Kautapen Lodge – Week 2: January 13th to 20th, 2024

This week, we welcomed guests from the USA and the UK, most of whom were accustomed to fly-fishing with single-handers and were new to spey casting and anadromous fish. However, all were eager to learn. The first warm-up session was conducted as a group, with each guide individually working on the points of the spey cast one-on-one.

At Kau Tapen, we fish from both sides of the river and in various wind directions, making the ability to cast on either side critical. With at least a roll cast or double-spey for everyone, we were ready to begin the week.

The weather and conditions for the week were characterized by dropping water levels in both the Grande and Menendez. The wind was variable and very light throughout the beginning of the week, paired with sunshine and very few clouds. This called for long leaders and a light presentation to achieve the best results. Guides observed moving groups of fish throughout the beats, and a mix of fish was caught between those that had just entered the river and ones that had been in for a few weeks. Fishing picked up later in the week as guests had time to hone in their presentation, and conditions became more favorable.

The big fish of the week was landed first thing in the warm-up session, weighing a heavy 18 pounds for Bruce. The next day, Mark landed another 18-pound fresh female, making the big fish of the week a tie! Several more fish in the range of 12-16 pounds were caught during the week, all of them fresh. This is a sight that everyone loves to see and sets the stage for an exciting next week as more fish enter the rivers.

For current updates, be sure to follow our social media accounts (@kautapenlodge and @nervous_waters). For any questions regarding our preferred tackle setups, information about the river, or our preferred fishing techniques, please visit our website for a thorough list of information. We wish you all the best and hope to see you soon on the water!

Tight Lines from the Kau Tapen Guide Team.