The Salmon Festival

Every year halfway through April, Camarones becomes the main attraction for anglers coming from distant locations to take part in the National Salmon Festival. This started as a sport and gradually became a tourist event as a result of the great amount of people it summons.

The best moments of the gathering are the deep sea and inshore fishing contests as well as the night shows, which include the election of the queen. The closing of the festival consists in a Gran Chupín, a popular lunch cooked on the third day the last one- which is not charged. As the awards are granted, the anglers´ anecdotes abound and become part of the festival record.

We went around the town in order to experience the challenge represented by a visit to the salmon fishing grounds, where large specimens are usually caught. Many watercrafts set sail to sea in order to take part in the competition, while the vast beaches especially the one known as La Honda are covered by hundreds of rods impatient to hook a significant piece.

Biting is guaranteed if the lures are well selected. Some of them imitate the movement of living fish. The spinners, the spoons lures and the plugs are the most popular. It is also usual to make use of anchovy, herring and salmon eggs.

During the so called Great Blue Night, local and national music shows follow one another and families enjoy good tunes and entertainment. Towards the end, the election and crowning of the most beautiful ladies add up some color to the evening.

An interesting piece of information is that the beaches located south of Camarones are suitable for swimming and feature organized camping sites with essential services. They represent a good choice for visitors who love to wake up by the sea.

Within a magnificent natural environment, with seashore scenes at hand, the Salmon National Festival is a perfect excuse to visit Camarones. It has been celebrated for over 30 years and it has been recognized as a national event as from 1990. It is a good thing to come along and maybe dare to cast a line and take part in the scheduled contests.