Accomodation

The lodge is situated on the banks of the Futaleufú River and can accommodate up to 8 people. It is a very cozy house with a very intimate approach and personalized service. We have our own garden where we grow vegetables and fruit.

From the Lodge we fish in the nearby private waters and in the southern part of Los Alerces National Park.

You will stay in safari-style twin tents with canvas walls with two single beds, warm linens and pillows. There is a bedside table and a clothes hanger. Each tent has a covered porch with two chairs and covered windows. Your tent is also equipped with electric lights, charging sockets (220V) and a propane heater.

Arriving at El Encuentro Lodge, you immediately feel like you are coming home – being greeted with a warm welcome and settling into inviting and comfortable spaces. The lodge has a privileged riverside location overlooking the Rio Futaleufú and the Andes mountains, allowing your fishing day to start or end right at the lodge. It is a small lodge that comfortably accommodates a maximum of 8 anglers, making it intimate and special. We hope that the minute you walk in the door, you will feel at home.

Base Camp

Strategically set on a private estancia, right on the banks pf the Rio Corcovado. 

Anglers have relatively convenient access to all differents waters in the area, including the the Rio Corcovado, the lakes and small streams of the Rio Tigre basin, and the lakes, spring creeks and rivers of the Rio Pico area to the south.

This is and eco-friendly camp. The electricity used in the tens it is produce by Solar power Solar power, bathrooms and the living/dining tent, as well as creating more than enough hot water for the showers.

The Camp can take up to eight anglers, housed in four double-occupancy Safari-style wall tents imported from South Africa

Equipped with two comfortable beds with linens, electric lights, screened and shaded windows, places to hang clothes, and a propane heater for colder weather. Also there is a very comfortable dining and living room tent with deck overlooking the river. It’s a wonderful place in which to relax – outside on the deck or inside, warm and cozy

In most sections of the Camp there ir Satellite Wifi available. 

The fishing

We provide our clients with a diverse array of productive angling options for brown, rainbow and brook trout in central Patagonia. Some of the featured and famed fisheries available to anglers include the Futaleufu, Nant y Fall, Arrayanes, Rivadavia, Corinto, Carrileufu, and Corcovado rivers, Kruger and Verde lakes and many other smaller rivers and streams.

Some waters are floated, some are waded, and at times a combination of the two depending on conditions and desires. Most trout are in the 16 to 23-inch range, with many exceeding 23 inches. Trout species, size, and numbers vary depending on the waters fished with some waters that produce numbers, some that produce size, and some that produce both. You can also fish for a wild strain of landlocked salmon that were only released in two basins in Argentina, one of them being the Rio Futaleufu Basin, where we are located. Although these are not native species (introduced in Patagonia in the early 1900’s) they easily adapted and spread out in most of our rivers and lakes. We have browns, rainbows, brook trout and landlocked salmon.

Guests fish two anglers per guide and employ a variety of fly fishing techniques depending on water and fishing conditions. Whether casting big terrestrial dry flies, pulling streamers or working dry dropper rigs El Encuentro’s program has the experience and range to fish a huge range of water types.

Our guides utilize a combination of rafts outfitted with fly fishing frames and fiberglass drift boats to access area fisheries. Guests should arrive fully prepared with their own fishing gear including waders and boots, rods and reels, and flies. Guides will supply you with leaders and tippet and fill-in any missing gaps in your fly selection as needed to ensure that you have the right pattern for the right 

Gear and Equipment

For Fishing

We recommend long-sleeved fishing shirts and nylon fishing pants, as well as a good hat and polarized sunglasses. Remember, the sun is very intense this far south, so be sure to bring sunblock.

For Evenings

Evening attire at the lodges is casual. Jeans or khakis and a fishing shirt will be appropriate. Bring a sweater or light down jacket to enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine outside in the cool night air. A casual shoe or slipper to wear inside the lodge is recommended.

Laundry

Laundry services are available at all lodges. El Encuentro Lodge includes laundry service during your stay; other lodges may charge a nominal fee.

Fishing Gear

Gear for Rent: El Encuentro offers fishing gear for rent at US$150 per person for the duration of your trip. This includes Simms waders, Simms boots, Simms rain jacket, two rods, two reels, extra spool, floating and sinking lines, leaders, tippets and all the necessary gear to ensure a great day of fishing.

Waders

We recommend breathable stocking-foot waders and wading boots with either rubber or felt soles. While you may choose to wet wade some days, there will be days it will be better to have waders. Be sure your waders and especially your wading boots are CLEAN and DRY before arriving in Argentina. Upon arrival, we will wash your waders and boots and give them the right treatment to reduce the chances of spreading invasive species.

