lake general carrera — puerto guadal
Huge blue binational lake, called Lake Buenos Aires in Argentina. Trout on trolling and at river mouths.
General Carrera is one of the largest lakes in South America and extends into Argentina, where it is called Lake Buenos Aires. Puerto Guadal, on the south shore, is a good base; Puerto Río Tranquilo, on the west shore, and Chile Chico, near the border, are the others. Fishing is trolling from a boat, with spoons and plugs, and casting and fly at river and stream mouths, where the trout hunt. Brown and rainbow trout are the targets. The water is cold and very clear, and the lake turns dangerous in wind. The Baker River, which rises in neighboring Lake Bertrand, is nearby.
best season
Aysén season, mid-October to early May. Wind often picks up in the afternoon: mornings are the best windows on the lake.
Local rules: Sernapesca license required. The Aysén resolution (Res. Ex. 3.004/2024) applies: salmonid closure from May 7 to Oct 11 and spawning zones closed to fishing all year, even with release (Res. Ex. 893/2025). The lake is binational: the Chilean license is valid only on the Chilean side. Confirm the local rules.
- getting there
- From Balmaceda airport, along the Carretera Austral to the lake region. Another option is the ferry from Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez to Chile Chico, crossing the lake.
- facilities
- Lodging, cabins and campsites in Puerto Guadal, Puerto Río Tranquilo and Chile Chico, fishing lodges in the region and boats with guides.
- country
- Aysén, Chile
tip
Trolling near river mouths early and late in the day often pays off. Only go out with a suitable boat and a local guide: waves build fast.
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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 Diario Oficial de Chile — Extracto Res. Ex. 3.004/2024, Dirección Zonal de Pesca de Aysén (medidas para a pesca recreativa)Salmonid closure May 7 to Oct 11, 2025–2027 seasons
- official Diario Oficial de Chile — Extracto Res. Ex. 893/2025, Dirección Zonal de Pesca de AysénVulnerable spawning zones: fishing banned all year, even with release