Fly Fishing in Chile — the Lakes District and Aysén
Volcanoes over the Petrohué, the blue Futaleufú, and the spring creeks and big rivers of Aysén along the Carretera Austral: the waters, the rules that govern them, and where to sleep.
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Checked against SERNAPESCA, Chile’s fisheries service, 6 October 2026
Chile is a long, thin country with the Andes on one side and the Pacific on the other, and its trout water runs down the middle of it for a thousand miles. This page covers the two stretches most visiting fly fishers go for: the Lakes District around Puerto Varas, where you can fish within an hour of an airport, and Aysén, further south, where the roads turn to gravel and the rivers get bigger and emptier.
Unlike Argentina, Chile has one national fisheries service, SERNAPESCA, and one national licence. But the seasons and the release rules still change from region to region, and in places from river to river. Everything below that is a rule, a date or a price was read from SERNAPESCA’s own published texts on 6 October 2026, and is dated. Where we could not confirm something, we say so and send you to them.
Book it. Then fish it.
Destinations Guild is a travel reservation site as well as a fishing library. Every water on this page has a town beside it, and the town has a button. Every one of these towns is pinned to its own city on Trip.com, so each button opens that town’s hotel list rather than a search box: you land in the right place in Chile, not a namesake somewhere else.
Rooms are booked through our partner Trip.com. Destinations Guild earns a small commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. Vacation-home buttons for these towns are coming.
The season — southern summer, set region by region
The first thing to get right, because Chile’s regions do not open on the same day.
November to May, with an early start in Aysén and around Puerto Varas
Chile fishes through the southern summer, so a northern angler leaves home in the cold and fishes in the warm. The general rule is a November opening and a May close, but there are three exceptions a visitor is likely to meet: Palena province and the Petrohué open on 1 November; Aysén opens in mid-October; and several big lakes and rivers around Puerto Varas and Osorno have a catch-and-release season from September.
The best months, plainly. The lodges in Palena and Aysén sell their weeks mostly from December to March, the warm, settled heart of the summer, when the dry-fly and terrestrial fishing is at its best. The shoulders — November, April — are quieter and cooler, and in Aysén much of that time is release-only by law.
Confirmed with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — Medidas de administración de pesca recreativa en Chile 2026-2027: the general season for salmonids runs “del segundo viernes de noviembre al primer domingo de mayo del año siguiente” (from the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May the following year — for 2026-27, 13 November 2026 to 2 May 2027 by our calendar). Palena province, the Río Petrohué and Lago Todos los Santos: “del 01 de noviembre al primer domingo de mayo del año siguiente”. Aysén: “se prohíbe cualquier actividad de pesca entre el 07 de mayo y el 11 de octubre” (all fishing is prohibited from 7 May to 11 October). Seasons are set by regional resolution and can be changed. Confirm the dates for your river with SERNAPESCA before you book flights.
Puerto Varas and the Río Petrohué
The easy way in: a lake town with good hotels, an airport at Puerto Montt half an hour away, and a famous river under a volcano.
Río Petrohué, below Lago Todos los Santos
The Petrohué leaves Lago Todos los Santos inside Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park and runs fast, cold and green past the foot of the Osorno volcano to the sea at Ralún. It is fished on foot and from drift boats for rainbow and brown trout, and it carries salmon too. The guides of Puerto Varas and Ensenada fish it, and use it as a base for longer days on the Puelo and further south.
What to expect. Big, pushy water, best fished with a guide and a boat. Puerto Varas itself is a pleasant lakeside town, which makes it the right choice if not everyone in your party fishes.
Flies. We have not yet worked through a Petrohué hatch calendar with local guides, and we will not invent one. Ask your guide what is on the water the week you go.
Confirmed with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — the 2026-27 measures for Palena province, the Río Petrohué and Lago Todos los Santos allow the “captura y retención de 1 ejemplar de salmón salar, salmón coho o salmón chinook” (one Atlantic, coho or chinook salmon may be kept), with “uso exclusivo de señuelo artificial con un máximo de un anzuelo simple sin rebarba” (artificial lures only, at most one single barbless hook). Trout go back.
The early season: Llanquihue, Rupanco, Puyehue and their rivers
Before the main season opens, SERNAPESCA allows catch-and-release fishing on three of the big lakes — Llanquihue, Rupanco and Puyehue — and on named stretches of rivers around them, from early September. For a visitor already in Puerto Varas in spring it is a real opportunity; for planning a trip around it, check the named stretches first.
