In the mid 1970's Chinook salmon eggs were planted in a few rivers in the Lakes Region of Chile with the intention of starting commercial ranching of kings in the southern hemisphere. This enterprise was abandoned but the salmon survived and flourished. Today there are wild runs of king salmon in virtually every river and estuary along the austral coast of Chile, from Tolten to Tierra del Fuego.
For many reasons our favorite river for salmon fishing is the Rio Petrohue, one of the rivers where the kings were first planted. It's our home river, only 15 minutes from the lodge, and the salmon are fresh, heavy, and healthy. Usually kings enter the river in mid-February, all through March, and into April. When it rains occasionally throughout the summer (as usual) salmon may arrive earlier, but in a dry summer they enter when the rains swell the river. No worries, when the salmon have yet to enter the Petrohue we travel to where they have started to run.
We fish for king salmon in the ocean from November through March trolling with downriggers, which can also get us into two other game species, sierra and corvina. In January and February we start out trolling for salmon but often switch to target tuna if we spot bird activity indicating their presence. March and April are the prime months for tuna. For many the most exciting fishing is for tuna as they feed on schools of sardines that they've forced to the surface. One can cast a fly or spinner into the fray and be assured of a fast, hard take from a 7 to 10 kg tuna. It's not unusual for a spin fishing angler to battle with 8 or 9 tuna in an outing, bringing about a third of them to hand. Your average fly caster could expect half of that. Caution: they'll try to pull your arms out of socket!
We might be the only lodge or outfitter in Chile that offers the flexibility to move around and go where the salmon are biting best at the moment. We can do this whether you are staying at Tres Rios Lodge or you're with us on a Road Trip further south in Patagonia. We are mobile! We know that your fishing vacation comes around only once a year, and to Chile maybe only once in a lifetime. It should be the best possible trip imaginable, and we'll make an extra effort to see that it is.
Chinook salmon are known to be moody, sometimes ignoring everything presented to them, and then at other times they'll give you a tiring workout that leaves you wondering why you made that last cast. Petrohue king salmon will take a fly, cast on either single-handed or two-handed rods. We get more Spey casters each season. Our guides are experienced with all techniques and you can fish for them in the manner that you prefer; spin, Spey, or single-handed fly rod.
There may be a few more takes per day with spin fishing over fly fishing, and the battle to land the salmon will be less exhausting, but there is a special sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when you land a Chinook salmon fly fishing. But you don't have to choose one or the other, you can do both. We'll get you in the right place, at the right time, with the right gear and years of experience to help you get that fly or spinner in the face of a chromer.
There are king salmon in rivers we fish on the Road Trip as well. Rivers Yelcho, Futaleufu, Palena, Rosselot, Manihuales, Aysen and others have salmon at different times during the season. Although Road Trips are usually in pursuit of trout and Patagonia scenery, there is no reason that we can't go for salmon and scenery. November would be the ideal time for a king salmon road trip.
King salmon up to 72 pounds have been caught spin fishing in Chile (33 kg), but it's more common to catch fish from 26 to 40 pounds (12 to 18 kg). We've had days averaging a hook-up every hour, but it's more common to have 3 to 5 hook-ups per boat per day. The best time to come for dedicated salmon fishing in the Lakes Region would be from mid-February and, most assuredly, March.
