Coyhaique River Lodge 

Chile

Employing good old fashioned hard work and determination, Chilean owners Gaston and Claudio Urrejola, did their research, found the perfect location and put in a heroic effort to create Coyhaique River Lodge, the newest addition to southern Chile’s growing list of world class fishing lodges.  Located just outside of the regional capital of Coyhaique, an area widely considered as Chile’s trout fishing Mecca, this first class lodge facility sets a new standard for the Coyhaique area. The lodge’s program offers a diverse and exciting array of excellent trout fishing locations as well as a variety of interesting activities for non-fishing partners.

Coyhaique River Lodge is a beautiful new facility overlooking the attractive Rio Coyhaique, a small user friendly freestone stream perfect for working the kinks out after a long international flight. A typical week long fishing itinerary would draw from a number of regional favorites including the nearby rivers: Simpson, Nirehuao, Paloma, Manihuales, Emperador Guillermo and Azul. Several smaller spring creeks and   trophy still waters are also on the menu.

Coyhaique River Lodge’s setting is truly spectacular with the pleasant rolling foothills of the Andes leading up to higher snow covered peaks that are visible in every direction. This lodge experience offer guests first-class accommodations and meals in a quiet and convenient location as well as diverse fishing opportunities for some of Chile’s finest wild trout.

Location:
Coyhaique River Lodge is located in Chilean Patagonia, 10 minutes from Coyhaique on the banks of the Rio Coyhaique and 45 minutes from the regional airport of Balmaceda.

The time in Chile is three hours later than Pacific Standard Time.

Fishing Program:
The Coyhaique River Lodge fishing program offers walk and wade fishing as well as float trips on the following rivers:

Rio Simpson: The Rio Simpson tends to fly fish like a classic Montana freestone and has significant caddis and mayfly opportunities. It is most often floated but, several wade options exist also. Browns and rainbows average 14-22 inches. However, trout up to 30 inches have been caught on a fly. This river has more fish per mile than perhaps any river in the southern hemisphere. A substantial run of King Salmon return to this river starting in November.

Nirehuao: The Rio Nirehuao is perhaps the area’s most famous fishery.  It is a mid-sized freestone wading stream renowned worldwide for its fantastic hopper fishing during mid-summer exclusively for wild brown trout. The lodge’s head guide Alejandro has guided this river for 12 seasons + and knows it like no one else.  Fish average in the 12 -20 inch range but, those over 24” are present.

Rio Paloma: The Rio Paloma begins in Lago Desierto and its semi–glacial turquoise waters run northwest until it meets the Rio Desague. This mid-sized freestone river is most commonly floated or fished using jet boats and provides fantastic dry fly and streamer action throughout the austral summer. Predominantly a brown trout fishery, the introduction of rainbows in the late nineties has proven to be a success. Trout from 14-23 inches are taken from the crystal, clear Paloma waters.

Rio Azul: Located between Lago Azul and Lago Desierto, the remote Rio Azul is accessible by boat only. Flowing beneath the shadows of Cerro Castillo, it is probably one of the world’s most beautiful trout streams. Brown trout from 17-21 inches are quite common with larger fish available. Jet boats are used to access the river and anglers most often wade fish here.

Rio Desague: The Rio Desague drains Lago Elizalde and runs for about five miles until it enters Lago Caro. Within this short stretch of river, browns and rainbows in the 17-23 inch class abound with many larger trophies lurking. Jet boats are used to access this remote and scenic dry fly fishery.

Rio Emperador Guillermo: It is one of the jewels of the area, with many pools and riffles loaded with hungry trout that average 12 to 16 inches. Other Rivers:

Rio Mañihuales: The Manihuales has a little of everything including a lot of big trout!  It is most often floated but, some good wade fishing is available on it very upper reaches.  It has a healthy population of both Brown and Rainbow trout as well as a strong run of King Salmon.  The Manihuales often surrenders fish well in excess of 20 inches during an average day with the Brown trout usually being the largest.  This river has structure like no other and an incredible amount of prime holding spots making it a favorite amongst local guides.

Several spring creek options are also available in the remote ranchland areas near the Argentine border.

