Included / Not Included –
Included: Accommodations and meals at the lodge, guided fishing, round-trip transfers between Balmaceda airport and the lodge, beer, wine, Pisco Sours (Chilean national cocktail) and mixes.
Not Included: Airfare to/from Balmaceda, one-time entrance fee to Chile, accommodations, meals, and transfers in Santiago, personal equipment/flies, hard liquor, fishing licenses (approximately US $75 per person), staff and guide gratuities.
Travel Logistics:
Arrival Information: To get to La Posada de los Farios you need to make flight arrangements to Balmaceda, Chile (code:BBA) approximately a three hour flight from Santiago. Refer to your itinerary for your arrival date to the lodge.
Getting to the Lodge: In Balmaceda, you will be met by a lodge representative and driven approximately three hours to the lodge.
Departure Information: On your departure day you will be driven back to Balmaceda. Please book an afternoon flight out of Balmaceda.
Travel Recommendations in Chile
Documentation Requirements:
You will need a valid passport to enter Chile! Please make sure your passport is valid for six months after the last day of your trip. No visa is needed for US citizens travelling to Chile.
*Please note: Chile charges a one-time fee to US citizens of US $140 upon entering the country. This fee is paid (cash or credit card) just before passing through customs in Santiago and is good for the life of your passport. This is a reciprocal fee equal to what Chilean citizens must pay to apply for a US visa.
Currency:
We have found from our experience that you do not really need to exchange dollars for pesos for your travels in Chile. US dollars are welcomed at the lodge for paying gratuities and additional services (laundry, souvenirs, etc). The lodge only accepts cash, and personal checks (no credit cards).
Travel Cash:
Most of the restaurants and shops take credit cards in Santiago and in the Coyhaique area but, you will need cash at the lodge for gratuities and souvenirs. We recommend each guest travels with approximately $750.00 - $1,000.00 (per week of travel) for gratuities, alcohol, and miscellaneous gifts.
Gratuities:
We suggest a gratuity of 10% of your package rate per person per week. This is left to the discretion of the angler, and is only a rough guideline for planning purposes. The lodge manager will collect the tips at the end of the week and distribute them to the entire staff appropriately.
Fishing Licenses:
The lodge will purchase your Chilean fishing license for you online prior to your arrival (US $75 per person). This is not included in your package price and can be paid in US dollars cash when you arrive to the lodge. The fishing license is good for one year. Please provide us with the following information for your license: full name, DOB, address and passport number.
Climate:
The summer (November - April) weather in Chilean Patagonia can most aptly be described as variable. Conditions can range from hot and sunny (80°F+) to cool and rainy (40ºF). Anglers should be prepared for either type of condition. Bring warm clothing that can be layered and maybe a pair of shorts if you want to work on your tan. Wet wading conditions are possible during mid summer (Jan-Feb).
Medical Facilities:
All guests have the responsibility to disclose any special medical, physical, or dietary needs to the lodge ahead of time in order to facilitate an enjoyable excursion. The lodge will take every effort to ensure your safety while you are a guest at the Lodge; however, outdoor activities of this nature are not entirely ‘risk free.’ The lodge (and Fly Water Travel) highly recommend investing in travel insurance and/or medical evacuation coverage. There is a small health clinic staffed by a nurse located 10 miles from the lodge and the nearest hospital is in regional capital of Coyhaique 3 hours by car. In case of a true emergency, it may be possible to arrange for a helicopter evacuation to Coyhaique.
Power and Communications:
The lodge has 220 volt power and takes the rounded two prong adaptors. Please bring an adaptor to use during your stay. Most computer and cameras today can handle up to 240 volts but, razor, etc. may not. In such case we suggest you bring a Dual-Wattage Foreign Travel AC Converter, it lets you use 120VAC (USA) devices on 240VAC foreign. This device is for devices up to 50 watts.
The lodge does not have a phone, cell phone or internet service available and prefers to keep it that way. Communication is via shortwave radio with the home office in Coyhaique multiple times a day. There is telephone and internet service available in Villa Amengual 15 kms from the lodge and guests can be taken there to check their e-mail upon request.
