futaleufú river — futaleufú
Binational river of turquoise water flowing from Argentina to Lake Yelcho. Trout by wading and from a raft; in the upper stretch, catch and release only.
The Futaleufú rises in lakes in Argentina's Los Alerces National Park, crosses the mountain range near the Chilean village of the same name, and flows west to Lake Yelcho. It is world-famous for rafting, with narrow canyons and strong rapids, but between those stretches the river opens into pools, islands and plains of cold, crystal-clear water, where fly fishing works. Rainbow trout and brown trout are the target; chinook salmon, which run up from the Pacific through the Yelcho basin, have also been recorded in the river. Fishing is from a raft with a guide on the wide stretches and on foot along the low banks. Near the village, the Río Espolón and lakes such as Espolón and Lonconao complete the route.
best season
In Palena province the salmonid season runs from November 1, 2026 to May 2, 2027 (Res. Ex. 2.428/2025). Summer, December to March, is the most sought-after period.
Local rules: Sernapesca license required. In Palena province, Res. Ex. 2.428/2025 applies (seasons 2025–2029): artificial lure with a single barbless hook, only 1 salmon (salar, coho or chinook) per angler per day, and release of trout and all other species. On the upper Futaleufú, from the border to the Sofía sector, all salmonids must be released. Night fishing (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and fishing from bridges are prohibited, and a landing net (chinguillo) is required to bring fish out of the water. Disinfect your gear against didymo. Confirm local rules.
- getting there
- Via Route 231, which leaves the Carretera Austral at Villa Santa Lucía, or via Paso Futaleufú, coming from Trevelin and Esquel in Argentina. Chaitén, on the Carretera Austral, receives small flights from Puerto Montt.
- facilities
- Lodging, restaurants and rafting and fly-fishing operators in the village of Futaleufú. There is also rural tourism in the Espolón and El Azul valleys.
- country
- Los Lagos, Chile
tip
The current is strong and there are high-grade rapids: wade only in the eddies and wear a life vest in the raft. Wash and disinfect boots and waders when you arrive and when you leave the river.
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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. 2.428/2025, Dirección Zonal de Pesca de Los Lagos (província de Palena, río Petrohué e lago Todos los Santos)Seasons 2025–2029; the upper Futaleufú, from the border to the Sofía sector, requires release of all salmonids
- official Sernapesca — Medidas de administración de pesca recreativa en Chile 2026-2027 (PDF, atualizado em 11/09/2026)Palena province: November 1 to the first Sunday of May; 1 salmon per day
- scientific Gomez-Uchida et al. (2018) — Genetic signals of artificial and natural dispersal linked to colonization of South America by non-native Chinook salmon, Ecology and Evolution 8(12)Cites the chinook salmon of the Futaleufú, based on the study by Di Prinzio et al. (2015)