Estancia Maria Behety Lodge 2022 Fishing Reports
Weeks 1-4
By: Federico Molinolo–Headguide
Below are reports on weeks 1-4 at Estancia Maria Behety Lodge. All photos appear at the very bottom. To book your week in 2023, Email or Call 434-249-1783
EMB Lodge –Week 1
Jan 9-15, 2022
Our first guiding week is over. We are very happy to be back at EMB after 2 years. We had the visit of Fraser, Dab, Page, Clive and Liska. Fishing was quite difficult and hard, specially the first 2 days, cause of the very strong wind we had. It went up to 60 mph. Fishing the lower beats we could see lots of fresh fish running in.
35 fish landed. Top Rod was Clive with 10 fish in the net. Biggest fish was 16.5 pounds.
Water Conditions
Water color and visibility: Very clear water
Water temperature: 5º C to 9ºC
Water level and amount of increase or decrease through the week: low water level for this time of the year
Weather Conditions
Wind speed ranges through the week: 60 mph on Sunday and Monday, then between 10 and 30 mph
Air temperature ranges through the week: 0ºC to 14ºC
Fishing Conditions
Flies that are working the best: : EMB nymph, girdle bug, yuk bug. Some nymphs, like emb prince, red but. Big and black tube flies and intruders for the last 45 minutes of the day.
Green machine and sunray shadow worked well on floating and intermediate tips. Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc) that are producing the best: We used everything between floating and 11 feet of T-20. Length and strength of tippet and leaders: 4 to 12 feet. 12 to 15 pounds.
Fish catch statistics
Number of anglers for the week: 5
Total number of fish landed for the week: 35
Weight of the biggest fish landed for the week: 16.5
Number of fish landed over 15 pounds: 4
EMB Lodge –Week 2
Jan 9-16, 2022
We came to the end of another week of guiding. We had the pleasure of receiving some friends from Germany, the United States, Scotland and England at the lodge.
Complicated week talking about weather. The wind rotated all week from different places. 80 km wind from south, then 50 from north for about 2 days.
On Saturday we had a thunderstorm and a lot of rain. This made the river rise 8 inches and get very dirty on Sunday.It took 3 days to clean and download.
80 fish landed. Top rod was our good friend John Bourne with 10 fish in the net.
Water Conditions
Water color and visibility: Clear water on Sunday. Water came up and got very dirty on Monday. Started to drop again on Tuesday.
Water temperature: 6º C to 12ºC. Water level and amount of increase or decrease through the week: Water level rose 8 inches.
Weather Conditions
Wind speed ranges through the week: Crazy wind. It rotated from south to north most of the week
Air temperature ranges through the week: 5ºC to 23ºC.
Fishing Conditions
Flies that are working the best: : EMB nymph, girdle bug, yuk bug. Some nymphs, like emb prince, red butt. Big and black tube flies and intruders for the last 45 minutes of the day and with dirty water. Green machine and sunray shadow worked well on floating and intermediate tips. Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc) that are producing the best: We used everything between floating and 15 feet of T-20. Length and strength of tippet and leaders: 4 to 12 feet. 12 to 15 pounds.
Fish catch statistics
Number of anglers for the week: 12
Total number of fish landed for the week: 80
Weight of the biggest fish landed for the week: 22
Number of fish landed over 15 pounds: 12
EMB Lodge – Week 3
Jan 23-29, 2022
Week 3 is over. We had the visit of Dave and Tony, from England; and Peter, Kent, Matts and Thomas from Sweden. It was one of our best fishing weeks. Higher water made a lot of fresh fish to come into the river. Good weather conditions helped as well. 155 fish landed between 6 rods. 26 fish over 15 pounds and 6 over 20 pounds. Our very good friend Dave P. had one of his best weeks in Maria Behety lodge with 56 fish landed, including 7 fish over 15 pounds and the fish of the week: 23 pounds.
Water Conditions
Water color and visibility: Clear water
Water temperature: 5º C to 14ºC
Water level and amount of increase or decrease through the week: River dropped 4 inches during the week.
Weather Conditions
Wind speed ranges through the week: Normal west wind between 5 and 30 mph
Air temperature ranges through the week: 7ºC to 16ºC.
Fishing Conditions
Flies that are working the best: : EMB nymph, girdle bug, yuk bug. Some nymphs, like emb prince, red but. Big and black tube flies and intruders for the last 45 minutes of the day and with dirty water. Green machine and sunray shadow worked well on floating and intermediate tips. Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc) that are producing the best: We used everything between floating and 15 feet of T-20. I recommend to bring a Skagit head and a Scandi head. Length and strength of tippet and leaders: 4 to 12 feet. 12 to 15 pounds.
Fish catch statistics
Number of anglers for the week: 6
Total number of fish landed for the week: 155
Weight of the biggest fish landed for the week: 23
Number of fish landed over 15 pounds: 32
EMB Lodge -Week 4
Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2022
Another amazing fishing week just ended at Maria Behety Lodge. We had the plasure of the visit of Doug, Chris, Larry, René, Craig, Bill, Dan, Steve and Dave.123 fish landed, 24 were over 15 pounds and 3 more over 20 pounds. Top rod was our friend Doug L. with 18 fish landed. René M. landed the fish of the week: 24 pounds.
Water Conditions
Water color and visibility: Clear water
Water temperature: 5º C to 12ºC
Water level and amount of increase or decrease through the week: River dropped 2 inches during this week.
Weather Conditions
Wind speed ranges through the week: Normal west wind between 5 and 60 mph. Air temperature ranges through the week: 4ºC to 23ºC.
Fishing Conditions
Flies that are working the best: : Emb, red butt, prince nymph, RL copper John, wonder bug, yuk bug, girdle bug. Black wooly buggers, sunray shadow in different sizes, egg s. leech, intruders, Skagit minnow. Big and black tube flies and intruders for the last 45 minutes of the day and with dirty water. Green machine and sunray shadow worked well on floating and intermediate tips. Fly lines (tips, heads, lengths, densities, etc) that are producing the best: We used everything between floating and 10 feet of T-20.
Due the low water level I recommend to bring a Skagit head and a Scandi head with different tips. Length and strength of tippet and leaders: 4 to 12 feet. 12 to 15 pounds.
Fish catch statistics
Number of anglers for the week: 9
Total number of fish landed for the week: 123
Weight of the biggest fish landed for the week: 24
Number of fish landed over 15 pounds: 23