Lower Cisnes
There is some moderately easy wading to do right in front of the lodge that becomes easier the lower the water gets. During high water we will suggest floating instead. This is a good option on the day of arrival.
About 15 minutes upriver from the lodge is a gorgeous wading option at a place we call Claudio’s. This is a moderately difficult wading area and involves a fair amount of walking. The river bottom is primarily large cobbles and boulders, but not slippery, nor is the current overly fast. This section of the river is very rarely fished. It is quite scenic here just where the river leaves a rugged canyon section called La Garganta (“The Throat”). A few seasons ago, some of our guests spotted an endangered Huemul deer here at close range. The average fish tends to be smaller (10-14 inches) but they are abundant and are often caught using smaller dry flies. Especially productive are small (#14) black beetles, but larger attractor dries also can work well. We typically bring a raft with us to cross the river and to fish a large pool that is inaccessible wading and where we have our best luck for larger fish. There are also a couple of hidden and protected oxbow lagunas here that can produce some good size trout, and are a nice respite during windy days.
New Zealand Hole
Another wading area just upriver is the “New Zealand Hole,” named as such because it is a deep canyon pool that evokes a classic NZ trout fishing setting. It involves a 1⁄4 mile walk down a moderately rugged trail to reach. This is where the lodge record brown (31 inches) was caught in 2005 during high water conditions; a 28 inch fish was also caught here the same day, both using streamers. It is a gorgeous place to fish with steep granite walls surrounding a deep bottomless pool. This is a good place to spot large browns that are very difficult to trick into eating a fly and we have caught several King Salmon in the main pool as well. However, it is rugged and only recommended for agile anglers who are able to scramble over steep rock along the river’s edge to get into position to present a fly.
There is some relatively easy wading where the pool tails out. Dry fly action can be very good here but, as is typical with many of the deep pools along the Cisnes, the fish can be very spooky and some very accurate casting is required to be successful.
Tributaries
There are 2 small tributaries, the Rio Las Torres and the Rio Rodriguez, located about 10 minutes downstream from the lodge that can be fun to fish. They are both reasonably easy wading. Getting to the Rio Las Torres involves using a raft to cross, or crossing using a small cable car that traverses about 20 feet above the water. Both rivers produce primarily small browns, but we have seen 20+ inch fish come out of both of them over the years.
We believe these larger fish are spawners that decided to stay in the tributary to prey on the smaller fish. The tributaries can be good options during windy days as they are relatively protected. We access another tributary called the Canelo River about 10 minutes up from the lodge that can also be a lot of fun but, the wading can be moderately difficult as it is very rocky. All of these tributaries are only good for a few hours each so we will sometimes move from one to the next to make a full day out of it.
Upper Cisnes
Larger average fish (14-18 inches) on this section. About 1 hour upriver from the lodge the Cisnes splits and the southern branch becomes a small and very easily waded river that could probably best be described as a creek. This is where the mountains begin to fade giving way to the vast open Pampa to the east. Conditions tend to be windier here because of the relative lack of protection. This section can make for excellent dry fly fishing especially, during the hopper season (mid-January through mid-March) and then afterwards as the mayfly action gets going, from mid-March on. There are 2 main beats we wade fish on this section. There are also several small spring-fed lagunas that are accessible in this area that can produce some larger trout. Fishing these section can involve a good amount of walking (1-2 miles) over flat easy terrain.
Main Upper Cisnes
About 50 minutes upriver. This is also relatively easy wading with small gravel, but bigger water than the upper Upper section (during high water times we typically opt to float fish rather than wade this area). Again, dry fly action can be excellent during the hopper season (mid-January through mid-March) and then afterwards as the mayfly action gets going, from mid-March on. There are 3 main beats we fish here, all of which provide access to some of the spring fed lagunas or small spring creeks that can provide for good dry fly action for larger fish. Sight fishing is often possible in these lagunas. Again, a fair amount of walking (1-2 miles) over easy terrain is required to best take advantage of the fishing options in this area. River crossing can be difficult, especially during higher water conditions.
Moro River
The Moro River is another productive tributary that comes into the Cisnes about 40 minutes up-river from the lodge. It has a very scenic canyon with nice pools and is relatively arid and protected. Dry fly action can be very good and we often surprised to find large browns sitting in some of the crystal clear pools. It is tough wading and only recommended for the anglers who are strong waders and hikers and up for a good strenuous adventure.
