Patagonia Chile Fly Fishing Paloma River

Thsi is an all inclusive 7 night 6 full days fishing package.  All ground transfers, lodging, food, wines, beer, fishing guides are included in your package price.

Sample Itinerary

Saturday: Arrival
Lodge Partner Paloma River Lodge will meet you at the Balmaceda airport and drive you to the Lodge. Once settled in at the lodge, we will go over the plan for the week, help anyone brush up on their casting, get your gear ready and then you may rest or explore the possibilities of an afternoon of wade fishing. Cocktails will be served at 7pm, featuring the Chilean favorite, Pisco Sours, followed with our evening meal and Chilean wine.

Sunday:  Walk & wade on The Paloma River & Then hit the Lake
After an early breakfast at the lodge, we will take a short 20-minute drive to the Mogote
River we will wade fish along the upper Paloma River until we reach our boat on the Desierto Lake. We will then motor up to fish the outlets of Lake Desierto and Azul. Browns here average 14-19 inches with a good number above that size.

Monday:  Horseback to the otherwise inaccessible reaches of the Magote River
A 20-minute drive puts us on the Mogote
River where we will mount our horses and head upstream about 1 hour and begin a day of great wade fishing for many trout in the 10" - 14" range. The Mogote River has the largest population of fish in our area, which means lots of action on dry flies. Some fish up to 18".  You may want a 4 weight rod today.

Tuesday:  Float the Paloma River
A 5-minute walk will place us at the drift boat for fishing the Paloma River in front of the lodge. These browns love our size 4 Big Ugly dry fly. The average brown trout on the Paloma River will range from 16 to 20" with a chance at a 22" or bigger fish.

Wednesday: Float The Paloma River
We jump back into the drift boat and fish
the middle stretch of the Paloma River. On this stretch we have many channels to wade fish, especially the already famous "El Loco" and Jumping fish channels.

Thursday: Spring Creek and Upper Plaoma River
Today we will start off at one of the private access spring creeks, then walk over to the Paloma River to fish an isolated stretch of river. After lunch we will wade fish up to the river and cross to hit another small spring creek.  We will have an opportunity to do some sight fishing in these gin clear waters.

Friday: Last day of Fishing and Farewell Lamb Barbeque
Today is your chance to revisit your favorite piece of water for another go at that big one that got off earlier in the week, or maybe try another stream of Felipe�s choice.  This evening we are all invited to Alfredo�s for a whole lamb, roasted Patagonia style and typical Chilean fare.

Saturday: Farewell Breakfast
A "FAREWELL" breakfast and the return drive to the airport for a safe flight home. We suggest getting all flights in and out of Balmaceda around 1 pm.

Patagonia Chile Fly Fishing Paloma River - Deep in the heart of the Patagonia you will find a magical place of high mountain vistas, breathtakingly green water and large beautiful trout. The majestic peaks of the mountains rise high above the surrounding valleys, their glacial mantles giving rise to the cold, rushing rivers that make this region an angler�s dream.  This region is remote and sparsely populated, it is a land of dirt roads and small villages, where the local residents, drive cattle from horseback and still use oxen as their tractor of choice. The flora is varied and beautiful, different microclimates in these mountains create small habitats that play host to a plethora of plant species.  Anglers will have the chance to see condors, eagles, ibis, giant kingfishers and parakeets, overhead and riverside. On the banks of the gin clear Paloma River, catering in complete comfort to only 4 anglers per week, you will find our 4 bedroom lodge.  The lodge is nestled in between the river and the mountains, just minutes from the flowing trout filled waters, deep in the Paloma River Valley. We have built very close to all the best waters in the Paloma valley, with extremely short drive times to put ins and take outs, most of your day will be spent on the water fishing, not in the truck.
The Fishing