Water:
Bottled water is available all over Chile however, the lodge has a very pure artesian spring as their water supply. There is no problem in drinking this water and in fact it is so good that guests often prefer it over the bottled water and use it to refill their personal water bottles.
Clothing:
Dress at the lodge is neat but casual. The summer climate of this southernmost area of South America is extremely changeable; a wide range of temperatures and conditions should be expected within hours. We recommend layering clothes, enabling you to add or subtract garments during the day. All guests should be prepared with thermal underwear, fleece/soft shell jacket, and a rain jacket. Please see checklist below.
Laundry:
Laundry is offered as a courtesy for guests. We suggest you consider adding a little extra to the staff gratuity as a thank you.
Beverages/Alcohol:
The lodge provides beer, Pisco sours, wine (of course!) and mixes. If you want special alcohol such as scotch, vodka, etc you should bring it with you or ask your driver to stop in Coyhaique to purchase what you need on you way out to the lodge. You can find some brands of single malt scotch in Coyhaique and some may choose to purchase it in duty free on the flight down. The lodge also likes to ask coffee drinkers to bring down some good beans with them. It is difficult to find good quality coffee in Chile. Also, a couple of cds of your favorite music to add to the lodges collection is always welcome.
Tackle/Equipment List:
Rods: Multi-piece (4 piece best) 4, 5, or 6 wt. fly rods will cover most of the fishing situations you’ll encounter in Chile but, a 7 or 8 wt. rod is recommended if you plan to fish the coast. If you had to bring just one rod, a six weight.
Reels: Good quality, lightweight fly reels, with simple disk or pawl drags are fine. Reels should be filled with about 75-125 yards of 20 pound of fresh backing.
Lines: You will basically need three fly lines at La Posada: weight-forward floating line, a 6- 10 foot fast sink tip fly line and a 24’ 150 or 200 grain sink-tip line.
Leaders/Tippet: For a week's fishing, you will need no less than three tapered leaders - 9 ft. (4X) & three tapered leaders - 9 ft. (3X) for your floating line and two (4 - 6 ft.) (2X) leaders for your sinking fly lines. For tippet, bring fresh spools of 1X-4X. Fluorocarbon is great tippet and leader material.
FLIES THAT PRODUCE ALL SEASON: The enclosed fly list is supplied by Rex Bryngelson
Attractors & Terrestrials: These patterns are very important and a must!
Fat Albert… A MUST! in both black and tan, size 8
Rance’s Gypsy King, size 4,8
Chernobyl Ant, black size 6, 8... A MUST!
Small beetle size 10, 12
Turk’s Tarantula, size 8
Dave's Hoppers, sizes 6,8
Morrish Hopper, size 8
Flat Head Cicada size 10
Traditional Dries: Not as critical as above patterns, a broad selection of high floating dries will produce.
Parachute Adams, size 16
Stimulators, various sizes medium - large
Parachute ants, black, size 16,
Compara Duns size 16
Quigley’s Cripple size 16
Mayfly Emergers size 16
Streamers: Not as critical as the attractors and terrestrials but important to have with you.
Chilean Rubber Buggers size 6-8
Autumn Splendor size 6-8
Fire Tiger Bugger size 6-8
Nymphs: Nymphs haven't been consistently important in past years, but it might be advisable to bring along a short selection of small (size 10, 12, 14) standard nymphs. i.e Prince, Copper John, Pheasant tails. Etc.
