Enjoy the best of North Patagonia rivers combining different fishing experiences. You will be able to spot large Rainbows, Browns and even Brook Trout in the different waters while enjoying the breathtaking scenery of Patagonia.
CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Direct phone number to contact the Fly Fishing department:
Casona del Alto is just 5 minutes away from the town centre of San Martín de los Andes. It enjoys a priviledged location on the North Slope of the Andes, which allows great views of Chapelco and its ski center.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Season: From November 1st to May 31st.
Species: Rainbow Trout and Sea Run Brown Trout.
ACCOMMODATIONS
La Casona del Alto is run by its owners Fernando and Lili, who will give personal service to make you feel like home.
Located on the side of the mountain and overlooking the San Martin de los Andes valley and Chapelco Mountain range this is an ideal place
The lodge is a five minute drive from downtown. Guests will enjoy the peace and quiet of the area and the uniqueness of the views offered by Los Andes mountain range. Each room in La Casona has been designed to offer its guests the relaxing atmosphere of a house that welcomes friends to have a great time.
These lodge features nine spacious and comfortable rooms with outstanding views of the mountains. There's heating system and wi fi connection in rooms and common areas. Casona del Alto also offers ots guests a swimming pool, gym, spa, library and a Jacuzzi in the main suite. There are safe boxes inside rooms and laundry service is offered, too.
Another way of enjoying the scenery that Casona del Alto offers is through its balcony, winter garden and library.
*The lodge does not have TVs in rooms or common areas. The philosophy of the lodge is to invite our guests to connect cith nature and the sorriundings.
Sample itinerary:
DAY 1
Saturday: Arrive to Chapelco Airport
Check in at Casona del Alto Lodge (Malleo River walk & wade afternoon fishing session)
Argentine Fine Wine Tasting & Welcome Dinner at Casona del Alto.
DAY 2
Sunday: Lake Tromen sight fishing with dry flies
Casona del Alto Lodge
Lodging: at Casona del Alto Lodge
Meals: Breakfast at the Lodge/ Lunch at lake beach/ Dinner at the Lodge
DAY 3
Monday: Chimehuin River Two Days Float Trip
1st DAY – Andes Drifters Deluxe Camp
Lodging: At Andes Driters Deluxe Camp
Meals: Breakfast at the Lodge/ Lunch picnic riverside/ Dinner Argentine Asado at Camp
DAY 4
Tuesday: Chimehuin River 2 days Float Trip
2nd DAY – Return transfer to Casona del Alto Lodge
Lodging: at Casona del Alto Lodge
Meals: Breakfast at camp/ Lunch picnic riverside/ Dinner Casona del Alto
DAY 5
Wednesday: Depart from Chapelco Airport
Fly back to Buenos Aires.
As part of the truly personalized service offered by the lodge, guests will be served homemade meals. The Lodge includes an exclusive restaurant where the hosts prepare delicious breakfasts and the most typical and requested Argentine meals paired with fine wines.
The northern Patagonia region around the towns of Junín and San Martin de los Andes has the largest variety of trout streams in Argentina. You can fish 15 rivers and 20 lakes within a two-hour radius of San Martin de los Andes. And although the area conta
Our custom-tailored fishing packages will allow you to fish the very best waters in ways that match your preferences perfectly. From long days fishing to evenings enjoying splendid dinners and relaxation at the lodge, you’ll experience the very best of Patagonia with us. When we talk about Patagonia Norte it is very important to know about the different options you can have to fly fish, so knowing the rivers and their fishing options is critical, from which ones are good for wadeing and which one will be good for floating. There are rivers that are very technical and for dry flies and with higher difficulties for casting, like Malleo and Quillen; to floating rivers like Alumine and Collon Cura. Or a unique calm clear water stream like Filo Huaum.
MALLEO RIVER
The Malleo River (Rio Malleo) is one of the most famous rivers in Patagonia because of its dry fly fishing. This midsize freestone river forms out of Tromen Lake at the base of the Lanín Volcano and flows for 32 miles before joining the Aluminé River. Its meandering course takes it through steep canyons, large meadows and big stands of willows. The Malleo has the best and most predictable hatches throughout the season.
A main road follows this river for most of its length, allowing easy to moderate access. It is not large enough to float, so you will be wade fishing here. While you might encounter a few fishermen on Malleo, it is never crowded.
This river can be divided into two sections, upper and lower. The upper section is characterized by fast flows and large boulders, and it is heavily lined with willows. The lower section flows through the Mapuche Indian Reservation. Here the river slows and becomes a bit more canyon like, featuring large rock outcroppings with willows lining only one bank at a time, making it easier to wade and move around.
