The Fishing Program at La Posada de los Farios
Fishing conditions at La Posada 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 support healthy
numbers of 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 mature wild trout. 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 intimate spring creeks
and lagunas, and use lightweight waders for the deeper portions
of the river that require more aggressive wading. State-of-the-art
angling rafts with rowing frames are on hand and the day long
float trips offer a Montana-style accent to this terrific South
American experience. The Cisnes 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.
Moving Water Floats
The Upper River Float:
(Classification: Moderate to difficult) Starts roughly
1 hour upriver to the east of the lodge. This is a 10 mile float
and can make for a very long day. However, it can be broken up
into 2 parts if anglers are willing to make an approximate 1 mile
hike out from the river to the road at the 1⁄2 way point.
(It is a moderately difficult hike along a dirt road with a short
but steep uphill accent of approx. 300 yards. This float section
is the highlight of our fishing program both fishing wise and
scenically. It flows through semiarid mountainous terrain and
can offer excellent dry fly action with the right conditions.
There is one class III rapid to be navigated
about 3⁄4 of the way through the float. We typically
fish large attractor dries like Chernobyls, Fat Alberts, Gypsy
Kings and Hoppers. However, streamer fishing can be very productive
as well, especially with wet high water conditions. Wooly Buggers
with white rubber legs typically work the best. Fish on this section
average between 15-18 inches and anglers often have shots at fish
20 inches or better. We sometimes make stops to fish one of the
several spring fed lagunas or small spring creeks that are accessible
along the river where larger trout can be found and often sight-fished
to. From the take out it is about a 40-minute drive back to the
lodge. An overnight float option is expected to be available in
2010 - super unique and exciting!
Lodge Float:
(Classification: Easy) This float
starts right from the lodge and is about 6 miles long.
This is a good place to start the week after the long trip down
to Chile. This section is wide and meandering and floats through
some old growth Coihue (coy-way) forest that makes up the transition
zone between the drier Patagonian steppe and the coastal temperate
rain forest. Fish average 10-14 inches on this section of the
river and are very abundant. This is not to say that larger fish
cannot be found here! All of the very largest predatory browns
(25 inches +) we have caught from the lodge have been on this
section of the river. The river passes by 2 small tributaries,
The Rio Las Torres and the Rio Rodriguez, and anglers may stop
to fish the lower sections of either one of these, as well. Again,
we typically fish large attractor dries like Chernobyls, Fat Alberts
and Gypsy Kings. Black-bottomed foam flies seem to be the most
productive - we believe this is because fish are always on the
look out for beetles that are especially abundant in this area.
Every 2 years we experience a prolific hatch of the huge Cantaria
beetles (large stag beetles) from mid December through February.
Streamer fishing can also be very productive, especially with
wet high water conditions. Wooley buggers with white rubber legs
perform very well. From the take-out it is only about a 15-minute
drive back to the lodge. This float can also be done in 2 parts.
We often offer the upper 1⁄2 of this float as an option
on a guests day of arrival.
Lower Canyon Float:
(Classification: Moderate to Difficult)
This float option is a brand new for us having just recently
been opened up as a result of the expansion of the “Carretera
Austral” or “Southern Highway” now in the process
of being paved to the north. The float begins about 25 kilometers
down river to the west of the lodge (30 minutes). Here the river
delves into the lush coastal rainforest with even more rugged
and spectacular glaciated mountain terrain providing for the back
drop. Along the way to the put-in we pass by Villa Amengual, a
quaint rural village of about 200 inhabitants and our closest
link to civilization. The river gets big down here and flows several
miles away from the road and, due to the fact that there is a
tricky class IV rapid to be negotiated, we will only undertake
this float when the water flow conditions are favorable. We choose
not to chance making this float during too high of water conditions
and, for safety reasons, we will only operate this float as a
two boat trip. Almost every group during 2007 was able to make
the trip but, we can not guarantee it will be an option for everyone
during their stay. It is hard to imagine a more spectacular float
in Chile or, anywhere else in the world for that matter. The river
is big, the mountains are big, the forest is lush and primeval
and, although the typical brown is not overly large, we have seen
some truly monster browns come out of the depths on nearly every
trip we have made down there, especially in the tight canyon sections
along the rock walls. We believe it is only a matter of time before
someone lands a 30+ inch fish down there. It is challenging fishing,
often throwing large flies on heavy sinking lines but, there is
the very real possibility of catching, or at least getting a glimpse
of, that brown trout of a lifetime.
