immediately fled the place.
I decide to start fishing and enjoy my last time at the river. I start up where the lake flow into the river (volcadero), the wind help me a lot because maintain my line at the right and I don´t have to worry about the big fly that pass near my ears. I made my classic tour from up to down river and stop at the bridge about 800 meters.
When the light start to gone I was approaching to my preferred place at the Boca... "the curve".
At my second cast I detected some move under my fly. I remember that I thought "stay calm, that was a fish". I went some foot's back at the time I take a look to my leader and my fly. It was a big Honey Blonde one of my preferred for that place...
I made a false cast and a big double haul to help my fly to cross all the river some 15 meters up the fish and start to mend my line. With all my muscles tense I start to work my fly with little but fast hauls... 1 meter, 2... 3... a great V and a great take!!! My Perfect start to sing, my rod draw a circle to the water and at the other side perhaps 50 meters up river a big brown start to jump like crazy. It was a real big fish and I must to admit that I was not with my best rod selection to fight this monster, so I thought "I have to be careful, very careful with this one, perhaps my last fish of the season.
The night catch me fighting my fish, and also found him trying to win the battle at every jump. I don´t remember a fish that jumps like this one. A great fish, a great day, a great catch to demystified what everybody think about Puelche.
This was another great day, and another great memory.



All this memories, keep full my background about bamboo rods and help me to understand what I like to found at any of my rods. Here in Argentina you can always fish some little rods, but always you need to be ready to take all of them because you can find a surprise at every part of any river.