Sport fishing in Argentina

Lagoons in the Winter

In winter, thousands of anglers from all over the country gather at the best lagoons in Buenos Aires to fish the lagoon pejerrey, both from the shore and from a craft. Thus, the desolate routes of the province come into life to be traveled by the fishing excursionists or the fanatics that spend the night on the road to reach the best fisheries. And of course, every year, as a result of floods or river overflowing, new environments appear and become part of the agenda for the fanatics of pejerrey.

Chascomús
The chained lagoons that belong to the district of Chascomús are formed by the mirrors of Chascomús, el Burro, Adela and Chis Chis. Even if the quality of fishing has decreased in relation to the golden years of these lagoons, it is still possible to fish some specimens of pejerrey. Most of them do not surpass the thirty centimeters of length, but taking into account their closeness to the city of Buenos Aires -only a hundred kilometers separate this area from the metropolis- they turn out to be very interesting water mirrors that make the trip worthwhile.

Lobos
Located in the district of Lobos, only one hundred kilometers from the city of Buenos Aires, it is the best lagoon for its closeness, though it is not easy to fish. Anglers must get on board a craft early and head towards the center of the mirror. With a sinking or trot line, spot the movement of the pejerreyes, which generally move between one and two meters from the bottom. With mild winds, the possibilities increase. In these cases, it is best to approach the border of the rush and with a two or three-float line, tempt the large pejerreyes that still dwell the mirror.

San Miguel del Monte
Located in the district of San Miguel del Monte, only one hundred and ten kilometers separate it from the city of Buenos Aires. In order to fish its waters, anglers must get on board some of the boats rented at the local fishing club or in the surroundings of the lagoon and they must sail to the center of the mirror. Larger specimens have been caught in front of the local waterfront, and it is possible to get some really important specimens near the shore.

Laguna de Gómez
Located in the district of Junín, next to the urban quarters, the good chances for fishing, the magnificent infrastructure and the easy access make it an excellent pejerrey fishery for those who do not wish to travel long distances. Both shore and boat fishing are possible, although the latter offers much higher chances and better specimens.

Salada Grande de Madariaga
Located in the district of General Madariaga, famous for its dark back pejerreyes and its large "matungos" which weight exceed one kilo, this lagoon is a mandatory reference for pejerrey fishermen. Fishing takes place from crafts or boats rented at the local fishing club, sailing across the entire water mirror until the large and clear spots formed among the aquatic vegetation, where the "gambarrusa" dwells, are reached. The three-float tackle with silver minnow bait is to be cast there. Then anglers can see how the pejerreyes leave the rush areas to get their food.

Blanca Grande
Located in the district of Olavarría, it is an ideal lagoon to catch few -but large- specimens of pejerrey, which in most cases reach the two kilos. Anglers must fish from crafts, sailing with the help of electrical engines, as it is forbidden to use "outboard" engine boats in the lagoon in order to avoid all kind of pollution in its waters. Fishing takes place in the center of the lagoon, in the rush areas that surround it and in the mouth of the Brandsen Creek, which is the main tributary of the mirror.

Hinojo Grande
Located in the district of Trenque Lauquen, this is a great pejerrey fishery. In order to reach the largest specimens, it is necessary to get on board, although the lagoon also has the necessary infrastructure to practice shore fishing. Anglers generally fish during the early hours and late in the evening, as at midday the lagoon surface tends to be still and, accordingly, the pejerreyes do not bite in the surface. During recent years, memorable captures which surpassed the one kilo have been recorded.

Sauce Grande
Located in the district of Monte Hermoso, this lagoon is a mythical and "worshipping" place for lovers of pejerrey fishing. The large specimens caught there and the outstanding fishing results still obtained today have made it famous for years as a mandatory destination for fishing outings during the winter weekends. After the winter seasons, the possibilities of "hooking" specimens weighing over one kilo are still real in almost all the mirror.

Lagunas del Venado, del Monte, Cochicó and Alsina
All of them form the chain of the Guaminí district. This series of mirrors are a must for the fishing outings of the area and the countless excursions approaching this region in the winter from various points, especially from the province of Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Rosario. The lagoon is fished from shore to shore, from the large rocks, both with sinking and floating lines. In general, the pejerreyes caught are not very large, but the quantity is so big that it becomes an ideal fishery for the beginners of sport fishing.

Chasicó
Located in the district of Médanos, it was a large saltpetre bed for years. But the great floods caused by its main tributary -the Chasicó Creek- and the strong rainfalls turned it into a lagoon packed with pejerreyes. Today, we can assert that, as regards both quality and quantity, it is one of the best water mirrors in the province of Buenos Aires to search for pejerreyes.

Lagoons in the Summer

Spring is transition from cold to warm weather. Therefore, it is a very difficult season for fishing. And this does not affect beginners but all anglers in general. The arrival of the first warm days gives origin to progressive weather changes that also influence the anglers' behavior. Unlike the crude conditions given in the winter, with temperatures below 0ºC, the angler does find support to practice his favorite sport in the company of his family and friends.

The rough winds and the cold of the winter are left behind. And this means that species such as the pejerrey abandon the traditional fisheries, which are now occupied by the summer species. Among them, the wolf fish is the king of all the lagoons, rivers and streams of the Province of Buenos Aires.

Not only is this sport and highly coveted species caught with natural bait, but it is also fished with other techniques. Spinning outstands: it consists of imitating the movement of minnows with artificial lures. The equipment used for such purpose consists of a two-section rod, a small front-drag reel loaded with a nylon under 0.30mm and a small steel leader before the lure to prevent the fish from cutting the line with its bites once it is hooked.

The list of usable lures is endless, as new and various models come out every season. But surface and mid-depth lures, as well as spinners and spoon lures, which irritate the fish as they pass by and act in the deep areas, cannot be absent from the case of every wolf fish angler.

A hunter by nature, it attacks all the lures the angler introduces, even insects. For such reason, it is also possible to fish it with flies, floating lines with small streamers or poppers imitating minnows moving with difficulty across the water. If correctly used, they are quickly attached by the wolf fish wandering about the area.

The wolf fish is the typical summer species and the Province of Buenos Aires is its favorite place. Acting in almost all the lagoons of the complete province and along the entire basin of the Salado River, where it shares its territory with the mullet, it can be caught in tributaries and floods from small channels. As a result, the act of fishing it is the great attraction of the season.