CHIMEHUIN RIVER
Housing the largest trout population in the region, the Chimehuin River is the icon of fly fishing in northern Patagonia. It is a classic large, free-flowing trout stream. You could spend the entire season here and still not have enough time to discover all of its pools, runs and willow-lined banks.
This river starts in Lake Huechulafquen at the base of the Lanín Volcano and runs for about 30 miles until it joins the Collon Cura River.
The Chimehuin flows through the town of Junín, and you’ll find the best fishing between the town and where the river joins the Aluminé to form the Collon Cura. In this lower section, the Chimehuin slows and creates spectacular dry fly fishing, especially during caterpillar season. You can wade or float in this large, gentle-flowing segment of the river.
Although the Chimehuin is very popular, most of the lower section is secluded and accessible only through our negotiations with private ranches. You’ll have these waters largely to yourself with little fishing pressure.
COLLONCURA RIVER
Home to very large trout, The Collon Cura is the largest river system in the region. It is formed by the confluence of the Aluminé, the Chimehuin and Catan-Lil Rivers, and then flows nearly 50 miles until reaching the Piedra del Águila Reservoir.
The Collon Cura is a great dry fly river early in the season, makes a major change to a unique minnow fishery from mid to late summer, and then transitions back to a great dry fly fishery during the fall.
By late January, massive numbers of minnows migrate from the lake upstream to spawn. Once the migration starts, the trout stop feeding on insects and concentrate solely on eating the minnows they find trapped in the riffles. The swarm of migrating minnows is so heavy that the riffles, eddies and shallows turn black.
We float nearly 20 miles on the Collon Cura over three days, camping on islands and fishing parts of the river where you will see no other anglers.
ALUMINE RIVER
This river is one of the longest rivers in northern Patagonia. Most of its 80 miles is great water for trout fishing and can be floated. It presents countless fishing opportunities.
The Aluminé is a freestone river that forms out of Aluminé Lake and flows until it joins the Catan-Lil and Chimehuin to become the Collon Cura River. Access to many sections of this stream is limited or very difficult, so you won’t find many people around. Fishing pressure is very low.
In addition to daily floats, we take island camping float trips so you can experience the best of what of this great stream offers.
In January and February, the annual inchworm hatch creates spectacular fishing on the Aluminé. Even the large, wily brown trout will get downright stupid during this time of year, allowing you to sight fish for them.
CALEUFU RIVER
This is probably one of the most beautiful streams in northern Patagonia. Starting from the junction of the Meliquina and Filo Hua-Hum Rivers, the Caleufu River begins as a mountain stream running though a unique Rocky canyon with spectacular rock formations. It becomes a medium-size river and flows for about 60 miles to the Collon Cura River and the Alicurá Reservoir.
Most of our trips on the Caleufu are done by floating. Although the water level drops dramatically each season, this river can be floated until mid to late January. Our multi-day float will take you through spectacular scenery and steep rock formations as Andean Condors soar overhead.
After the water drops too low to float on the Caleufu, we concentrate our fishing on the lower portion of the river, where a minnow migration similar to that of the Collon Cura River takes place.
QUILLEN RIVER
The Quillen River is a tributary of the upper Aluminé is a great stream for dry fly fishing. It forms from Quillen Lake in the Lanín National Park.
This freestone river flows for about 16 miles until its junction with the Aluminé River. While the upper section of the river runs slowly and winds through a beautiful valley, the gradient on the lower section becomes steeper and presents the angler with classic pocket water.
The Quillen is too small to float and is fished by only a handful of wade fishermen per year.
While there are some fly shops in the area we will be staying, getting to the shops during
their hours of operation can be difficult. Also you may find the need for supplies while you are on a float and camp trip so be prepared. The guides will also have flies but you may find yourself up the river or in a different location than your guide at points in the trip so it is nice to have some of your own stuff. There is no way to predict every fishing situation that you may encounter but, after years of traveling in Argentina to here is the list of tackle that we recommend.
For San Martin area and Surrounding Streams
Rods
At least two rods per angler in the event that one gets broken.
Do not bring a rod smaller than a 4 wt and bring at least one very good 5wt.
8’6” to 9’6” rods are ideal.
A good 6 or 7wt is very nice if the wind blows, which it often does and if you are planning on fish streamers
Reels
Two good reels with working drags; they should balance your rods.