Confirmed with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — “Del primer viernes de septiembre al segundo jueves de noviembre, temporadas 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028 y 2028-2029”, with “pesca con devolución obligatoria de todas las especies capturadas” (compulsory release of every fish caught). The river stretches included are defined in the measures; check which before you fish.
The Futaleufú, the Palena and the Yelcho
The northern end of the Carretera Austral, where Chile’s most famous whitewater river is also a trout river.
Río Futaleufú, Lago Yelcho and the Río Palena
The Futaleufú comes over the border from Argentina — the same river that runs past Trevelin — and drops through gorges to Lago Yelcho. The lake drains to the sea by the Río Yelcho, and to the south the Río Palena runs out to the coast through rain forest. Lodges here float the Yelcho, the Palena, the Futaleufú and smaller rivers such as the Rosselot and the Figueroa for brown and rainbow trout, with chinook salmon and sea-run browns in some waters.
What to expect. This is lodge country. Chaitén has a small airfield and a ferry; Futaleufú town is a long drive from anywhere. Most visitors book a week, full board, and let the lodge do the driving.
Confirmed with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — Palena province opens on 1 November, one salmon may be kept and only a single barbless hook is allowed (see the Petrohué entry above, which shares the rule). On the upper Futaleufú: “Se condiciona la parte superior del río Futaleufú, tramo comprendido entre el límite internacional … hasta el sector denominado ‘Sofía’ …, a devolución obligatoria de todas las especies salmonídeas capturadas” (from the international border to the sector called Sofía, every salmonid must be released).
Coyhaique and central Aysén — spring creeks and the Simpson
Aysén’s capital, with an airport at Balmaceda, and the widest choice of lodges in the south.
The Río Simpson, the spring creeks and the lakes
Coyhaique sits in a basin of open grassland and forest, with the Río Simpson running through the valley below the town and a scatter of lakes, spring creeks and smaller rivers within an hour’s drive — the Paloma, the Ñirehuao, the Mogote and others the lodges name on their own sites. The country to the east, towards the Argentine border, is high steppe with wind to match. Brown and rainbow trout; in season, chinook salmon in some rivers.
What to expect. Wading and floating on clear rivers, and stillwater days on the lakes when the wind allows. High summer is terrestrial time — one lodge here takes its name from the grasshopper.
Confirmed with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — Aysén is closed to all fishing from 7 May to 11 October. SERNAPESCA’s Aysén season notice for 2025-26 set the pattern: lakes release-only from the 12 October opening to 9 November, then “captura de 3 ejemplares o 15 kilos (lo que se cumpla primero)” (three fish or 15 kg, whichever comes first) from 10 November to 1 April, then release-only to 6 May; rivers release-only to 30 November, three fish or 15 kg from 1 December to 28 February, then release-only to 6 May. Artificial lures only, one rod per person. The Río Paloma is release-only all season. Chinook: 12 October to 15 January, “2 ejemplares sin límite de peso” (two fish, no weight limit). The 2026-27 measures repeat the closed period and the keeping windows; SERNAPESCA had not yet issued its 2026-27 Aysén notice when we checked. Confirm before you fish.
The Río Baker — Chile’s biggest river
Turquoise, powerful and far from anywhere: the reason many anglers drive the whole Carretera Austral.
Río Baker, from Lago Bertrand towards Cochrane
The Baker leaves Lago Bertrand, just below Lago General Carrera, as a river of startling colour and enormous volume, and runs south past Cochrane to the fjords. It is fished for brown and rainbow trout, mostly from boats and from the edges, with streamers and, in the right weeks, big dry flies. Lodges fish it by the week, and the Marble Caves of Lago General Carrera are close enough for a day off.
What to expect. Very big water that rewards a guide. Cochrane is the nearest town of any size; the nearest commercial airport is Balmaceda, several hours north.
Checked with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — we found no rule specific to the Baker, the Simpson or the Cisnes in the 2026-27 measures, so the general Aysén rules above apply. If you plan to keep a fish, check with SERNAPESCA’s Aysén office first.
Licences and rules, plainly
One licence for the whole country, bought online — and a cleaning routine for your gear that Chile takes seriously.
