The king of the lagoons: the multi-hook rig, the best baits and why it bites better in the cold.
A lowland classic
The pejerrey is Argentina's most popular freshwater game fish. It is a fine, elegant fishery that rewards subtlety: light lines, sensitive floats and rigs with several hooks.
When it bites best
The pejerrey switches on in the cold: autumn and winter (April to September) are the best season in the Pampas lagoons. It schools, so when it shows up, it shows up in numbers.
The multi-hook rig
The classic setup is the paternoster: a main line with several short droppers, small hooks (8 to 12), a float and a sinker matched to the wind. A long or float rod, a front-drag reel and fine nylon (0.20 to 0.25 mm).
Baits
Live or filleted baitfish, magrú and, in some lagoons, corn. Fresh baitfish is hard to beat.
Reading the lagoon
Look for schools over depth changes, reed beds and shallows near channels. If there is no bite at one depth, vary the droppers until you find them.
Where
The Encadenadas (Chascomús), the Gómez lagoon in Junín and the big central and western reservoirs are safe bets for a day of pejerrey.