Dragon Fly nymphs, size 6 (olive) Kaufman’s stonefly nymphs, large
Bitch Creek nymphs and other buggy rubber-legged nymphs, sizes 4 - 8
EARLY SEASON FLIES: (November and December)
Dries:
Fat Albert… A MUST! in both black and tan, size 8
All Black Chernobyl Ants (body and legs) size 6,8
Gypsy Kings size 4,8
Turk’s Tarantulas size 6 - 8, various colors
Foam beetles and ants, small to large sizes
Caddis and Stimulators, size 8 - 16
Mayfly BWO dun and emerger patterns (few), size 14 - 16
Streamers:
Buggers (black, olive, brown) w/white rubberlegs, with or without cone or beadhead size 4-8
Beadhead Crystal buggers, black, olive, silver, size 4 - 8
Zuddlers, conehead, (olive/olive, black/silver), etc., size 4 - 6
Beldar’s Rubberlegs, size 4
Double Bunny String Leech
Nymphs:
Beadheads: prince, pheasant tails, hare’s ear, lightning bug, copper john, size 12 - 16
Beaded soft hackles can be useful on occasion also, size 12 - 16
Dragon and damselfly nymphs (for the lakes and lagunas), size 6 - 12
Bitch Creek, weighted or beadhead/conehead, size 6 - 8
Beech Crick, #6 - 8
Rubberleg stones (a few), #6 – 8
MID-SEASON FLIES: (mid-January to mid-March):
Large Foam Bugs: Cantaria (giant stag beetles) Gypsy Kings, Monster Beetles, Black Bottom Chernobyl’s, etc. various sizes.
Hoppers: smaller sizes (8,10) in Jan and early February (6,8) later on. Dave’s Hoppers, Morrish Hoppers, Parachute, Foam Tan, Streambank, etc.
Parachute Madame-X size 8
Flying Ant hatches are possible starting about mid-February and it is good to have a few foam or parachute ants in size 16 black on hand just in case.
LATE SEASON FLIES: (mid-March through April):
May Flies: (As the weather cools starting about mid-March the may fly action cranks up). Parachute Adams, March Browns, PMDs, Callibaetis, Comparaduns, etc. in size 14, 18.
Emergers: size 14,18.
Nymphs: Pheasant Tails, Princes, Copper Johns,
Streamers: Crystal Buggers – black, olive, silver size 6,12
COASTAL FLIES: (good all season)
Wooley Buggers size 2-8 weighted, white, black, gray, olive, purple. (some with cone or beadheads).
Crystal Rubber Bugger: olive, purple, black
Rabbit Fur Leeches #2-#8, Purple, Black, Olive, white, tan, egg sucking, etc.
Articulated Leeches in darker colors primarily
Fire Tiger Bugger
Double Bunny
Clouser’s: Olive/white, Black, Yellow
RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
Wading Boots: Due to the threat of anglers spreading invasive species (i.e. Didymo) on their wading gear we are now requiring that all guests come with the new rubber soled (Stream Tread) wading boots. Simms, and Patagonia make some very good models to consider. No Studded Boots Please! Cleats or studs are tough on rafts.
Wading Equipment: Stocking foot, breathable waders are the only way to go. Neoprene waders are antiquated, do not permit moisture to escape, are heavy and cumbersome and only appropriate for sedentary fishing (float tubing) where insulation is the only concern. Gore-Tex® "Breathable" waders have totally revolutionized wading equipment. You will experience little or no moisture build-up inside the waders, even after a long hike; they wear like iron, and are comfortable to be in all day. Lastly, Gore-Tex® "Breathable" waders take up a fraction of the space neoprene waders take-up when packed in your duffel bag. All waders should be worn with synthetic fiber
under-wader wear for maximum comfort, minimum moisture retention, and warmth. For safety we strongly recommend wearing a wading belt at all times. We recommend the following brands.
• Patagonia’s WaterMaster Wader
• Simms Gore-Tex® Chest High Classic Model
• Simms G3 Gore-Tex® Chest High Classic Model
Clothing: The weather in Patagonia is constantly changing. One afternoon it may be 70° (+) and sunny, down right hot; then only a few hours later it may be rainy, damp, windy and in the low 50°s or cooler. It is not uncommon to have morning temperatures in the mid to low thirties, especially when clear weather prevails, warming to a balmy 50° or 60° degrees by the end of the day. Clothing strategies should be based on the "layering system." By using the "layering system," anglers can adapt to whatever Mother Nature dishes out. The whole idea
behind layering is to trap heated air (generated by your body and stored between the different layers of insulation), thus keeping you warm.
1... Base Layer: Start off with a synthetic fabric next to your skin. This often is a pair of thermal underwear (tops and bottoms) and they usually come in three weights: light, mid and expedition. According to your individual metabolism, pick what is best for you. Synthetic (non-cotton) materials retain little moisture and "wick" moisture away from your skin. This is very important when you are walking in waders or when outside temperatures heat up.
