Tres Rios guides have over 15 years experience floating and fly fishing the rivers between Chaiten and Cochrane in Patagonia Chile. We started taking our returning guests from Tres Rios Lodge on Road Trips in 2003 to solve the dilemma of showing new water to old friends. A typical program, although they are all custom designed for each group, has started with an early flight from Puerto Montt to Chaiten, fishing the Rio Yelcho the same day. From there the options include Lago Yelcho, and the extensive watersheds of the rivers Futaleufu, Palena, Rosselot, Figueroa, Cisnes and Manihuales, including all the more remote side streams, lakes and lagunas that are often more interesting than the main rivers. Often we meet anglers coming from Argentina at the Futaleufu border and run a circuit that ends either back at Futaleufu, Chaiten or Balmaceda.
The town of Chaiten has been devastated and the airport closed due to the eruption of the volcano of the same name. At this time (August 2009), all flights to the area are still suspended. We will be using the Balmaceda airport on one end of our Road Trip, with the options of Palena, La Junta or Esquel on the other. Time will tell how the Futaleufu-Yelcho watershed has been affected by the ash fallout. Although it would be a pity to lose that fabulous fishery, there remain sufficient options in our Road Trip to fish something new each day for 4 weeks.
An incredible trip would start with Tres Rios Lodge for a couple days, take the Lake Crossing to Bariloche, fish a few days out of Esquel, and meet us again in Futaleufu for the Patagonia Road Trip ending at Balmaceda. In this way you would fish the best water, see the most incredible scenery, experience authentic Patagonia on both sides of the Andes, and come away with an experience never to be forgotten. This creme de la creme program should include 4 good friends and requires at least 2 weeks.
We use a network of private cabins, BnBs, and small hotels strategically positioned to cover this entire area. In general we fish a different fishery, or stretch of a river, each day and stay at a different venue each night. Not having to return to a fixed point each evening, travel time is minimized, while fishing and adventure time is maximized. There is absolutely no better way to see more of Patagonia and fish a wider variety of rivers than to join us on a Road Trip. Each site is different and each one has all the creature comforts an angler needs. Our friends and partners in Patagonia are descendents of colonists that first settled the area, who in turn have lived their lives in this magnificent but difficult country. We believe in supporting local people with initiative.
There is also the option to fly out by helicopter to magnificent spots that are virtually unreachable by other means. This is the part of Chile where the Andes range runs into the ocean, and when you see this splendor for yourself you'll know that I am not exaggerating about the difficulty in reaching some spots. One great aspect of heli-fishing is that you can hop from one fishery to another in 10 to 15 minutes by chopper when it would take a day or more by other means. Coastal rivers are notorious for being hot and cold; when fish are in from the ocean you hit the jackpot, if they are absent, or the river milky you're out of luck if you're fishing from a lodge or a yacht. By helicopter you get back in the bird and buzz off to another of many, many options. Bad weather on the horizon? Hop back to base quickly and safely in the helicopter, whereas you could be stuck for days on a boat or in a camp.
No contest, if your budget allows you to go by chopper, then it is, without a doubt, the best way to fish exclusive water that has been locked up and reserved by nature. As one member in a group of four fishermen, helicopter costs woud be about $500 per day. Tres Rios does not own helicopters, nor operate them, nor commercialize them. We reserve them and make all the arrangements. Days spent helifishing in Patagonia will always be among the most memorable times of your life.