For decades, Patagonia has been one of the most sought-after and coveted fishing destinations in the world. Every trout fisherman knows that Patagonia offers something different, challenging and a way to go back in time when fishing pressure on rivers and lakes was lower, where the experience between the angler and the environment was just their rod, line, fly, and the trout waiting for them.

Fishing in Chilean Patagonia is simply spectacular, as you can experience all four seasons in one day, greatly enriching each angler’s experience. Dry fly fishing is present in every corner and is generous in its concept, allowing for sight fishing with small flies (sizes 14 to 22) such as Midges, Parachute Adams, Caddis, Blue Dam, Royal Wulff and many more. You can follow a food line in the river, sight cast, which undoubtedly enriches the soul.

In addition to this, we must mention how spectacular it is to fish with large dry flies like Dragonfly, Damselfly, Fat Albert, or Chernobyl which will give you the opportunity to catch a trophy trout. The odonate hatches are waiting for the perfect temperature to begin their cycle, and that is when the party starts.

Chilean Patagonia not only offers the paradise of dry fly fishing but also an ideal scenario for fishing with all kinds of streamers and a wide variety of nymphs. Imagine having everything in one place, day, and water. It is something that moves us angler from within, it cannot be explained. It is like an involuntary energy that leads us to do what we love most: fishing.

We believe that the common characteristic that repeats itself in each fishing spot is diversity, and for this reason, the equipment to be used varies. Starting with a number 3 or 4 rod for using floating lines and focusing on short to medium distances, also using a number 5 rod to fish simultaneously with dry flies, nymphs (indicators if necessary), and light sinking lines. The emblematic rod number in Patagonia is 6, as it strikes a balance between strength and finesse to cover the greatest variety of waters. But let’s not forget about the unnamed factor: the wind, which may lead us to use 7 and 8 rods while searching for trout in fast and deep waters, requiring fast sinking and heavy lines for casting.

And what about the species? That’s another story, and we will focus on the area where we are fortunate to fish (a special place in Chilean Patagonia located in the Palena Province). It is there where we can find resident trout such as Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brook Trout, as well as migratory species like Chinook Salmon and Sea Run Brown Trout. We also have the Perca, which is 100% native and has a primitive appearance. There is something for everyone in terms of sizes, colors, striking contexts, fight intensities, and scenarios to find them.

But this would be just another fishing trip if it weren’t accompanied by the culture and people of Patagonia. Experiencing it with all your senses is something that should be checked off the list of things a fisherman must do before they die… you just have to do it.

We are fortunate at Matapiojo Lodge to live in this paradise every day of the season, fishing the remote waters of the Futaleufu River, Yelcho Lake, Palena River, to name just a few, and at the same time, getting to know beautiful and interesting people from whom we learn. Just like you, who must be reading this little story, we are anglers, and that is precisely our way of life: being anglers for anglers.

Always, tight lines in the water.