2... Thermal Layer: Your second layer of insulation should match the weather and conditions you are going to be fishing in. Lightweight insulation for cool weather, mid-weight for colder conditions and heavy weight for really =frigid days. Fleece is an outstanding choice here in either tops and bottoms, or overalls. Merino Wool is also a good choice as it stays warm when damp, though dries very slowly.
3... Outer Shell (Rain jacket & Waders): Your final layer should be a breathable rain jacket and waders. • 1 set midweight Simms "WaderWick" Wading Underwear, or Patagonia Capilene (tops and bottoms) • 1 set fleece pants--Simms Power Stretch Guide Bibs or Pants, or Patagonia Capilene Fleece • 1 Fleece jacket--Simms Wind Stopper, or Patagonia Synchilla
Rain Jacket: High quality Gore-Tex® type products are the best. Your rain jacket should be 100% waterproof and breathable. Rain jackets must be seam sealed, multi-layered, of QUALITY construction and from a recognized outdoor clothing company. Simms G-3 or Guide Jacket and the Patagonia Stretch SST, are excellent choices in fine breathable raingear. Jackets specifically designed for fly fishermen are the best.
Socks: Anglers should bring enough socks to alternate on a daily basis. For a week's fishing trip, three pairs should be fine. Do not wear the same socks every day, but alternate, leaving one pair to dry and air while wearing the other set. Wool, polypro or a combination of both are the best choices in sock material. Try on your socks with your waders and wading boots before you leave for your trip to insure that you have plenty of room to move your toes. Being unable to move your toes and cramping of your feet in your wading boots are the biggest reasons for numb toes and cold feet. We've experienced great success with the disposable air-activated heating pads available at many outdoor stores. Removal from the cellophane wrapper activates them and they then simply sticks to outside of socks for hours of cozy warmth.
• 3 to 6 pairs of Simms, Smartwool or Patagonia Wading Socks.
Wool or Polypropylene Gloves: Fingerless gloves are great for cold, rainy days. Neoprene gloves are fine, but retain a lot of water when wet. We have had the best success with synthetic or wool gloves. • Simms or Patagonia Half-finger Gloves or, Simms Flip-mitt Gloves.
Fishing Vest or Tackle/Vest Pack: For vests, we like a high quality product, in a 'shorty' model. Choose one that has room for a rain jacket, or camera in the back. Brands we like are Simms and Patagonia. If you prefer a tackle pack, take a good look at William Joseph, Fish Pond, or Patagonia. • Simms G-3 Guide Vest, Fish Pond Shooting Star or Backwater, and Patagonia’s Hip Pack.
Small Day Pack: This can be an important article to include while packing. We like a waterproof, top-loader day pack that can hold extra gear, clothes, flies, camera, snacks, etc.
Boat Bag: A waterproof boat "dry bag" can be extremely handy for storing extra clothes, tackle and camera equipment while on a raft. The white water type "dry bags" are the best.
Fishing Hat: Look for a hat that is comfortable, relatively waterproof, has a good size brim to shade your eyes and face and which can be secure firmly so as not to be blown off in a strong wind.
Line clippers, Pliers, Hemostats, & Hook File: These are essential to any fisherman and should not be left behind.
Polaroid Sunglasses: Fly fishing in Chile is a very visual experience. Spotting the fish is part of the excitement, and part of the challenge. Good quality polarized sunglasses are a must. Polarized sunglasses not only let you spot fish more effectively, but protect your eyes from the intense sunlight experienced in Patagonia, as well as hooks. Action Optics and Costa del Mar make some of the best in the industry.
Camera & Film: Waterproof or splash-proof digital pocket cameras are very handy. If you are going to take your camera, make sure you have a waterproof case or a river dry bag for it. The best waterproof cases we have found to protect expensive camera equipment are made by Pelican Products, www.pelican.com. Don’t forget your flash.
Flashlight: Our favorites are the Black Diamond or Petzl headlight models with an LED