The Rio Manihuales:
(classification: Easy) Due
to the present paving of the Carretera Austral (Southern Highway)
it will now be reasonable for us to add the Rio Manihuales to
our float fishing options. There are 3 or 4 floatable sections
of this river from about 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes away
from the lodge. This will be our closest and only option (aside
from the coast) where we can fish for rainbow trout
in addition to brown trout. The Manihuales is a large river and
best fished from a boat. The river is rugged with immense logs
lining the banks in several areas providing for excellent structure
for larger fish. Deep pools with high rock walls on other sections
also provide great habitat for large fish. The terrain surrounding
the Manihuales is very similar to the middle Cisnes area near
the lodge and highlighted by spectacular views of Cerro Picacho,
an impressive peak reminiscent of the Matterhorn. The Browns and
Rainbows of the Manihuales average good size and it is almost
a given that someone during the day will land a fish in excess
of 20 inches during a days float.
Walk and Wade
Lower river wade options: There
is some moderately easy wading to do right in front of the lodge
that becomes easier the lower the water gets. During high
water we will suggest floating instead. This is a good option
on the day of arrival.
(Classification: Moderate to difficult)
About 10 minutes up from the lodge there is a gorgeous wading
option at a place we call Jose’s. This is moderately difficult
wading and involves and fair amount of walking. The river bottom
is primarily large cobbles and boulders, but not slippery, nor
is the current overly fast. This section of the river is very
rarely fished. It is quite scenic here where the river leaves
the rugged canyon section of the river called La Garganta (“The
Throat”). A few seasons some of our guests spotted a rare
Huemul deer here at close range. Fish tend to average small, 10-14
inches but are abundant and we often do very well here fishing
smaller dries. Especially productive are small (#14) black beetles,
but larger attractor dries also can work well. We typically bring
a raft with us to cross the river and to fish a large pool that
is inaccessible wading and where we have the best luck for larger
fish. There are also a couple of hidden and protected oxbow lagunas
here that can produce some nice size trout, and are a nice respite
during windy days.
The New Zealand Hole
(Classification: Moderate to difficult) There is also another
wading area just upriver from here we call The New Zealand Hole,
named as such because it is a deep canyon pool like what I have
always envisioned it to be like in NZ. It involves a 1⁄4
mile walk down a moderately rugged trail to reach. This is where
the lodge record brown (31 inches) was caught in 2005 during high
water conditions; a 28 inch fish was also caught here the same
day, both using streamers. It is a gorgeous place to fish with
steep granite walls surrounding a deep bottomless pool. This is
a good place to spot large browns that are very difficult to trick
into eating a fly. However, it is rugged and only recommended
for agile anglers who are able to scramble over steep rock along
the river’s edge to get into position to present a fly.
There is some relatively easy wading where the pool tails out.
Dry fly action can be very good here but, as is typical with many
of the deep pools along the Cisnes, the fish can be very spooky
and some very accurate casting is often required to be successful
here.
Tributaries:
(Classification: reasonably easy wading)
There are 2 small tributaries, The Rio Las Torres and the Rio
Rodriguez, located about 10 minutes downstream from the lodge
that can be fun to fish. They are both reasonably easy wading.
Getting to the Rio Las Torres involves using a raft to cross,
or crossing using a small cable car that traverses about 20 feet
above the water. Both rivers produce primarily small browns, but
we have seen 20+ inch fish come out of both of them over the years.
(We believe these larger fish are spawners that decided to stay
in the tributary to prey on the smaller fish.) The tributaries
can be good options during windy days as they are relatively protected.
We access another tributary called the Canelo River about 10 minutes
up from the lodge that can also be a lot of fun but, the wading
can be moderately difficult as it is very rocky. All of these
tributaries are only good for a few hours each so we will sometimes
move from one to the next to make a full day out of it.
