Fly Fishing in Patagonia, Argentina

Remember to get your fishing permit. Avoid fines and penalties.

The fishing season runs from November to mid-April, but it is during the first two months when the rivers flow with plenty of water and the Rainbow and Brown trouts go back to the lakes. The possibilities of making good catches are very high.

In the summer, the weather conditions are mild (The average temperatures go from 15º C to 32º C) and the rains are rare. At the end of the season, water levels decrease and trouts swim from the lakes to the rivers to spawn.

Fishing Styles:

Fly Casting: The fisherman uses artificial devices manufactured with strings of hair, feathers and other synthetic materials. They are literally called "flies". Their function is to attract the attention of the fish with their natural food. Unlike spinning, where the necessary weight for the casting is given by the bait, in fly-fishing the weight is given by the fishing line. Some flies work under water (the wet ones) and others float (the dry ones). To cast them, the fisherman wades into the water and looks for a place with enough space to cast the line.

Brown trout in Patagonia

Fishing Styles: Spinning

It consists in casting an artificial bait and picking it up varying the speed and the movements in such a way to make it twist and turn under the water imitating the movements of small fishes. Such baits are spoon-shaped and come in different sizes and styles.

Fishing Styles: Trolling

The fisherman throws the bait into the water, and while the boat sails at a low speed, he lets the bait take a certain distance to be far enough from the boat. Then, the fisherman gets the reel stuck, so the bait will be able to work with the kind of twisting movements it was designed for. The baits used for trolling are called "caimans"; they have the shape of fishes and come in bright colors. Some models have internal lights but their use is not allowed in protected areas.

"Catch and Release":

As the words explain it, the main objective of this kind of fishing is to protect the species. To practise it in the right way, there are some considerations to be taken into account: Prevent the caught fish from hitting or bouncing itself on the floor of the boat. It should be touched as much delicately as possible. If the characteristics of the fish allows it, try to hold it on the palm of your hand, in contact with water, and without pressing it. It is very important not to hold it by the gill cover (operculum), not to hurt it when taking the bait out and to take it back into the water very carefully.