Several productive still water options are offered by Coyhaique River Lodge and are highlighted by the incredibly productive lakes of the Cerro Castillo area.  If you wish for a shot at that 10 lb trout of a life time, this would be the place.

Guides:
In addition to owners Gaston and Claudio being among Chile’s finest guides, the lodge also contracts several of the top guides from around the Coyhaique area.  Always a favorite for guests is head guide Alejandro Trepiana, who not only is a passionate angler that  knows the surrounding waters like no one else but, also a talented  professional guitarist who often entertains guests in the evenings.  Have a favorite Beatles song?  Alejandro surely knows it. 

Accommodations and Meals:
Coyhaique River Lodge features a beautiful main lodge which serves up to 6 anglers per week. The lodge is located directly on the banks of the Coyhaique River. The main lodge has a great view of the Coyhaique River valley from the dining room where both breakfast and dinner are served.

Guests enjoy dinners of local cuisine including beef and lamb dishes, fresh vegetables, and Chilean salads.  Renowned Chilean wines from the lodge’s “Cava” are always featured.

There are 8 double suites each with private baths. Each room is equipped with two queen sized beds, sitting area, and exquisite views of the Rio Coyhaique valley. A wood fired hot tub overlooking the river is available upon request.

The lodge has a small gift shop for souvenirs such as books, shirts, handicrafts, and fishing items. For those interested in purchasing other local specialties such as Chilean lapis lazuli, please ask the lodge hostess to take you to town.

Non-Angling Activities:
Biking: The lodge provides mountain bikes for those interested in the exploring nearby trails.
Horseback riding: Horseback riding is available in the surrounding area of the lodge.
Rafting and kayaking:  The lodge can arrange for rafting trips on any number of local rivers with the exciting Rio Simpson canyon (class III +) just minutes away. The lodge also has a fleet of comfortable inflatable kayaks available to guests.
Hiking: There are some excellent hiking trails close to the lodge; such as Cerro Cinchao, Trapananda or in the Aiken park, allowing guests to be introduced to the local flora and fauna and gorgeous mountain vistas. .
Sightseeing drives can be arranged for guests as well. Within an hour and a half guests can experience a wide variety of landscapes from the steppe on the east, to the rainforest and fjords in the west. Highlights of the region, include the Cerro Castillo. The Marble caves in the General Carrera Lake, and the Puerto Ibañez hand paintings created by the ancient native Indians.
Condor Viewing:  Our favorite tour, “Waking up with the Condors” is roughly an hour and a half away from the lodge. With an early morning departure, roughly 5 AM, guests will drive east to an Estancia that belongs to the Galilea Family. There are numerous cliffs to view the condors up close in their natural habitat as they glide close overhead.
City tour and Shopping: The lodge is only minutes from Coyhaique, a city of 45,000 people and the capital city of the region. Visitors can enjoy the traditional handicraft shops, restaurants as well as the friendly local culture.

Sample Itinerary:
Day 1: Sunday. Balmaceda / Coyhaique:  A Coyhaique River Lodge staff member will meet guests at the Balmaceda airport. Guests will be driven 45 minutes to the lodge on the banks of the Coyhaique River. A welcome cocktail will be served and lunch or dinner will be served shortly afterwards.  Depending on the time of arrival, guests may be able to start fishing the first afternoon returning to the lodge for dinner.
Day 2 – 6: Monday to Friday:  5 full fishing days.
Day 7: Saturday. Coyhaique / Balmaceda / Santiago:  Breakfast then your choice of either spending the morning fishing or going into town and shop for some regional arts and crafts. Lunch will be offered at the lodge depending on your departure time. Transport to Balmaceda for your flight back to Santiago in time to connect with your international flight.

 “Claudio, Gaston and their team have put together an amazing recipe for success. Beautiful country, excellent accommodations, terrific food, and world class fishing. How can you go wrong? The two guides we used for most of our fly fishing expeditions (Alejandro and Ricardo) were a wealth of information and would be excellent for all skill levels. After a full day of fishing, make sure to ask Julio for a Pisco Sour...or two.”

 Complete trip details