trancura and liucura rivers — pucón
Two mountain rivers east of Pucón that drain into Lake Villarrica. Trout from boats and on foot, plus Chinook from the Toltén basin.
The Trancura rises at Quillelhue lagoon, passes Curarrehue and runs west, fed by meltwater from Villarrica volcano; in its final stretch, down to Lake Villarrica, it is also called the Pucón River. The Liucura descends from the slopes of the Nevados de Caburgua, passes Huife and, at Carrileufú, meets the lower Trancura a few kilometers before the lake. Both are known for rafting, with class II to IV rapids on the Trancura and stronger ones on the Liucura. The Liucura has very clear water and dense forest banks, which favors boat fishing. There are rainbow and brown trout, usually small to medium-sized in the Liucura, and Pucón is the base for anglers after Chinook salmon in the Toltén basin, which can exceed 30 kg.
best season
Trout season November 13, 2026 to May 2, 2027 (D.S. 320/1981). In the Toltén basin, Chinook salmon season runs from September 15, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
Local rules: Sernapesca license required. For trout, the general season of D.S. 320/1981 applies (Nov 13, 2026 to May 2, 2027), with up to 3 fish or 15 kg per day, artificial lures and one rod only. Under Res. Ex. 2.011/2026, in the Toltén basin Chinook may be fished Sept 15 to Mar 31, 1 fish per day, and fishing across all of La Araucanía is banned from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise. There are closed or release-only stretches in the region. Check local rules.
- getting there
- Pucón is on the east shore of Lake Villarrica. Ruta 199 follows the Trancura toward Curarrehue, and the Liucura is followed by the Caburgua and Huife road. Scheduled flights arrive in Temuco.
- facilities
- Pucón is one of southern Chile's largest tourist hubs, with hotels, cabins, restaurants and rafting and fishing operators. There are hot springs along the Liucura.
- country
- La Araucanía, Chile
tip
On the clear-water Liucura, use fine tippet and a delicate presentation; cloudy days tend to produce more. Don't wade where the water speeds up toward the rapids.
Loading…
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. 2.011/2026, Dirección Zonal de Pesca de La Araucanía y Los Ríos (chinook nas bacias do Toltén e do Imperial)Seasons 2026-2031: Chinook Sept 15 to Mar 31, 1 per day; night fishing banned across La Araucanía; trout under D.S. 320/1981
- official Sernapesca — Medidas de administración de pesca recreativa en Chile 2026-2027 (PDF, atualizado em 11/09/2026)La Araucanía: salmonids from the second Friday of November to the first Sunday of May, 3 fish or 15 kg, artificial lures
- official Sernapesca — Guía de Pesca Recreativa, Macrozona Sur y Austral: Biobío a MagallanesPucón, Villarrica and Curarrehue as Chinook destinations in the Toltén basin; Trancura and Liucura rivers on the fishing spots map
- market Pucon.cl — Pesca con mosca en el río Liucura (2008, cópia no Internet Archive)Text from 2008: clear water, forested banks, small and medium trout and Chinook in March; the prices and services mentioned no longer apply