The Moro River:
(Classification: Difficult) is another
productive tributary that comes into the Cisnes about 40 minutes
up-river from the lodge. It has a very scenic canyon with nice
pools and is relatively arid and protected. Dry fly action can
be very good and we often find larger browns in each of the main
pools. It is tough wading and only recommended for the anglers
who are strong waders and hikers and up for a good strenuous adventure.
The upper Upper Cisnes:
(Classification: Easy wading) Larger
average fish (14-18 inches) on this section. About 1 hour upriver
from the lodge the Cisnes splits and the southern branch becomes
a small and very easily waded river that could probably best be
described as a creek. This is where the mountains begin to fade
giving way to the vast open Pampa to the east. Conditions tend
to be windier here because of the relative lack of protection.
This section can make for excellent dry fly fishing especially,
during the hopper season from (mid-January through mid-March)
and then afterwards as the mayfly action gets going, from mid-March
on. There are 2 main beats we wade fish on this section. There
are also several small spring-fed lagunas that are accessible
in this area that can produce some larger trout. Fishing these
section can involve a good amount of walking (1-2 miles) over
flat easy terrain.
The Main Upper Cisnes:
(Classification: Relatively easy wading)
About 50 minutes upriver. This is also relatively easy wading
with small gravel but, bigger water than the upper Upper section
(during high water times we typically opt to float fish rather
than wade this area). Again, dry fly action can be excellent during
the hopper season from (mid-January through mid-March) and then
afterwards as the mayfly action gets going, from mid-March on.
There are 3 main beats we fish here, all of which provide access
to some of the spring fed lagunas or small spring creeks that
can provide for good dry fly action for larger fish. Sight fishing
is often possible in these lagunas. Again, a fair amount of walking
(1-2 miles) over easy terrain is required to best take advantage
of the fishing options in this area. River crossing can be difficult,
especially during higher water conditions.
Also, an addition to the wading options:
(Classification: Moderate difficulty)
It is possible to hike (1 mile moderate difficulty) into the 1⁄2
way point of the upper river float section for wade fishing. This
is an extensive (2 miles of river) and easily waded section that
offers very good dry fly action for browns averaging 14-18 inches.
Especially productive during warm summer days offering perhaps
the best hopper fishing on the entire Cisnes River.
Stillwater Fisheries
Note: We typically try to provide
one-on-one guiding on the lakes as we feel this is the most productive
way to fish them. However, we cannot guarantee that this will
always be possible.
Lago Las Torres:
(Classification: Easy to moderately difficult)
Located about 20 minutes form the lodge. Surrounded by jagged
mountain peaks that literally rise up to over 1 mile above the
lake’s edge.
It is hard to imagine a more scenic setting. The lake is surrounded
by a lush and ancient old growth temperate rainforest and completely
protected within the 40,000-acre Lago Las Torres National Reserve.
There is a very healthy population of brown trout that average18-22
inches and are spectacularly colored due to the rich organic quality
of the water. Dry fly action can be superb on warm days as the
browns aggressively hunt adult dragonflies cruising just above
the water’s surface. It is common to see large fish launch
completely out of the water to capture dragonflies several feet
above the water. They will often exhibit the same aggressiveness
towards a large attractor dry fly, such as a Gypsy King, when
effectively presented. The explosiveness of the takes can be unforgettable.
There is a tremendous amount of structure along the edges of the
lake with numerous large logs, weed beds and reed areas. There
are several shallow open areas between the reeds and the shoreline
where large browns can sometimes be stalked and sight-fished to.
Hidden Lagoon:
(Classification: Moderate difficulty)
There is a remote and very productive hidden laguna (where we
keep an Outcast boat) that is connected to the main lake via a
small creek. It involves a moderately difficult 1⁄4 mile
trek through the jungle to reach it. The fishing in the laguna
can be excellent for fish averaging 18 inches and better. It is
very protected and a good place to be during windy conditions.
Lago Los Farios(Private Lake):
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 often float tube around in an
hour, or less. Visualize shallow, clear water, where you can see
many of the beautifully- marked 12 - 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 midsized 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 big 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!
