La Posada de Los Farios Rivers

The Lodge Float begins directly in front of La Posada de los Farios on the Rio Cisnes.  This is a good first day option for guests to recover after the long trip down to Chile as it begins right from the lodge and requires no travel.  It is about a 5 mile float long on the middle section of the Rio Cisnes and surrounded by lush green cattle grazing lands interspersed with stands of old growth Coihue (southern beech). The 6,000 foot glaciated peaks of the Andes providing the back drop.  The middle Cisnes area marks the transition zone between the arid Patagonia pampa and the lush temperate rainforest of the Patagonian Pacific coast. The Rio Cisnes is relatively large here at normal flow levels, similar in size to Montana’s Madison, and is therefore best fished from a boat. However, there are several areas to get out and wade along the way, including two small and scenic tributaries that meet the river a couple of miles below the lodge.  The fish tend to be smaller on average in this section of the river (12-14 inches) but, it is also on this section of the river where many of the largest fish have been caught.  A picnic lunch served streamside is standard on all floats.  It is also possible to stop in to visit the small subsistence farm of Julia, a local indigenous woman who makes the beautiful wool sweaters that are for sale at the lodge.

 

The Upper Float begins up river to the east about 35 kilometers (50 minutes) from the lodge. The terrain here is drier and more open than around the lodge and the scenery is quite similar to parts of Montana. The float starts with about 2 miles of meandering river on the section known as the “pampa”. Hoppers are abundant on this part of the river from mid-January to mid-March and this section has some classic cut banks that can be very productive for large browns under the right weather conditions. This includes one cut bank aptly named “The Avenue of the Giants”. Anglers have seen fish in excess of 24 inches here with the average size being 15-20 inches. There are several spring fed “lagunas” accessible from this upper section of the river that can produce some even more impressive sized browns. After this “pampa” section, the river flows through a rugged canyon and it is here where you float by the now famous “Moai” (name for the Easter Island statues), a peculiar rock pinnacle rising perhaps 70 feet out of the river. There is a fun class III rapid that can add a little bit excitement to the journey, especially during high water conditions. This upper floatable section of the Cisnes is about 8 miles total in length and can be comfortably done as a 1-day float during higher water conditions, however, as water levels drop later in the summer, guides often choose to divide this float in to 2 days. The lodge has acquired two acres of river front property about halfway down this section where an overnight camp may sometimes be arranged. This makes for a great base as it is located on a very “user friendly” section of easily wadeable river referred to as: “The Green Mile”. If roughing it at an out camp is not appealing, there is also the option leaving the boat and returning the following day to complete the float trip. Either way, this is one of the “must do” options at La Posada de los Farios.

 

The Lower Float option is a fairly new float having been opened up as a result of the expansion of the “Carretera Austral” or “Southern Highway” now in the process of being paved to the north. The float begins about 25 kilometers down river to the west of the lodge (30 minutes). Here the river delves into the lush coastal rainforest with even more rugged and spectacular glaciated mountain terrain providing for the back drop. Along the way to the put-in you pass by Villa Amengual, a quaint rural village of about 200 inhabitants and our closest link to civilization. The river gets big down here and flows several miles away from the road. Due to the fact that there is a tricky class IV rapid to be negotiated, they will only make this float when the water conditions are favorable. For safety reasons, this float is always made as a two-boat trip. Most groups are able to make the trip but, the lodge cannot guarantee it will be an option for every angler during their stay. It is hard to imagine a more spectacular float in Chile or, anywhere else in the world. The river is big, the mountains are majestic, the forest is lush and primeval and, although the typical brown is not very large, they have seen some monster browns come out of the depths on nearly every trip, especially in the tight canyon sections along the rock walls. The guides believe it is only a matter of time before someone lands a 30+ inch fish. It is challenging fishing, often throwing large flies on heavy sinking lines but, there is the very real possibility of catching, or at least getting a glimpse of, that brown trout of a lifetime.

