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Photos courtesy of Patrick Pendergast
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La Posada de los Farios • Chile, Patagonia
Rex Bryngelson has worked and guided for 14 years pioneering angling projects in Chilean Patagonia, and has chosen the Rio Cisnes (Swan River) and its tributaries near the Argentine border (150 kilometers to the North of Coyhaique) as his home. This is one of the finest fishing destinations in Chilean Patagonia, and offers a tremendous amount of geographical and angling diversity, including spectacular dry fly, streamer, and nymph fishing.
The Lodge: La Posada de los Farios sits high on the bank of the Cisnes. It opened for its first guests in January, 1994. The inaugural seasons were a success by every standard, and guests returned raving about every element of the program. The name, La Posada de los Farios, is native Chilean meaning "Inn of the Brown Trout."
Los Farios, itself, is on a small (4,000 acre) working cattle ranch near the entrance to Estancia Cisnes, one of the largest ranches in South America. The cozy ranch home, serving as the lodge, is just a stones throw away from the Rio Cisnes. It accommodates a maximum of 6 guests with comfortable guest rooms and private baths. Though well-appointed, this is a destination designed for serious fishermen. The itinerary of Los Farios centers around the angling, but no effort is spared to make guests comfortable, and the accommodations are in stark contrast to the remote Patagonian location.
Chef Fernando, a talented kitchen magician, serves delicious family-style meals with typical Chilean cuisine of fish, chicken and beef as his specialty. His wonderful breakfasts and dinners are a highlight, and the dining schedule is built around the day's fishing. Meals are always accompanied by fresh baked bread, salads, and garden-fresh vegetables from the garden are always complimented by the finest Chilean wines. Lunches are served in the field.
Mike Parker - Photos courtesy of Patrick Pendergast The Fishing Program: Three seasons of exploration and nine seasons of operation have yielded myriad destinations in the surrounding area. The river directly in front of Los Farios is slow flowing and easily waded for a mile or two in either direction. There are two creeks that enter the river downstream from the ranch and a number of small lakes and lagunas nearby. They are loaded with fish! Lots of medium-sized fish (1-3 pounds) and some larger ones lurking in the deeper spring-fed lagunas.
Most fishing is done in the Rio Cisnes, its tributary streams and spring creeks, and oxbow lagoons. Virtually all of the fly rodding is done in the shadow of the Andean peaks that form the Chilean/Argentine border. The beautiful Queulat National Park, (the jewel of the Chilean Patagonia park system), is just to the North. The drive to any one of the daily fishing destinations passes through some of the loveliest country on earth!
Angling options also include two spectacular, nearby lakes (with excellent evening caddis hatches). These lakes are full of fish in the 18" - 20" range. The most distant of the river fishing is less than 35 kilometers from the door. The wild and native browns actively feed on grasshoppers and, like the Nireguao, the grass bordering the regional water is teeming with them in January, February and March. Excellent late season mayfly hatches add to the complexity and diversity of the angling experience on the Cisnes and its tributaries.
Fishing at La Pasada de los Farios
Fishing conditions range from very easy to demanding, and fishermen of all skill levels and ages can expect to do well in normal conditions. The shallow tributaries are literally choked with smaller brown trout, offering non-stop action for anglers using high floating dry flies and grasshopper patterns, while the lagunas and large serpentine sections of the main stem of the Cisnes harbor healthy numbers of trout of true trophy proportions. Rex insists these Browns are thick in many of the regional rivers, lagunas, and spring creeks. There is also a moderate run of king salmon that can on occasion be targeted.
Very few of the wading destinations at Los Farios are challenging or difficult. Anglers often choose to wade "wet" in the spectacular spring creeks and lagunas, and use lightweight waders for the deeper portions of the river that require more aggressive wading. Truck & Rafts - Photo courtesy of Patrick Pendergast
A state-of-the-art angling raft with rowing frames are on hand and the day long float trips and overnight option offer a Montana-style accent to this terrific South American experience.
The Cisne Medio region forms the border between rain forest and dry pampa, at approximately 1,000' elevation. The weather is very reliable, and the warm Chilean summer is pleasantly accented by a few showers. Sweaters and rain jackets might be required, as the weather can be variable as fall approaches.
Lake Fishing at La Posada de los Farios
For many people, the thought of lake fishing conjures up images of vast, featureless expanses of water and hours of mind-numbing trolling, hoping for some unseen denizen of the deep to somehow find their lure and bite. Not very scintillating stuff. The lake and laguna fishing at Rex's couldn't be further from this kind of picture. Imagine instead small, manageable-sized lakes and ponds, the kind you can float tube around in an hour, or less. Visualize shallow, clear water, where you can see each of the beautifully-marked 20-inch browns before you cast to them. Consider that these fish see only a handful of anglers each year, and often rise eagerly and aggressively to large dry flies, as well as chasing mid-sized streamers and nymphs. In addition, some of the lagunas are tiny; the kind you sneak up to, not really believing anything bigger than a guppy could possibly live in, then stand slack-jawed as a giant brown head engulfs your hopper off the surface, the owner of which, when you set the hook proceeds to cartwheel wildly across the top of the water. No, trolling this DEFINITELY is not!