Pack warm socks and long underwear to wear under your waders.

Fly Rods

Please bring two to three rods. We recommend a 5-weight and a 6-weight rod. The 6-weight will help you cast through any windy spells and the 5-weight will be helpful for casting dry flies, dry droppers, and small streamers.

Reels

Your reel should match to each rod and have enough backing to hold up against the feisty wild trout!

Fly Lines

Floating lines for each rod, and a sinking tip for the 6 weight, 175 to 200 grains are the most effective lines in general. The two best sink tip lines are the Scientific Anglers Streamer Express (short head, 26’) and the RIO Outbound (24’ head), both in 200 grain.

These will pair well with a 6 weight.

Leaders and Tippet

Typically, 0X or 1X leaders 7.5’ long, and 3X leaders 9’ long, are the most versatile leaders for the area. Bring a range of tippet material from 1X to 5X or 6X just in case. Our guides have leaders and tippets, but best if you bring your own as well.

Flies

Many traditional flies are terrific for the rivers in Patagonia. Our guides will have most of the flies you’ll need, but it is a good idea to have a box with you in the event you find yourself needing a change and your guide is working with your fishing partner for the day.

The guides from El Encuentro Fly Fishing will help you fill in any gaps in your selection of flies. We sell a good assortment of patterns at the lodge to help round things out. The price is US$2.50 each. We also offer a special deal on a small waterproof fly box with our logo plus 40 flies of the patterns we recommend for US$160.

Recommended Fly Patterns

Parachute Adams, Royal Wulffs, Grey Wullfs, Elk hair caddis, black ants—all sizes 10-16. Rusty spinners (we prefer the parachute style spinner tie, easier to see and floats best), Harrop’s paraspinner is a good choice here, sizes 12-18.

Some bigger attractor patterns will also be useful: PMXs (or bugmeisters) with rubber legs in sizes 6-10, Stimulators, yellow, orange or green, sizes 8-16, and a good variety of grasshoppers, various colors, sizes 6-10.

Larger terrestrials would include: Chubby Chernobyl, Willy’s Ants (black), Fat Alberts (black and tan), Gypsy Kings/Ninja Cicadas (black), Eldon’s Ant (tan), and any other foam and rubber-legged concoctions that you like in sizes 4-10.

Nymphs

Hare’s ears, pheasant tails, princes, copper johns. You should have some with bead heads (tungsten is best) and some with no bead, varying from size 10 to 18. Also a few San Juan worms (we like claret and tan).

Streamers

Woolly Buggers with bead or cone heads (olive, black and some with rubber legs), sizes 4-10. A few egg-sucking leeches and zonkers (olive, natural) can be handy in sizes 4-6. A small olive zonker in a size 10 makes a good dragonfly nymph, a small wooly bugger would be sufficient here as well. Clouser minnows (natural), sizes 4-6, Double bunnies (olive/white, tan/white, black/silver) sizes 4-6, any streamer with a mix of black and orange is good for the lakes in Rio Pico. Yuk bugs, black with white rubber legs, sizes 4-8 also work well.

Other Gear

Other good gear to bring includes: dry fly flotant, fly line cleaners, hemostats/forceps, clippers and leader straighteners. Remember to bring sunscreen 30 SPF or higher to keep in your fishing vest or boat bag.

Clothing Suggestions

Clothing

Weather conditions in our part of Patagonia are typically similar to what you find in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming during your summer months. You can expect warm daytime temperatures, up to the 80 degrees (rarely warmer, but sometimes) and evening temperatures in the 50 to 60 degree range. Early and late seasons (November through December and March through April) will typically bring cooler daytime and evening temperatures, and some evening frosts.

We are at the edge of the Andes, so weather can change very quickly and rainstorms can bring much cooler temperatures. You will undoubtedly get to experience the famous Patagonian wind sometime during your stay. The best approach is to layer your clothing, so you can add or remove layers.

Depending on the conditions, a vest, fleece jacket, wool hat, and gloves can be nice to have. A Gore-Tex or equivalent rain shell is a necessity for rain and wind. Bring comfortable walking shoes or light hiking boots to wear when you are not fishing.

How to get here?

All of our great fishing programs are located in the province of Chubut, in Patagonia, Argentina. The main city which provides services to this area is Esquel (EQS). Aerolineas Argentinas is the only airline which maintains a daily flight to Esquel airport from Buenos Aires. Another option is to fly from Buenos Aires to Bariloche depending on the day and time of your arrival and departure. Bariloche has up to 5 flights per day from Buenos Aires every day of the week. The transfer time to Esquel from Bariloche is about 5 hours. There is an additional cost for us to meet you at the Bariloche airport (US $350 per vehicle which seats 3 passengers). 

