A step-by-step guide to planning a fly fishing trip to Argentine Patagonia from the US: when to go, how long to stay, who to fish with, flights, licenses, gear and what is included.
Planning a fly fishing trip to Patagonia comes down to a handful of questions: when to go, how long to stay, who to fish with, how to get there and what is actually included. This guide takes them one at a time.
We run a five-room lodge on the Carrileufú River in the Cholila valley, in Argentine Patagonia, so where it helps we tell you how a week with us works. The steps apply wherever you end up fishing.
Planning a Patagonia fishing trip?
Tell us the month you have in mind and how many anglers. We reply within one business day with the open weeks and what a week here includes.
1. Pick your month
The season in Argentine Patagonia opens on November 1 and runs through April, and the fishing changes as it goes.
November and December. Spring. The rivers carry good water and fish well, and there are fewer people on them. Rivers that drain lakes, like ours, clear and settle earlier than free-flowing water elsewhere in Patagonia.
January and February. Summer, and the peak months for numbers and size, with reliable dry fly fishing when the weather cooperates.
March and early April. Autumn. Brown trout and landlocked salmon move out of the lakes and into the rivers, and some of the largest fish of the year are caught in these weeks.
The honest answer is that the best month is the one you can come. If your dates are fixed, ask early: we only have five rooms, and some weeks are already taken by hosted groups. Our complete guide to fly fishing the Carrileufú goes deeper on the season month by month.
2. Decide how long to stay
A standard fishing week is seven nights with six guided days on the water, and that is how our weeks are set up. Shorter stays are possible if you want fewer fishing days.
From the US, plan on about ten days door to door for a full week. The overnight flight lands in Buenos Aires in the morning, you spend a night in the city, fly on to Patagonia the next day, fish your week, then fly back to Buenos Aires for the overnight flight home.
3. Choose who to fish with
There are three common ways to fish Patagonia. You can stay at a lodge, which is your base for the week while its guides take you to the water around it. You can book a trip that moves between several lodges or camps. Or you can book through an agent who packages one of those for you. Our post on Patagonia fly fishing lodges, compared covers how the main regions and lodge styles differ.
Whichever route you take, a few questions tell you most of what you need to know about a lodge, guide or outfitter:
How many anglers per guide? Ours is one guide for every two anglers.
How many rods at a time? We take ten at most, which is the whole lodge.
Float, wade or both? Days here are a mix: some days you drift a river in the boat, others you leave it and wade a run properly.
Which waters? We fish the Carrileufú and the rivers and lakes around Los Alerces National Park, including the Rivadavia and Arrayanes, and change the water most days to suit the conditions. The Carrileufú itself is fly-only, catch and release water.
What is included, and what is not? More on that in step 7.
In much of Patagonia the better water takes local knowledge to reach, and relationships built over years with the people who live along the rivers. That is a large part of what a good guide brings.
4. Book your flights
Overnight flights from Miami, New York, Houston, Atlanta and Dallas land at Ezeiza (EZE), the international airport in Buenos Aires, early in the morning. We recommend a night in the city before you connect south: it absorbs any delay on the long flight, and it gives you a day in Buenos Aires. Here is our guide to the city.
From Buenos Aires there are two ways into our part of Patagonia.
Esquel (EQS). Only Aerolíneas Argentinas flies there, from Aeroparque (AEP), the downtown airport, in about two and a half hours. Esquel is the closest airport to us, about an hour and a half to an hour and forty minutes by road on Route 40, and the transfer is included in your week. Because international flights land at Ezeiza, you may have to change airports in Buenos Aires. Compare flights from Buenos Aires to Esquel.
Bariloche (BRC). More flights and usually cheaper fares, some of them straight from Ezeiza. The drive to us is about two and a half to three hours, and we can arrange a transfer for an additional fee.
Tell us which one you are looking at and we will tell you honestly which works better for your dates. Our posts on fly fishing near Esquel and fly fishing near Bariloche cover both towns.
5. Sort out the fishing license
You need the Patagonian fishing permit to fish here. At La Pilarica it is included in your week, along with the national park fees, and we arrange it for you, so there is nothing to do before you arrive. If you fish elsewhere, our post on the Argentina fishing license explains how it works.
6. Pack the right gear
If you bring one rod, make it a 6-weight: it is the best all-round rod for our water, with a floating line for dries and nymphs or a 200 or 250 grain sinking tip for streamers. A 5 or 4-weight works if you prefer lighter tackle for dries and nymphs, but we mostly fish big attractor patterns and windy days are common. For streamers, a 7-weight is just right. Bring waders and boots that fit you well. If you would rather not travel with a rod, ask us when you book.
Patagonia's weather changes fast, so pack layers: a rain jacket, fleece or wool, gloves and a warm hat, plus sun protection, quick-dry shirts and light pants for the warm hours. Our fly fishing gear guide for Patagonia has the full list, flies included.
7. Know what is included
Lodge weeks in Patagonia are often all inclusive, but the details differ, so check them line by line. A week with us includes:
Included. Your room, all meals, wine and drinks, six days of guided fishing with one guide for every two anglers, round trip transfers from Esquel, fishing licenses and park fees, and Starlink wifi at the lodge.
Not included. Flights to Esquel or Bariloche, fishing equipment and flies, gratuities and travel insurance.
Tipping guides and lodge staff is customary, and we are happy to give you a guideline when you book. For a sense of what trips cost across the region, see our post on what a Patagonia fly fishing trip costs. We send our own exact rates with your dates.
8. Plan for everyone coming along
If someone in your group does not fish, it is worth planning their days too. Here, horseback riding, kayaking and walks in Los Alerces are all easy to arrange, and there is a lower rate for partners who do not fish. Solo anglers are welcome too; a single supplement applies.
One more practical point: there is Starlink wifi at the lodge, but cell service in the valley is limited, and most guests come to see that as part of the appeal.
Ready to plan your week?
Send us the month you have in mind and how many anglers. We will come back within one business day with the open weeks, rates for your dates and a sample itinerary built around the fishing you want.
Plan your week on the Carrileufú
Tell us the month and how many anglers, and we will send the open weeks and rates for your dates.
When is the best time for a Patagonia fly fishing trip?+
The season runs from November through April. January and February are the peak months for numbers and dry fly fishing, November and December are quieter on the rivers, and March and early April are the time for large brown trout.
How many days do I need for a Patagonia fly fishing trip?+
A standard week is seven nights with six days of fishing. With the flights and a night in Buenos Aires, plan on about ten days door to door from the US.
Which airport is best for fly fishing near Esquel and Cholila?+
Esquel (EQS) is the closest, about an hour and a half to an hour and forty minutes from our lodge by road, with the transfer included. Bariloche (BRC) has more flights and is often cheaper, but it is two and a half to three hours by road.
Do I need a guide to fly fish in Patagonia?+
Much of the better water here takes local knowledge and years of friendships with the people who live along the rivers to reach. That is a large part of what a good guide brings.
What is included in a fly fishing week at La Pilarica?+
Your room, all meals and drinks, six days of guided fishing with one guide for every two anglers, transfers from Esquel, fishing licenses and park fees.