While at the lodge you will be fishing with either streamers or dries, with about 80% of your fishing done with dry flies. Dry flies that are big and ugly will work best at this lodge. Because of the six different types of beetles in the area, the trout are accustomed to pounding large bugs on the water surface. This is the dry fly fisherman's paradise in every respect, since most of the dries that we use are between sizes 4 and 10 all summer long. Streamers are productive all year round but their key roll is in the lakes and during the fall season. Nymphs can be productive in the crystal clear lakes when sight fishing. Anglers that can cast 40 feet will be able to reach most of the fish in our rivers.  We have a very good mix of float fishing and walk and wade fishing.  For the clients that like a bit more adventure, we offer a horse back trip, to access a high mountain stream, for a day full of action using dry flies and light weight rods, 4 weight recommended.  We also use a jet boat to access some hard to reach areas in the Paloma River and a small lake with very large trout.  The average trout that you will catch during the week will be from 14 to 19 inches, with many in the 20 inches range, but you will have the chance at some in excess of 24 inches.  During the past 4 years many our clients have caught their own personal record trout, and have the photos to prove it.  Within minutes of the lodge we have access to rivers, lakes, lagoons, spring creeks and high mountain streams, providing a tremendous variety and selection of fishing opportunities for all skill levels.  


The Fishing Season:  The fishing season officially opens on the second Friday in October and runs until the first Sunday in May.  The best dry-fly fishing generally occurs from December to the end of March, although Oct. and Nov. are great spring months, and very large trout on the move can make an angler�s dream come true.  March brings cooler mornings and evenings and the rivers reach their lowest water volume, but the cooler days bring the large fish out of the lakes and into the rivers for spawning. The pre-spawn streamer fishing can be incredible from mid March to late April. Those clients that want lots of big fish, will endure fishing the shorter days in April, to have an experience of a life time, going after very large trout, with large dry flies.


The Trout: On the Paloma River, normal-size trout are between 14 and 19 inches. There are many over 21 inches and it is not uncommon to get several chances at brown trout over 24 inches. A good day of fishing here will leave an everlasting impression on even the most experienced of anglers. The Paloma River is very well known for providing stellar days of fishing and personal record trout being taken on dry flies.  On The Magote River, the trout are smaller, 10 to 16 inches, the action is fast and furious, small dry flies and a light weight rod, will provide you with a day to remember indeed. With 3 major lakes close by, we can go for some very large trout, if that is what you wish, sight casting to large crusing fish along the shores.  With private access to a couple springs creeks, we can walk and wade for some technical stealth fishing, with small dry flies to large hidden browns.  Close to the lodge we have an abundant aount of wild trout in a diverse habitat, providing great fishing for all, no matter the style of fishing you wish to do.

The lodge is an extremely comfortable 1980 square foot construction. There are 4 spacious client bedrooms, each with a queen size bed and private bathroom. Attending only four clients per week, each will have their own private room. The bar is open to view from the dining room and the large living room, where fishing stories will be shared over a very nice selection of fine Chilean wines. The lodge is located in the Paloma River valley, just a one hour 25 minute drive northwest from the airport at Balmaceda and a one hour 30 minute drive southwest of Coyhaique.  We are just minutes from our fishing destinations, with a walk and wade trip starting just 200 yards from the front door of the lodge itself.  We are well off the power grid, deep in the Patagonia, but have our own generators and small hydro turbine. Fly fishing is our main goal, with very short transfer times to and from our float and wade trips, average time 15 minutes, we spend our day on the water, not getting to it.  We will be happy to take clients to visit Coyhaique, but believe that fishing lodges should be located on fishing waters, not in cities.  

The fishing season officially opens in mid October and runs until the first Sunday in May.  The best dry-fly fishing generally occurs from January to the end of March, although Nov. and Dec. are great spring months and very large trout on the move, generally taken on steamers, can make an angler�s dream come true.  March brings cooler mornings and evenings and the rivers reach their lowest volume, but the cooler days bring the truly big fish out of the lakes and into the rivers for spawning. The pre-spawn streamer fishing can be incredible from mid March to mid April.
Those that want lots of big fish will endure fishing the shorter days in April, to have an experience of a life time going after very large trout with large dries.