Who needs one, where to buy it, and what it costs
Everyone who fishes needs a licence, and visitors from abroad are not exempt. Buy it online from SERNAPESCA at pescarecreativa.sernapesca.cl with your passport, or at a SERNAPESCA office. Lodges often help their guests do it; ask.
One rod, artificial lures, and barbless where fish go back. Chile’s rules allow one rod per angler at a time, and wherever release is compulsory the hook must be barbless or micro-barbed.
Clean, wash and dry your gear. Didymo, an invasive alga, has been declared a pest from the Biobío region all the way to Tierra del Fuego. SERNAPESCA advises against felt-soled boots. Pack rubber soles, and clean everything between rivers.
Confirmed with SERNAPESCA, 6 October 2026 — the licence is required of “Chilenos, extranjeros residentes en Chile y extranjeros que realizan la pesca recreativa”, and “los extranjeros no tienen exenciones” (foreigners have no exemptions). The 2026 price sheet lists, for foreigners, marine and inland waters together: one week 0.5 UF (about 19,900 pesos), one month 1 UF (about 39,800 pesos), one year 1.5 UF (about 59,600 pesos), priced on the UF of 31 December 2025. Didymo: “Revise y remueva toda presencia visible de algas de su calzado, vestimenta, aparejos de pesca y vehículos”; wash “de 1 a 2 minutos en un balde con 10 litros de agua y 2 1/2 tazas (500 ml.) de detergente lavalozas”; and dry “al menos, 48 horas antes de usarlos nuevamente”; “Evite usar botas con fieltro” (avoid felt boots). SERNAPESCA’s licence page also says a foreigner’s licence runs for one year, while the price sheet lists weekly and monthly options; the portal will show which it sells you. Prices follow the UF and change every year.
National parks and native fish
The Petrohué begins inside Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, and other waters run through parks and reserves run by CONAF. We found no separate CONAF fishing permit, but park entry is booked through CONAF’s own system, and boating on Lago Todos los Santos needs prior authorisation. Chile’s native fish — the perca trucha, the puyes and others — are small, special and protected in many waters. Release every one.
Checked with SERNAPESCA and CONAF, 6 October 2026 — SERNAPESCA: in protected areas “se permite la pesca recreativa pero con restricciones” (recreational fishing is allowed, but with restrictions). Check with CONAF and the park office before fishing inside a park.
Outfitters and lodges we have checked
Eight, each opened on its own website on 6 October 2026. We list what they do, not how good they are — we do not copy ratings.
Tres Ríos Lodge — Ensenada, near Puerto Varas
A fly-fishing lodge and guide service founded in 1999, running guided river and lake days and longer road trips on the Petrohué, Puelo, Yelcho and Palena and further south, for brown and rainbow trout and chinook salmon. tresrioslodge.com
Lodge Petrohué — Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park
An adventure lodge with rooms and cabins on Lago Todos los Santos, offering fly fishing on the Petrohué and the lake alongside rafting, kayaking and trekking — a good fit for a mixed party. petrohue.com
Matapiojo Lodge — Palena province, near Chaitén
An all-inclusive wall-tent camp fishing the Futaleufú, Palena and Yelcho rivers, Lago Yelcho and a circuit of lagoons, for rainbow, brown and brook trout, chinook and sea-run browns; November to May by its own published season. matapiojolodge.com
Martín Pescador Lodges — south of Chaitén, Palena province
Two small lodges on the Yelcho and the Rosselot, ten anglers at most, floating the Yelcho, Futaleufú, Rosselot, Figueroa and Pico for brown and rainbow trout, January to March. Run by Eleven Experience, whose page we opened. elevenexperience.com — Martín Pescador
Magic Waters Patagonia — Lago Barroso, near Coyhaique
A family-owned group with a main lodge near Coyhaique, a tented base camp, and Patagonia Baker Lodge on the Río Baker; fishing the Simpson and Paloma, spring creeks and lakes for rainbow and brown trout and king salmon, October to April or May. magicwaterspatagonia.com · patagoniabakerlodge.com
Coyhaique River Lodge — Coyhaique
A family-run lodge on the road to Coyhaique Alto, offering all-inclusive fly-fishing and adventure programmes, fishing from the bank and from boats. coyhaiqueriverlodge.com
El Saltamontes Lodge — Ñirehuao valley, Aysén
A fly-fishing lodge wading, floating and fishing stillwater on the Ñirehuao and nearby spring creeks, lagoons and lakes for brown and rainbow trout; its published season runs December to March, the terrestrial months. elsaltamonteslodge.com
Estancia del Zorro — Coyhaique Alto, Aysén
A fly-fishing and birdwatching lodge on a large property near the Argentine border, northeast of Coyhaique, fishing for brown trout. estanciadelzorro.com
Not listed, because we could not open a working website of their own on the day: several well-known lodges on the Futaleufú, the Palena and the Puelo, and outfitters around Lago General Carrera and the Río Cisnes. We will add them when we can check them properly.
