Federico and Josefina Riffo, father and daughter, like every year, returned to the place where they most enjoy fishing: “the caves” of Playas Doradas. It is a magical place, surrounded by very varied maritime fauna, sun and the colors of the sea and its coast.
The preparations then begin: you have to look at the tide tablesince to fish it has to be low, followed by searching and cutting a good branch of the home paradise treea little line and with the hollow stones that we gathered for the sinker and a simple hook we are ready to go fishing in the caves (or pools) in the stones that are exposed when the tide goes out.
We got up around 9 am, had breakfast at home and headed out.
The fishing started spectacular: Josefina fishes and Fede acts as a guide; She indicates the best places and also hooks and hooks the caught fish (to free them, a very important fact).
Many groupers and goats are caught as well as enjoying collecting some starfish and snails. The fauna offered by the sea and the day accompanied by a spectacular sun make this place the best possible setting.
This happens on the beach called “La Escondida” or “Los Suecos”. A place of rocks, special with its wells and lagoons, where this wonderful marine fauna and flora is.
And, finally, if it is about spending the day, afternoon or evening, our favorite beach is “Nice beach”. Located about 2 km from the center, a beautiful place with fine sand and a lot of tranquility in Playas Doradas.
“Tourists are amazed by this fishing”
It’s just fishing, Josefina, dad and the sea. Federico is in charge of guiding Jose, indicating the best places. When the time comes for fishing, he is also in charge of removing the hook and returning the captured fish to the sea. It’s catch and return. And they say that only sometimes if the catch includes a large grouper they take it to make some delicious food, a ceviche, for example.
Federico Riffo and his daughter Josefina in Playas Doradas, where they have fun fishing adventures.
«Tourists who usually pass by and see it are amazed by this fishing. With fish, their size and especially with our “reeds”. Many believe that to fish you need large and sophisticated rods, to cast more than 50 meters into the sea; alreadyl see that we catch the same fish and sometimes even in greater quantities and even in a more fun way and with great variety (from grouper, grouper, old lady of the water, bream, among others) the desire to copy and join this stick fishing appears,” says Federico.
Josefina has been fishing this way since she was 3 years old. Today, at 9 years old, he continues to enjoy it and every summer he asks to do this ritual with his dad as a mandatory activity. She is a fishing lover, like him. Federico also enjoyed fishing as a child and today as an adult he continues with this passion, but with fly fishing.
Beyond the enjoyment and adventure of this atypical fishing, it is also the enjoyment of sharing those unique moments between father and daughter.
«Playas Doradas, is a magical place, which we visit as a family every summer. We are from the city of Centenario, province of Neuquén and we have been visiting these beautiful beaches for more than 15 years, in such a beautiful corner of the sister province of Río Negro. Hopefully life will allow us to continue like this for many more years, until this tradition of stick fishing is passed on for generations,” says Federico.