Tres Rios guide, John Joy, first fished the Rio Simpson in 1976, and began guiding the waters around Coyhaique in 1990. Today we feel that the best way to appreciate the area is with a nomadic exploration of all the best fisheries in this extensive area of diverse climatic zones. All trips are custom designed for each group. We will discuss beforehand the best way to program the trip, whether returning to a traditional fly fishing lodge each night, making a base at excellent accommodations in Coyhaique, staying at more rustic accommodations nearer to fisheries, nearer yet with camping, or a combination of these options.
A typical program starts when your flight arrives to Balmaceda airport, a 45-minute drive south of Coyhaique. If your flight is early enough we can have you casting a fly within half an hour. From there the fishing options include Rio Simpson, and the extensive watersheds of the rivers Rio Mañihuales, Rio Emperador Guillermo, Rio Paloma, Rio Ñirehuao, Lagos Misterioso, Tamango, Frio, and Pollux, plus all the more remote smaller streams and spring creeks.
Weather will usually determine where the best fly fishing, and best experience, will be on any given day. The flexibility we have to change venue is important in maximizing the quality fishing time during your trip. Summers in Chile can be dry for months at a time but it's not unusual to see a little rain. Storms, when they come, are heavier near the coast (Rio Aisén, lower Rio Simpson, Rio Mañihuales, Rio Blanco) and weaker, or only overcast, closer to Argentina (Rio Ñirehuao, Lago Misterioso). As we have multiple lodgings sites, we can adjust an itinerary to get the best fishing under the best conditions.
The town of Coyhaique sits on the eastern side of the Andes Range and enjoys a more arid climate than areas west of the mountains and closer to the coast. The town of Puerto Aysén, only 65 km distant down the Rio Simpson valley, gets double the rainfall of Coyhaique. Small streams in the arid grassland pampa, famous for grasshopper fishing, flow through open range and eventually merge and form deeper rivers that flow to the coast. Nearer the coast the the mountains are covered with rainforest down to the riverbanks and the currents swirl around abundant rock and timber structure. The area is rich in its variety of steams, rivers, and lakes, each with its unique personality due to its location in relation to the mountains.
A trip to this area can also start or end with a stay at Tres Rios Lodge for a few days, fishing the Rio Petrohue and Rio Maullin, as well as all the adventure between Chaiten and La Junta.
| Photo Gallery | Guest Comments | Your Hosts |