Regarding our 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 last 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 averaging between 15 - 19 inches
that 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 drys (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
Flyfishing the Chilean Fjords
Our standard coastal fishing option involves
a 1.5 to 2 hour drive north to the Queulat National Park.
It is a tremendously beautiful drive and worth the visit just
for the scenery alone. We recommend it as an overnight and typically
use the quaint Cabanas Queulat as a place to overnight, but the
luxurious Termas de Puyuhuapi is also an option.
Floating the Rio Queulat:
(Classification: Easy to moderate) This
is a 4 mile float on the river that ends right at the Cabanas.
It is very scenic as it flows through the lush rain forest. Several
waterfalls are seen along the way. The water is incredibly clear.
The river has many small resident fish (browns and rainbows),
but our primary goal is to find the large sea-run fish that make
their way into the river. Sea-run Rainbows and Coho Salmon are
commonly found and Atlantics are also possible, but the highlight
is having a run-in with one of the elusive copper-colored sea-run
browns that hide among the logjams along the river’s edge.
This is technical fishing as there are a great deal of logs in
the river. Anglers should be prepared to lose several flies throughout
the day.
Wade fishing the Queulat River:
(Classification: Easy to moderate) We
can also wade fish the lower reaches of the Queulat River walking
out from the Cabanas.There are 2 very good pools about 1⁄4
and a 1⁄2 miles upriver, respectively, and this is where
we most commonly find large sea-run fish in this river. Wade fishing
this area involves a fair amount of walking. There is also a nice
wadeable run between these two pools that can also be productive.
In addition, at low tide, there is good fishing at the mouth of
the Queulat. The mouth area can be very good for sight fishing
when conditions are sunny and calm as there is a substantial shallow
flat on which to wade and stalk fish.
The Rio Ventisquero (Glacier River):
(Classification: Moderate difficulty)
Located about 20 minutes from the cabins. It is a larger braided
glacial river that requires a 1⁄2 mile walk from the vehicle
to get to the lower pools. The water is typically colored from
glacial silt and the best fishing tends to be early and late in
the season when there is less glacial melt water coming into the
river. We wade fish the lower 1 mile or so of this river where
it is not uncommon to find large sea-run rainbows and Cohos attracted
into the cold oxygen-rich waters. It is also common at the mouth
of the river to catch the native Robalo, which are abundant in
the brackish waters in search of small crabs. They are aggressive
towards flies stripped slowly along the bottom. Robalo are excellent
eating and we often bring them back to the Cabanas for a delicious
appetizer.
The Ventisquero Chico:
(Classification: Easy) This is a
small glacial-fed river and we typically only fish the very bottom
section of it where it dumps into the Puyuhuapi fjord. As with
all of the river bocas flowing into the salt, it is best to fish
this on or around low tide as there is more fishable water and
more space to move around. Rainbow trout and Cohos are the most
common sea-run fish to be encountered here.
The Point:
(Classification: Easy) This is an
old glacial moraine that is forms a point at the opening of the
Queulat fjord where it joins the Puyuhapi fjord. It is a spectacular
fishing location that trout, salmon and native Robalo are attracted
to because of the tidal currents continually wash back and forth
across it. It is common to see Toninas (Pacific white-sided porpoise)
while fishing here as well as Pelicans and the beautiful Black
Necked Swan. However, this area is exposed and weather conditions
need to be calm in order for us to fish here. This area can be
very good for sight-fishing when conditions are sunny and calm
as there is a substantial shallow flats area to wade and stalk
fish.
A note on the coastal fishing: Conditions
and fishing success are highly variable on the coast and
anglers should be aware that we make no promises about experiencing
great fishing out there. However, we can guarantee great scenery
and a unique experience. This is also a great place to take non-fishing
spouses as there is a tremendous amount of sightseeing to do here.
The highlight is the spectacular Hanging
Glacier for which the park is famous for, and its surrounding
trails, as well as a visit to the quaint port of Puyuhuapi that
was founded by young German immigrants in the late 30’s
and where you can tour the rug factory they built that is still
in operation.
Note about equipment for coast fishing: We recommend 7 or 8 weight
rods for the coast with both floating and fast sink-tip lines,
0X or 1X 9ft leaders for floating lines and shorter leaders for
sink-tip lines.