Photos courtesy of Rex Bryngelson "Regarding our newest, private lake: It's a great trip for those who enjoy riding horses. Our horses are very mellow. It's a relatively easy 1.5 hour ride (4 miles) beginning in arid open country on the upper river where the mountains just start to begin to settle down before melding into the open Patagonian pampas to the east. The trail rises up several hundred feet through this spectacular open mountain country before eventually leading into an old growth Lenga forest (Southern Beech) that surrounds the entire lake.
The lake (which we are now calling Lago Los Farios) is a mile and a half in length and truly pristine with fantastically clear water. One of our guests and guides this year had the rare experience of sighting an endangered Huemul (Andean Deer) close up as it waded along the lake's edge. There is a very large and healthy population of brown trout that average 18"+ and they are incredibly
stout and hard fighting. We believe that a prolific scud population is what contributes to their exceptional condition. Dragonflies are abundant and we often have great success taking fish on large dries (Gypsy Kings, Chernobyl Ants, etc.) throughout the season. As always, weather conditions dictate the techniques that we employ to take fish, with warm days typically providing the best surface action." - Rex Bryngelson
2008 Rates & Reservations
La Posada de los Farios' package prices include: All licenses, Ground transportation, Accommodations, Meals, Guide Service, Beer, Wine and mixes. Hard liquor and items of a personal nature are not provided. From the time you are met, to when you are returned to the plane, virtually everything is included!
Anglers will be picked up and returned to Coyhaique, Balmaceda, or any of the other regional destinations. The schedule at La Posada de los Farios can be custom-tailored to dovetail with packages at nearly any of the other regional lodges, guide services, or South American angling destinations.
Rate chart for your visit to La Posada de los Farios
NOTE: Guests who opt to explore the coastal fjords fishing with Rex have the option of returning to La Posada de los Farios each evening, for which there is no additional cost and is part of the standard package rate, or staying at a hosteria in one of the coastal villages. Anglers who choose to stay on the coast will incur a $125 per night/per person charge, to cover lodging and meals. The charge will be paid directly to Rex Bryngleson. Again, staying on the coast is only an option, but highly recommended.
Non-angling companions are welcome! La Posada de los Farios has a variety of interesting "non-fishing" options:
• Birdwatching: Condors, parrots, kingfishers, ibis and woodpeckers, to name a few. Huemul (Andean Deer) - courtesy of Rex Bryngelson
• Birdwatching: Condors, parrots, kingfishers, ibis and woodpeckers, to name a few.
• River rafting: There are many spectacular sections of the Rio Cisnes to raft. Most parts of the river are easy with little dangerous whitewater. However, challenging whitewater trips can be arranged for the adventurous visitor.
• The area around LPDLF is horse country and endless trails lead off in all directions through spectacular mountain vistas and virgin forest. Horses are well-mannered and sure-footed.
The Fisheries
Floating the Rio Cisnes: This is a beautiful and scenic day trip through water that can't be reached from the only regional road. These floats are full-day excursions with a shore lunch mid-afternoon. Some fishing is done from the raft (while floating) and some done from shore at select wading areas along the way. Much of the angling is done with streamers and nymphs and highlighted with sporadic hatches and, occasionally, superb dry fly fishing. An overnight trip can be arranged that offers a spectacular "evening hatch" option directly in front of the evening's camp site.
Wade Fishing: There is a variety of productive wading areas within a 1-hour drive of the lodge. Options range from larger, lower portions of the Cisnes to productive "spring creek lagunas" where truly large but selective browns can be sight-fished for using dry flies and small nymphs.
Lake Fishing: There are a number of wonderful lakes within reach of Posada de los Farios. The nearby Lago Las Torres is surrounded by spectacular rugged mountains and filled with voracious and impressively-sized brown trout (up to 25") that often can be enticed to the surface with large dry flies. The dragonfly action peaks in Dec/Jan and can provide for some incredible surface action. Anglers may also choose to try a beautiful secret hidden laguna that harbors fish that are often "scary" in proportion.
Horeseback, Lake Fishing: A highlight of many of our guest's week at the lodge is the horseback ride to a remote, privately-owned stillwater. Getting to this wooded, remote setting involves visiting with some true patagonian "pioneers" who homesteaded the area a half-century ago. The lake is literally "packed" with brown trout and the fishing is almost exclusively with dry flies.
Equipment (Rafts, Vehicles, Boats): La Posada de los Farios uses well-maintained 4WD vehicles for transportation. The float fishing is done from state-of-the-art, 14-foot self-bailing river rafts that are very stable, safe and comfortable. On the lakes, Rex uses a Zodiac raft, two Outcast PAC 1200 pontoon boats, a fiberglass skiff, or "U-style" float tubes (available but not required) to fish from.
Photo courtesy of Mike Parker

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