chiloé — huillinco and cucao lakes
Lakes and estuaries on the island's west coast, connected to the Pacific. Brown trout, including sea-run fish, and salmon that escaped from farms.
In central-west Chiloé, Lake Huillinco connects to Lake Cucao, which drains into the Pacific next to the village of Cucao, gateway to Chiloé National Park. These are forest-edged lakes with little fishing pressure. Brown trout is the main target; in the island's rivers and estuaries there are also trout that spend part of their lives at sea, and salmon that escaped from nearby farms. Casting with spoons and fly fishing with streamers, from the bank or a boat. Chonchi and Castro are the support towns.
best season
Los Lagos salmonid season: from the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May. Summer is the most sought-after time; the island has rain all year round.
Local rules: A Sernapesca license is required; the foreign tourist license already covers inland and marine waters. In Los Lagos, salmonid fishing is only permitted from the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May (D.S. 320/1981), and bag limits and baits follow the resolutions of the Los Lagos Regional Fisheries Directorate. The Cucao–Chanquín sector is part of Chiloé National Park (Conaf) and is home to the Chanquín indigenous community: respect park rules and community lands. Confirm the local rules.
- getting there
- Mocopulli aerodrome, near Castro, with flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt; or ferry across the Chacao Channel from Pargua, and Route 5 to Chonchi. From Chonchi, road to Huillinco and Cucao.
- facilities
- Rural lodging, cabins and campsites in Huillinco and Cucao, hotels in Chonchi and Castro. There are few fishing guides: arrange in advance.
- country
- Los Lagos, Chile
tip
Bring good rain gear, even in summer. In the estuaries, the incoming tide often brings trout close to the bank.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Chile
Anyone who fishes for sport needs the Sernapesca recreational fishing license (Law 20.256, art. 6), personal and carried with ID. It can be bought online, on the Sernapesca license site, or at the agency's offices. For foreign tourists, the law sets 0.5 UF (one week), 1 UF (one month) or 1.5 UF (one year), always for marine and inland waters; check the site for the options on sale. The peso amount changes every year, because it uses the UF value on the last day of the previous year. Chilean and resident foreign nationals under 12, over 65, or with a disability registered in the national registry are exempt.
- Salmonids (trout and salmon) in inland waters: under the general rule (D.S. 320/1981), season from the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May, except in Magallanes. Regions may change the dates: Aysén has a closed season from May 7 to October 11 (2025–2027 seasons), and the province of Palena, in Los Lagos, opens on November 1 (2025–2029).
- Bag limits, sizes, hours, baits and catch-and-release-only stretches are set by resolution of the Regional Fisheries Director of each region (Law 20.256, art. 7). Read the region's resolution before fishing.
- Native species classified as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable may not be fished recreationally (Law 20.256, art. 7).
- Didymo: in several southern basins, the invasive alga is a declared pest. Wash and disinfect boots, waders, boat and gear when moving between rivers or lakes.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official Subpesca — Res. Ex. 2.075/2025, Dirección Zonal de Pesca de Los Lagos (lagos Llanquihue, Rupanco, Puyehue e outros)Cites the D.S. 320/1981 rule for Los Lagos: from the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May
- official Conaf — Parque Nacional ChiloéChepu, Abtao and Cucao–Chanquín sectors; Chanquín indigenous community