Where to base yourself
Six towns, and an honest word about the links.
The towns that serve each water
For the Petrohué and the lakes: Puerto Varas, on Lago Llanquihue, with hotels at every price and plenty for non-fishers. Puerto Montt, half an hour away, has the airport.
For the Futaleufú: Futaleufú town, near the Argentine border — small, with guesthouses and rafting outfits.
For the Yelcho and the Palena: Chaitén, the small port and airfield at the top of the Carretera Austral, or a full-board lodge.
For the Simpson and central Aysén: Coyhaique, the regional capital, an hour from Balmaceda airport.
For the Río Baker: Cochrane, or a full-board lodge on the river.
Booking each town. We prefer links that point at a specific place rather than a name, because names travel — there is more than one Puerto Varas and more than one Cochrane in the world. Every town on this page is pinned to its own Trip.com city, so the buttons in the Book it. Then fish it. box open that town’s own hotel list — the Chilean Cochrane in Aysén, not the one in Alberta.
Search Coyhaique hotels on Trip.com › Our fly fishing book ›
Questions
When is the trout season in Chile?
It is the southern summer, and it differs by region. SERNAPESCA’s 2026-27 measures set the general season as the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May. Palena province, the Río Petrohué and Lago Todos los Santos open on 1 November. Aysén is closed to all fishing from 7 May to 11 October, so it opens on 12 October. Several lakes and rivers around Puerto Varas and Osorno have an early catch-and-release season from the first Friday of September.
Do foreign visitors need a fishing licence in Chile?
Yes, and foreigners have no exemptions. Buy it online at pescarecreativa.sernapesca.cl with your passport, or at a SERNAPESCA office. The 2026 price sheet lists foreigners’ licences at 0.5 UF a week, 1 UF a month and 1.5 UF a year — about 19,900, 39,800 and 59,600 Chilean pesos.
Is fishing in Chile catch and release?
In many places. In Palena province, on the Petrohué and on Lago Todos los Santos the only fish you may keep is one salmon, with a single barbless hook. The upper Futaleufú, from the border to the Sofía sector, is release-only. In Aysén you may keep fish only in set windows — lakes 10 November to 1 April, rivers 1 December to the end of February, three fish or 15 kg — and the rest of the season is release-only.
What is didymo, and what do I have to do about it?
An invasive alga, declared a pest from the Biobío region to Tierra del Fuego. SERNAPESCA asks you to remove any visible algae from boots, clothes, tackle and vehicles, wash gear for one to two minutes in 10 litres of water with 500 ml of dish detergent, and let it dry for at least 48 hours. It advises against felt-soled boots.
Where should I base myself?
Puerto Varas for the Petrohué and the lakes; Futaleufú or Chaitén for the Futaleufú, Palena and Yelcho; Coyhaique for the Simpson and central Aysén; Cochrane or a lodge on the river for the Río Baker. In Palena and Aysén many anglers stay in full-board lodges that arrange the guiding.
What we have not checked, and will not pretend to have
The part of a fishing page most sites leave out.
Four honest gaps
No hatch calendar. Our main fly fishing book carries month-by-month hatches for the American waters because they were worked through river by river. Chile has not had that work done yet, so we have left it out rather than guess.
Native fish. Chile’s fifteen-year protection order for its native freshwater fish ran to 5 October 2026, the day before we checked, and we could not yet find what replaces it. Regional rules such as Palena’s still require their release. Release them all.
No photographs yet. We use only freely licensed photographs whose licence and author we have confirmed. We could not complete that check today, so this page carries none rather than one we are unsure of.
More of Chile to come. Los Ríos and La Araucanía — Valdivia, Pucón and the lakes north of Puerto Varas — and the Puelo, which has its own set of rules, deserve their own entries. They will follow at the same standard.