The Andes - Patagonia - Fly Fishing

The Fishing Grounds of the Los Alerces National Park –
Río Futaleufú Catchment Area

General Information

The Los Alerces National Park offers one of the most beautiful lake systems in Patagonia. These splendid lakes constitute the Río Futaleufú (or Río Grande) catchment area. The Park contains a number of interconnected lakes, glacier ridden mountain ranges and abundant vegetation. The pure and transparent waters complete an environment of incredible beauty.
 
The salmon species that populate these waters are characterized by their genetic purity and by their wild characteristic as the waters have not been polluted by releases or escapes from fish farms. The species that can be found are rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon. In the Río Futaleufú sector Pacific salmon can also be found. Sport fishing in this area is internationally recognised due to the quantity and quality of the fish and easy accessibility. The fishing season extends from 1 March to 30 April.
 
Here are some of the fly fishing excursions that we include in out itineraries in the the Welsh regions of the Andes in Patagonia:

Río Rivadavia

With a landscape that dreams are made of and replete with well proportioned trout, Río Rivadavia is the fisherman’s choice river in the Futaleufú river basin. During its short journey of only 7 km (about 4 miles), the river unites the lakes of Lago Rivadavia and Lago Verde. The river’s mouth is a large funnel with a very smooth flow. A dense forest lines its banks, complicating attempts to reach its shores thus making it ideal to fish from a boat. It is ideal for dry flies, especially during hatching and eclosion at sunrise and sunset. From the confluence of the Rio Colehual, its main tributary, the first runners and runs appear.
 
The rainbow trout, the dominant species, can be found hiding on the log ridden river bed, or in view in the other smaller river branches and tributaries. With regularity, examples of up to 60-70cm (26-28 inches) in length are captured while the average is 40-55cm (16-22 inches). It is also possible to find salmon trapped in nearby pools close to Lago Rivadavia.

Río Desaguadero

This small river, 25 km (16 miles) in length, springs within the peaks of the Cordón Situación mountain range and flows into Lago Futalaufquen. Easily accessible, the river receives water from several smaller streams flowing from the same mountain range.
 
In the lower parts of the river there are shores populated with willow which provide many small runs. Its waters are transparent and the river bed is stony and devoid of any vegetation. At the start of the season (November and December), trout coming from Lago Futalaufquen can be caught in significant numbers. Summer onwards, small trout less than 35cm (14 inches) predominate, and larger fish can only be found in the deeper more inaccessible parts of the river.

Laguna Larga

This lake increased its level by two meters after the construction of a small dam, which provides energy to the village of Villa Futalaufquen. It is for this reason that its shores are dominated by a forest of flooded ñire and lenga trees that make it virtually impossible to wade. Therefore fishing is carried out either in dinghies or in small boats.
 
The environment promises few bites but this is offset by the fascinating attraction of the huge brown trout that inhabit the chalky bed. The averages exceed 55cm (22 inches) and individual fish can be up to 70cm (28 inches) in length.

Arroyo Nant y Fall

This stream originates in Lago Rosario and flows for 15km (9 miles) until reaching the river of Río Corintos which then flows into the Río Futaleufú. Its primary characteristic is the presence of impressive waterfalls half way down its course which determine the distribution of fish.
 
During its first few miles the river takes the form of a spring creek with countless curves and ravines in a valley surrounded by small plants, but without trees along its shores. This stretch of the river offers good opportunities to capture excellent specimens originating from Lago Rosario.
 
The next part of the river course is surrounded by shrub sized trees and the river bed is covered by algae. Here the fish population increases considerably although their size rarely exceeds 350gr (12oz). But, the large number of rainbow trout and Patagonian silverside guarantees a lot of fun with nymphs and small dry flies.
 
Below the falls, the number of runs increases and there are abundant numbers of the typical species of the Futaleufú basin - rainbow trout and brown trout.

Rio Grande or Futaleufu

This river is the result of collecting waters from an extensive and diverse catchment area and is one of the most important tail waters in Patagonia due to its proximity to a dam where the river water is cooler than normal and rich in nutrients. The river is large and varies between 50-120 metres (154-400 feet) in width. On the Argentine side of the Andes the river flows for 34km (20 miles) before reaching the border with Chile.
 
The river is predominated by runs and ample pools on a riverbed of fine gravel and weed. The presence of various islands and minor branches allow for fine fishing. Due to the river's characteristics, wading or boats with motors are used in order to access remoter stretches of water with better fishing.
 
Species in the river, in order of abundance, are rainbow, brown, brook trout (fontinalis) and Chinook salmon. Most of the trout measure between 35-55 centimetres (14-22 inches) with possibilities of catching larger brown trout. Salmon can weigh more than 10kg (22 pounds) even after the long and difficult migration from the Pacific which reduces their weight and combativeness significantly.
 
Due to the river geography, various techniques can be used ranging from easy fishing with nymphs and dries to the not so common experience of capturing enormous salmon.

Other Notable Fishing Grounds in the Area

Laguna Willmanco

In the valleys surrounding Esquel there are numerous shallow lakes that are abundant in aquatic vegetation of which the favourite with fisherman is Laguna Willmanco currently, located in a private enclosed area.
 
Here, the more frequent catches range between 2-4.5kg (4-10 pounds). Its main feature is the possibility to cast elected fish by fishing from the shallow shores of its eastern margin. The colourful Danish trout reach great size and are very colourful. A big catch is likely when succulent streamers are agitated near the bottom of the lake. Advice from the guide will increase the possibility of being photographed with a good trophy in hand.

Arroyo Pescado

The renowned river of Arroyo Pescado belongs to the Chubut River basin and is the only watercourse of this watershed that provides examples of good sized trout. The landscape that surrounds its 15km (9 mile) journey is semi-arid steppe and its waters are completely within a private property.
 
This small stream of crystalline water and very stable cold temperatures make it an ideal habitat for salmonids. Coupled with the productivity of its waters and the care that it receives, this makes it one of the rivers with the highest density of trout in Patagonia.
 
The virtually exclusive species here is the rainbow trout characterized by its robustness and colour with lengths reaching 35-55cm (14-22 inches). The fishing is complex here and is an ideal environment to test skills, using endless variations, on observable fish. The trout are particularly selective due to the abundance of food in the stream.
 
The most efficient techniques involve the use of small nymphs and wets. Neither wading, nor the use of boats is permitted along its length. The season normally opens here on the 1st January every year.