 

The Rio Manihuales. Due to the present paving of the Carretera Austral (Southern Highway) the Rio Manihuales has become a regular float fishing option for La Posada. There are 3 or 4 floatable sections of this river from about 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes away from the lodge. This will be the closest and only option (aside from the coast and the very lower sections of the Cisnes) where you can target rainbow trout in addition to brown trout. The Manihuales is a large river and best fished from a boat. The river is rugged with immense logs lining the banks in several areas providing excellent structure for larger fish. Deep pools with high rock walls on other sections also provide great habitat for large fish. The terrain surrounding the Manihuales is very similar to the middle Cisnes area near the lodge and highlighted by spectacular views of Cerro Picacho, an impressive peak reminiscent of the Matterhorn. The Browns and Rainbows of the Manihuales run about 13-20 inches and it is almost a given that someone during the day will land a fish in excess of 20 inches during a day’s float.

 

Wade fishing is available based on river conditions. Many of the float trips above have spots to get out and wade but, the following are several additional wade fishing options available from La Possda.

 

Claudio's (easy to moderate wading) located approximately 10 minutes up from the lodge there is this gorgeous wading option. The river bottom is primarily large cobbles and boulders interspersed eith smaller gravel and sandy areas. It’s not slippery nor is the current overly fast. This section of the river is very rarely fished. It is quite scenic here where the river leaves the rugged canyon section of the river called La Garganta “The Throat”. A few seasons ago some guests spotted a rare native Huemul deer here at close range. Fish tend to average relatively small, 10-14 inches but, are abundant and anglers can often do very well here fishing small dries such black beetles but, larger attractor dries can also work very well. The guides typically bring a raft here to cross the river and, to fish a rock wall large pool that is inaccessible by wading and where anglers have the best luck for larger fish. There are also a couple of hidden and protected oxbow lagunas that can produce some nice size trout, and which provide a nice respite during windy days.

 

The New Zealand Hole (moderate to difficult wading) named as such because it is a deep canyon pool area similar to many rivers in New Zealand. It involves a 1⁄4 mile walk down a moderately rugged trail. The lodge’s record brown (31 inches) was caught here in 2005 during high water conditions; a 28 inch fish was also caught here the same day, both using streamers. It is also a holding pool for king salmon and this past season and angler to a 20lb King on the fly here. 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. However, it is rugged and only recommended for agile anglers who are able to scramble over steep rocky terrain 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 often required to be successful.

 

Canyon Drop Ins: (moderate to difficult wading) There are several places in the Canyon separating the middle and upper sections of the river where you can drop in to from the road with a short hike of varying difficulties down to the river. These canyon sections are extremely beautiful and it is often possible to sight cast to fish here. It is not uncommon on clear days to see 20"+ fish feeding on the surface. However, these bigger fish are more often spooked than caught. The wading is usually quite tricky with large rocks and boulders. This is really for the more active and experienced angler who enjoys challenging sight fishing. It is best during hot days and low-water conditions most common in February.

 

Tributaries: (reasonably easy wading) 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. Getting to the Rio Las Torres involves using a raft to cross, or crossing the rivervia 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. The lodge believes 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. Anglers also 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.

 

The Moro River: (difficult wading) 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 find larger browns in each of the main pools. It is tough wading and only recommended for the anglers who are strong waders and hikers and up for a good strenuous adventure.

The Upper Upper Cisnes: (easy to moderate wading) 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 from (mid-January through mid-March) and then afterwards as the mayfly action gets going, from mid-March on. There are 2 main beats to 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 this section can involve a good amount of walking (1-2 miles) over flat easy terrain.

 

The Main Upper Cisnes: (Relatively easy wading) 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 anglers typically opt to float fish rather than wade this area). Again, dry fly action can be excellent during the hopper season from (mid-January through mid-March) and then afterwards as the mayfly action gets going, from mid-March on. There are 3 main beats, 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.

 

A possible hike (1 mile moderate difficulty) into the 1⁄2 way point of the upper river float section offers an extensive (2 miles of river) and easily waded area that offers very good dry fly action for browns averaging 14-18 inches. It is especially productive during warm summer days offering perhaps the very best hopper fishing on the entire Cisnes River.