
Ambient photo: Jovan Vasiljević — via Pexels
En la alta cordillera del norte neuquino, en el departamento Minas, la Laguna del Palao es un espejo de altura de aguas frías y limpias. Combina salmónidos y perca: hay trucha arcoíris, trucha marrón, trucha de arroyo y perca criolla.
Para las truchas se pesca de costa con spinning, cucharitas y agonía en puntas y veriles, y con mosca de secas y ninfas en las orillas calmas, sobre todo al atardecer. La perca pide otra paciencia: señuelos chicos y lentos pegados al fondo, cucharitas o grubs sin apuro, junto a las piedras; es noble y aguantadora, y salva la jornada cuando la trucha se cierra. En términos generales, de la primavera al comienzo del verano son los mejores momentos para los salmónidos, mientras que la perca da una ventana más amplia. Laguna remota y silenciosa, perfecta para el pescador que disfruta la altura.
LD: 3 percas. Devolución obligatoria de todos los salmónidos. Prohibida navegación.
At Laguna del Palao (Neuquén) you can catch Brook trout, Creole perch, Brown trout, Rainbow trout.
Original text in Spanish: “Departamento Minas, en la alta cordillera del norte de Neuquén; el acceso es de montaña, agreste y de ripio. Consultá localmente el camino y las condiciones antes de salir.”
Original text in Spanish: “Necesitás el Permiso de Pesca Continental Patagónico, disponible online y en casas de pesca u oficinas de turismo. Revisá el reglamento vigente antes de pescar.”
Now 4° · wind 19 km/h NW
Biting this month: creole perch. 4 guides nearby.
Base data: Wikidata (CC0)
| Season | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | NOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creole perch. In season: OCT–APR. Peak: NOV–JAN | In season | ||||||||||||
| Brook trout. In season: NOV–APR. Peak: MAR–APR | Off | ||||||||||||
| Brown trout. In season: NOV–APR. Peak: MAR–APR | Off | ||||||||||||
| Rainbow trout. In season: NOV–APR. Peak: MAR–APR | Off |
Dark: each species' peak months. Medium: its season at this place.
For a species of 0.5 to 2 kg that lives in cold streams and lagoons, the ideal gear is light and sensitive, allowing you to enjoy the fight and present small lures and flies with precision.
Spinning:
Fly:
Round it out with barbless hooks if you are going to practice catch-and-release, a hook-removal tool (forceps), a soft-mesh (rubber) net so as not to harm the fish, and waders if you are going to wade into the cold water.
Light spinning with small spoons, micro-jigs and soft plastics, or fly with small streamers. Bait: worm. It keeps company with the trout in Patagonian lakes and rivers.
Guides, campsites and places to stay that work these waters.
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There are already 20 businesses loaded in the area. If yours is not there — or it is and you are not running it yet — the listing is free and puts you in front of whoever is planning a trip to Laguna del Palao.
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Original text in Spanish: “LD: 3 percas. Devolución obligatoria de todos los salmónidos. Prohibida navegación.”
Yes: in October there are species in season in Laguna del Palao (Creole perch).
In Laguna del Palao it is worth going when its main species bite: Brook trout (NOV–APR); Creole perch (OCT–APR); Brown trout (NOV–APR); Rainbow trout (NOV–APR).
Yes: PESQA lists 4 guides working Laguna del Palao, among them Pesca con Mosca Neuquén Norte, Chos Malal, Patagonia Trashumante Fly Fishing.
Near Laguna del Palao PESQA lists 16 places to stay: Alojamiento "La Lomita", Apart Hotel Amatista, Hotel El Torreon.
Laguna del Palao is in the province of Neuquén.
Gear is chosen according to the environment and the expected size. A versatile, concrete setup:
Spinning (general use, rivers and lakes):
Fly fishing:
Recommended accessories: rubber net (less harm to the fish for release), forceps for removing hooks, barbless hooks, and waders for safe wading in cold water.
The gear is matched to the setting and the size of trout you are after, but these setups cover most situations in Argentina:
Spinning (general use, trout of 1 to 3 kg):
Fly:
For trophy specimens (5-10+ kg at the Strobel): step up the power—medium/medium-heavy spinning with 15-20 lb braid and a robust fluoro leader, or a 7/8 fly outfit—because these are fish with strength and runs far superior to the average trout.
In every case: a well-adjusted drag, sharp hooks (barbless if you are going to release), and a rubber net to handle the fish with the least possible harm.