Fly fishing for trout in Argentina and Chile is a dream trip for anglers who crave wild places, big fish, and solitude. Patagonia, which spans both countries, offers one of the richest trout fisheries in the world—where remote rivers, glacier-fed lakes, and rugged mountains converge to create paradise for the fly angler. Many say it’s like the American Rocky Mountains, but 100 years ago.

By oxen cart, trout eggs were distributed all over the region by Europeans in the early 1900s. By the 1930s, Rainbow, Brook, and Brown Trout were flourishing in the majority of lakes and rivers throughout Chilean and Argentine Patagonia.

In Patagonia, where there’s great fishing, you’ll find world-class fly fishing lodges and professional guides. At Fly Fishing Patagonia, we specialize in helping our clients book the lodge that best matches their vision.

Whether you prefer stalking spring creek risers or drifting a turquoise river with volcanoes in the background, Patagonia delivers a fly fishing experience that feels like stepping back in time—where the water is clean, the fish are wild, and the possibilities are endless.

Whether you prefer stalking spring creek risers or drifting dries on a big river with the Andes behind you, Patagonia delivers a fly fishing experience that feels like stepping back in time—where the water is clean, the fish are wild, and the possibilities are endless.

Fly fishing for Golden Dorado in Argentina is one of the most electrifying experiences in freshwater angling. Known for their ferocity, strength, and acrobatic fights, Golden Dorado (nicknamed "river tigers") are a bucket-list species for adventurous warm water fly and spin anglers. The best Golden Dorado fisheries in Argentina lie along the Paraná River System in the Mesopotamia region. The Paraná River is a vast and dynamic waterway in northern Argentina, including the Iberá Wetlands and tributaries like the Corriente and San Javier Rivers.

Golden Dorado typically range from 5 to 20 pounds, although 30+ pound trophies are caught each season. Their vivid golden flanks, razor-sharp teeth, and bulldog power make them one of the most visually and physically impressive freshwater gamefish in the world. Using a fly or lure, anglers will target them by casting to structure along the riverbank, in the clear, braided wetlands, or sight fishing on sand flats from a flats boat.

Fly fishing for sea-run brown trout in Argentina and Chile is a not-to-be-missed experience for salmon anglers and sea trout enthusiasts, combining raw, windswept beauty with some of the largest and strongest trout on the planet. These migratory browns—descended from European stock in the 1900s—spend much of their lives in the ocean or estuaries, returning to freshwater rivers to spawn, much like salmon. Their size, power, and mystique make them a top prize in global fly fishing.

Most of the sea-run browns landed are 10–20 pounds, but fish pushing 30 are hooked every season. They can be aggressive, picky, stubborn, predictable, and unpredictable. Yet, they fight with both brute power and acrobatic flair. Argentina's most famous sea-run brown rivers are the Río Grande in Tierra del Fuego and Río Gallegos in Santa Cruz—two provinces with strong winds, making the two-handed fly rod the most effective tool. Techniques include swinging leeches, streamers, and intruders, or dead-drifting nymphs during low-light or clear conditions.

It's a soulful and technical challenge—part steelhead, part brown trout, all Patagonia. For persistent anglers who appreciate solitude, big anadromous fish, and wild landscapes, it's as good as it gets.

Argentina offers world-class hunting across multiple provinces for waterfowl, upland birds and Red Stag. Although we send hunters to prime duck hunting lodges every year, we focus mostly on upland birds and Patagonia Red Stag. At Fly Fishing Patagonia we only represent law abiding outfitters that target sustainable populations of wild game.

GENERAL SEASONS
Patagonia Red Stag: March 6–May 15
Dove: Year round
Ducks and Perdiz: May 1–Aug 15
Patagonia Quail: April 1–June 1

The north central provinces of Córdoba, Tucumán, and Santiago del Estero offer almost exclusively high volume dove shooting. Populations are measured in the millions and are considered a plague due to crop loss. In the region of Mesopotamia, provinces along the Paraná River such as Santa Fe, Corrientes and Entre Ríos, hunters can experience a mixed bag hunt for ducks, dove and 2 species of Perdiz, Argentina's upland bird hunted over dogs. Many of the mixed bag lodges offer high volume dove hunting that is on par or superior to Argentina's north central provinces, previously mentioned. At select mixed bag lodges in Mesopotamia, hunters can even add Golden Dorado fishing to create a classic Argentina cast n' blast.

In Patagonia, European Red Deer were first introduced in the early 1900s. Like trout, Red Stag thrived in their new home, expanding throughout parts of the Andes. Private ranches tend to hold great populations of wild Red Stag since they can find quiet refuge on protected lands that may expand 20,000–200,000 acres, from the low lands to high into the Andes. We mainly focus on Patagonia free range Red Stag hunting with no influence from deer farming or select breeding. Some of our partnering ranches have archery only sections, some offer trout fishing or quail hunting and others only allow harvesting of mature stags in or almost past their peak.

Whether you're drawn to stalking rutting Red Stags roaring in wild Patagonia or the thrill of watching a dog on point, hunting in Argentina delivers an adventure with world class sport, fine cuisine, tradition and utmost professionalism.