FLYING TO ARGENTINA

From the US

United, American, Delta, Aerolíneas Argentinas. Your flights should be booked from your city of origin to Buenos Aires.

From England

British Airways has a direct flight from London to Buenos Aires.

AIRPORTS

Buenos Aires has two airports - Ezeiza (EZE, international) and Aeroparque (AEP, domestic). Almost all international flights arrive into Ezeiza and most domestic flights in Argentina depart from Aeroparque. It is necessary to transfer by taxi or shuttle from the international airport to the domestic airport for your flight to Patagonia.

Depending on the time your international flight lands, you might be able to travel directly to Patagonia on the same day. Please keep in mind that you should plan to land in Ezeiza at least 3 hours before your domestic flight. This gives you at least one hour to clear immigrations and customs, one hour to transfer between airports, and one hour ahead of your flight time to check in for your domestic flight to Patagonia. We recommend staying a night in Buenos Aires on your way down so that you arrive into Patagonia well rested and ready to start the week of fishing the following day.

In either Esquel or Bariloche, one of our staff will be present to meet you for your transfer by car to the lodge.

On your return, please keep in mind that the flight from Esquel lands in Aeroparque in the late afternoon period, arrival time varies by the day of the week. You need to plan for half an hour to claim luggage and an hour to an hour and a half to transfer to Ezeiza international airport. 

ITINERARY

DAY 1: Overnight flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, arriving the following morning.

Note: If you are planning to connect directly to Esquel on the same day, keep in mind that you need to allow your-self four hours to make the internal flight connection. If not, you could spend a night at Buenos Aires or fly to Bariloche airport, the second nearest to Esquel.

DAY 2 : EEFF can arrange to have a driver greet you and take youto Aeroparque, Buenos Aires’s domestic airport. Fly to Esquel, in the heart of central Patagonia. Upon arrival you will be met by El Encuentro Flyfishing team and driven to El Encuentro Lodge, beautifully set on the banks for the Rio Futaleufu, near the village of Trevelin, 1 hour drive approx. Arrive at the lodge in time to settle in, prepare your fishing gear and go fishing into the evening for those who are up for it! Enjoy a welcome dinner and good night’s rest.

DAY 3: You and your guides will get to explore and fish the amazing waters of this area. Each day will bring something new, based on where the fishing is best, and your preferences for float or walk/wade fishing. Almost no matter where you go, you have the chance to catch a large trout – whether on the Rio Futaleufu, smaller stream or in a private lake. We really love fishing the Rio Futaleufu, starting or ending right at the lodge. Riverside lunches are wonderfully delicious!

DAY 4: One of the options could be to fish the Corinto River one of our favorite fisheries today, one to which El Encuentro has private access. You will be the only anglers exploring these productive, beautiful waters. From small channels to larger open pools, riffles and weed beds, these waters hold surprisingly large trout. Cast to rising fish or go deep with a nymph or small streamer.

DAY 5: Depart El Encuentro Lodge after breakfast, your guides will drive you to Brook Trout Base Camp. You will get a whole day fishing on your way down south to the camp. Arrive in the afternoon, you will have time to settle in,relax, and enjoy a welcome dinner!

DAY 6: You will explore this remote country with our guides – finding water and the trout and type of fishing you prefer. Each day will be designed to match your ideals with the best fishing options. Cast into the beautiful pools of the Rio Corcovado or from the wild shores of Lago Vintter for large rainbows, stalk trophy brook trout in the nearby Engaño region, and/or sample private spring creeks or small lakes for beautiful rainbow and brown trout in the Rio Pico area.

DAY 7: Your guides will take you to fish / float one of the four lakes inside the estancia. If weather allows it you will cast flies to cruising fish along the banks or in the flats.

DAY 8: Enjoy a whole day fishing the amazing Rio Tigre. The Rio Tigre drains all this water to the Pacific, with over 20 miles of rarely fished waters before flowing into Chile. Both the Rio Tigre and Rio Corcovado systems hold very strong populations of brook trout, with an average weight of about 3 pounds, and the possibility of hooking a 10+ trophy brookie!

DAY 9: At the appointed time, your guide will take you back to the Esquel airport for the early afternoon flight to Buenos Aires. If you are flying directly home today, El Encuentro Flyfishing can arrange to have a driver take you to the international airport in time to allow about 3 hours prior to departure. Your overnight flight will arrive back in the States the next morning.

BEAGLE TOURS

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.