Most of the fishing opportunities in Chile are for trout. Brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout are all available in various rivers and lakes in Chile.
All three species were introduced to the country, mostly by European settlers around the turn of the 20th century. They wanted to have something to fish for, so they brought their favorite species along! Many rivers in Chile, especially in the southern part of the country, look very similar to trout rivers in the American West, so it’s no wonder that trout have thrived here.
Chile Trout Fishing Techniques
Since the diet of Chilean trout is very similar to that of trout in the American West, the techniques that we use to fish for them are similar too. Dry flies imitating mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies all produce. Nymphing using standard patterns works great as well – either using an indicator rig, or more often, fishing a nymph as a dropper beneath a large dry fly.
Since trout here can get big, streamers are particularly effective. In small- to medium-sized rivers, streamers can be fished using floating lines and weighted flies or lead on the leader. In the larger, faster, deeper rivers, it’s helpful to have a heavy sinktip rig to really get those big flies down.
Chile Trout Fishing Equipment
Since the rivers here and the techniques used vary widely, it’s helpful to have a range of rods along on a fishing trip here. 3 and 4 weight rods are great in the small streams where brook trout tend to live. The water that you’re covering here is small and the fish don’t get particularly big, so it’s a great opportunity to break out a lightweight stick.
5 and 6 weight rods are the most versatile. They allow you to fish a wide variety of patterns – from large dry flies to small nymphs and streamers too. Rods of this size are a good match for most of the trout in this part of the world. The big boys will put a big bend in your 6 weight.
When dredging big streamers in deep holes in the biggest rivers, a 7 weight rod with a sinktip in the 250 grain range is great to have along. The biggest brown trout often get caught fairly deep – get yourself in the game!
Rio Salvaje Lodge
Deneki Outdoors operates a fishing and eco-tourism lodge called Rio Salvaje at the foot of Hornopiren National Park. We’d love the opportunity to help you plan a trip to Chile – just click here to get in touch with us!
