Back Home Now! Lower Sac, Henderson Springs & Klamath Cochamo Petrohue enters the ocean: Everywhere you go there's a place like Cochamo, you get there fast, then you take it slow, way down in Cochamo... This is absolutely one of the most breath taking places I've ever visited in the world. This is where the Petrohue runs into the ocean and the fiords islands that encumber it's bays as Sea Run Browns and Steelhead make their way up the Rio Petrohue, Cochamo and Puelo to spawn every Fall (March). Cochamo Pig: Chris, Francisco and I drove through the village of Cochamo and spotted this local taking an afternoon siesta, while being groomed by these chickens that also do great foot massages. I came back a week later and the pig was outside the fence, asleep again with the chickens hard at work.... Cochamo 2004: The Rio Cochamo starts it's journey way up high in the Andes and winds it's way down until it finally meets it's destiny when it hits the ocean near the great city of Puerto Montt. It's a sterile sea run river, as gin clear as the Upper Sac in August. The fishing is feast or famine, as it relys soley on the fish running up it's riffles daily and unfortunately on Chris's day the fish were seen holding and rising but were not seen on Chris's hook due to a storm that made the clean water off color.... But it was the views that made it a great day in spite of our lack of sea run trout caught... (This is a photo I took after Chris left on a clear water day). Cochamo waterfalls: See, the water comes from the hills and mountains and one the greatest things about Chile is the lack of hydro-electric dams that restrict fish runs and limit natures course and the effects of the enviroment without man made objects. In some ways, a dam will help the fishing, like a tail water for instances, that is always controlling the flows. Like that of the Lower Sac, Klamath and Trinity. One could be assured that the flows in the Summer are constant, but in Chile a storm that carries a lot of rain can blow a river out as fast as it could clear when the rain goes away for a few hours... Cochamo Hills: The views in spite of the fishing were spectacular to say the least, and after fishing hard for four days straight Chris and I were happy just to be in a great place, literally out in the middle of no where... There were no phones in Cochamo, local folks were unaware of world events and the mountains as the storm subsided reminded me of our own Yosemite, and we were at peace...jt Cochamo Ingrid and the Smoke Salmon place: In the village of Cochamo we stopped at a smoked salmon packing plant and met Ingrid, a local cutie that sold us 5 packs of smoke salmon for $1000 pesos, Thats like $1.68US!! On a funny note, I returned later that week to Cochamo to fish the Rio Cochamo, with similar results as the trip before. And like before, it was raining on that day. On the way back driving from the river, I noticed a local carring a very heavy box in pouring down rain storm, I pulled over to offer them a ride and lo and behold it was INGRID!! With a look on her face of relief, as I gave her a ride to her front door step.... Take care Ingrid, keep up that great smile!! SIZZLER OF THE WEEK, AWARD WINNER!! CONGRATULATIONS SIZZLER! JT Trancura Fish boiling: Earlier that week, we fished on the Rio Trancura and what a great day we had out on a fine piece of river with tons of action. Chris had as many as 30 fish on that day and these fish were some of the hardest fighting fish we saw on our journey through two regions of Chile. Trancura Trout: Chris caught many in the 12 to 16" range but they fought like they were all in their twenties... It was a marvelous day on the Trancura and I will always remember the Tracura as a river full of fish named, "RUDY!" (Inspired by the movie of course) Pucon Beer Bong: In Pucon that night, we stopped at the Krater Pub for a beer bong! Little different from the US version, but filled with 2.5 liters of Kuntsman Ale, Chris and I were in need of some help when we located some other folks visiting from Califonia. Luckily, they helped us out but Chris and I still felt smashed as we headed for dinner that evening.... Pucon Parrilla: Parrailla is an authentic Chilean BBQ, that I love to have everytime I visit Chile. Chris's expression was that of, "Your not serious, right!" The beef is so wonderful in Chile....jt Henderson Springs Lunk 2004: Back home, Guide Mike Hibbard with a 10lber from Henderson Springs. We offer guided fishing packages there, so jump on the phone and call us I'm back home now. We had customers catch a 4 and 5 lb Steelhead this week on the Klamath River. The Lower Sac has been lowered and is fishing excellent with the return of the Spring Caddis with these warmer days (Mike and I are guiding today will have a report for you next week)*THERE YOU GO SIZZLERS, STAY TUNED AS WE ROUND OFF CHILE AND HEAD FOR CALI IN SEARCH OF MONICAS AND MICKS, WITH THEIR BIG LIPS... MANY RIVERS TO YOU, JACK TROUT


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