Spare spools for your reels
Lines
Weight forward floating lines in good condition and in line weights to match your rods.
If you plan on streamer fishing bring one sink tip 175 grains to 200 grains
Leaders
Three 9’ 3x
Three 9’ 4x
Tippet
One spool each 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, fluorocarbon is highly recommended.
Since we will be fishing in a mountainous area, expect weather changes daily. You should plan on dressing in layers and on the worst possible weather you can think up. You will see temperature ranges from 35-90 often in the same day. Do not leave home without a good fleece jacket and a good gore-tex raincoat. Remember that fleece will keep you warm even when wet. Do not plan on wearing denim around the water, because once it is wet then it stays wet.
Following is a checklist of gear, clothes, etc, that clients have found helpful in the past.
-Bring a photo copy of your passport to carry with you on the river with your fishing license so you do not ruin your original.
-Waders, good quality and be sure that they do not leak
-Wading boots with felt or Vibram soles(no cleats will be allowed in the boats) also felt boots must be cleaned in a solution of Clorox water to kill all foreign stream born insects, mussels, bacteria etc.
-Rain coat, gore-tex is recommended
-Medium weight wind stopper fleece jacket
-Fleece vest
-Polarized sun glasses
-Camera
- Hats, one with a full brim, one baseball cap
-Thermal underwear
-Fleece wading pants
-Long sleeve quick dry shirts
-Quick dry pants
-Personal toiletries
-Medication that you may need
-T-shirts
-Underwear
-Warm socks for wading
-If traveling in December-March you may want wet wading booties.
-Small flashlight or Petzel head lamp for around camp
-Sun screen the best you can find at least 50 block
-Chap Stick with sunscreen built in at least 15 SPF
-Insect repellant
-Wading staff
-Vest or pack for fishing gear
-Day pack for a change of clothes on days we travel away from the lodge in the event you go swimming
Most international flights leave the US in the evening and land in Buenos Aires (EZE) the following morning. Delta (stop in Atlanta), United (non-stop, the fastest flight of 10 hours), American (connection in Miami) offer daily flights. Also check LAN flights but make sure that the connection is in Miami and not in Santiago de Chile because it takes longer.
Once you arrive in Buenos Aires, take a domestic flight to the San Martin de los Andes area. Chapelco Airport is a 20 minute drive from the lodge. You only have two options: LAN or Aerolineas.
There, you will be met by a company representative who will drive you to the lodge.
NOTE: Make sure that you have plenty of time (at least 4 hours) in between flights once you reach Buenos Aires. You will have to clear customs and take a trip by taxi or private car to the domestic airport. This trip usually takes 50 minutes but depending on traffic, it can take more than one hour. *
*Our company organize private ground transfers and hotel reservations in Buenos Aires City in case you will need/request it.
We offer our customer service without any additional cost, where you can clear up questions about our different destinations, the organization during the pre-trip or any query that arises in the middle. Traveling with Pointer is always the best option.
And this is very important: By purchasing your trip through us, you are elegible to get extra gift and rewards, like a voucher open for 3 years for 50% off in your accommodations on your next Fly Fishing trip to Argentina in one of our lodges, you can choose between Trouts in Northern Patagonia or Golden Dorado in the Paraná river.
Also, you could get a voucher open for 3 years for 100% off accommodations on your next Dove Hunting in Argentina staying in one of our wonderful Lodges.
In order to make the most of your stay here in this beautiful country, partnered with Beagle Tours, our sister company with amazing professionals that will be greatly happy to assist you if you are interested in doing some kind of non-fishing activity in Argentina.
Our focus is to offer our guests the type of travel experience they wish in terms of hotel accommodation, activities and city tours.
We work every day to satisfy the needs of sophisticated and luxurious travelers and guests, as well as small private groups of friends seeking for a mid-rate trip, and even larger groups planning to have an affordable and nice experience. We specialize in custom itineraries based on your group's wishes and budget keeping in mind that anything that your heart desires can be found in our country: From the award winning wine to the highest mountain in the western hemisphere, salt flats and even glaciers. Tourist attractions in Argentina offer something for every traveler.
Thus, if you feel like visiting the one and only Iguazu Falls, doing a wine tour in Mendoza province, amaze yourself navigating around the Glaciar Perito Moreno at the very end of the continent in Santa Cruz province, letting yourself go while you enjoy watching a Tango Show in Buenos Aires province, or you just simply need hotel reservations, please, contact Beagle Tours manager Vicky Fallotico at [email protected] and she’ll be glad to help you.
