What is it? The idea behind fly fishing is utilizing a fishing rod and reel and launching it into the water with the use of artificial bait called ‘flies’. The name comes from the fact that they mimic an insect in water (or fish, shrimp, etc.). The water should be transparent enough for the fish to see the bait. Fly fishing is the method utilized for fishing trout and salmon, but has now spread to other species in both freshwater and saltwater. This is considered a sport and all fish caught is released.

What type of equipment is needed?

Fishing rod, reel, fly line and flies

a) Fishing rod: generally they are made of graphite and have a number that identifies what type of fly line should be used: lower numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, correspond to light poles and therefore are highly sensitive. The most commonly used in smaller rivers are numbers 5 and 6 and in larger rivers numbers 7 and 8 are designed to use with heavier casting elements that reach a greater distance.

b) Reel: specially designed for flies and have a number corresponding to the rod they should be used with.

c) Fly line: designed to cast flies. They have a number corresponding to the rod they should be used with. They can be floating (the line remains on the surface) or sinking (the line sinks in the water according to its weight, whether faster or slower).

d) Flies: artificial bait is thrown into the water and can be either very small or large depending on what you want to imitate (flies, frogs, small fish, shrimp and other things that fish eat) and are classified into three major categories:

•    Dry flies: flies that imitate insects and float on water.

Dry fly

•    Nymph flies: designed to resemble fly larvae during their period of aquatic life. They are used both underwater and on the surface.

Nymph fly

•    Streamer flies: flies that imitate fish, shrimp, etc. They are larger in size and are used underwater.

Streamer fly

e) Waders – gortex or neoprene suits for use in water typically too cold to wade in, and wading boots used to walk in rivers.

Why choose Patagonia? The special climate and environmental conditions of northern Patagonia, found in the province of Neuquén, permit the use of 3 types of flies. This offers a much wider range of possibilities.

When is the best time to fish in Patagonia? For those who prefer to fish with dry bait, the best time of year is from the middle of December until the end of March. For those who prefer streamer bait and are looking to catch bigger trout, the ideal months are November, December, April and May.

What species can be found? Rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and landlocked salmon. The order is not random – the most abundant species are rainbow and brown trout.

What access points are available? There are many locations, both public and private, for wade fishing which are accessible by foot. However, for the best results it is best to float on the river with a raft in order to reach more distant and difficult to access places.

Who can participate in this sport? Absolutely everyone regardless of their previous experience.

Offer: Sport fishing in Patagonia

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