Trout on the Futaleufú, Chile

Across the border from Esquel, Argentina and deep in the Coihue Forest of the Tenth Region of Chile flows the deep blue of the Futaleufú River. A world away from the bustle that even sleepy Esquel represents, the “Big River” (Futaleufú’s translation from the native Tehuelche tongue) rolls along amid some of the most unspoiled mountain scenery on the planet.

South of the Chilean Lake District, Futaleufú is a standalone fishery. This giant river grows healthy numbers of rainbow and brown trout that are fed by abundant hatches of mayfly, caddis, and stoneflies. An abundant resident stock of fish and great hatches combined with classic fly water make the Futaleufú a trout fisherman’s paradise!

THE FISHING

At Futa Lodge the fishing is primarily for browns and rainbows using dry flies and streamers either from drift boats or wading. Other species occasionally encountered in the Futaleufú and Espolon Rivers include chinook, silvers, Atlantic salmon, sea-run brown trout, and steelhead. Futa Lodge is strictly a catch-and-release fishery.

Futa maintains easy access to some of the prime waters on the Futaleufú River, directly in front of the lodge. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of fishing from Futa is the variety of the rivers and techniques used to deceive the resident and occasional sea-run fish that inhabit these amazing waters.

For anglers who enjoy the visual aspect of dry fly fishing to free rising fish, Futa offers some of the most technically demanding match-the-hatch fishing. The crystal-clear waters of the Futaleufú, its tributaries and countless smaller streams promote exceptional fly hatches of multiple species, and trout rise to them at all times of the day, though our warm summer evenings regularly produce trout feeding frenzies.