rio grande — tierra del fuego
The river of the sea-run brown trout. Fish that can top 10 kg on the Fuegian steppe, release only.
The Río Grande crosses the northern steppe of Tierra del Fuego and empties into the Atlantic next to the city of the same name. It is famous for sea-run brown trout, which grow in the ocean and return to the river to spawn. Fishing is with flies, on foot, in the pools and bends of the river, with two-handed rods because of the wind. Dark flies and sinking lines are common. Most of the banks are on estancias with lodges that control the stretches. There are public access points with reservations, such as the El Tropezón sector.
best season
The season on the Río Grande runs from Oct 30, 2026 to Apr 18, 2027. The sea-run browns that return from the ocean run strongly from January to April.
Local rules: A Tierra del Fuego fishing permit is required (Secretaría de Ambiente), sold in Río Grande, Ushuaia and Tolhuin. On the Río Grande and its tributaries, release of all salmonids is mandatory, fly or spinning only, one single-hook lure, no trolling and no night fishing. Public access points such as El Tropezón require registration and booking in the SAPTDF system; the other stretches are private estancia preserves (cotos).
- getting there
- Río Grande Airport, with flights from Buenos Aires. The lodges are on estancias along the river, with transfers from town.
- facilities
- Fishing lodges on estancias, with guides and weekly packages. In town there are hotels, fishing shops and a fly-fishing association.
- country
- Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
tip
Bring a two-handed rod or switch rod and small dark flies. Fish the bottom of the pools slowly in the late afternoon.
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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 Argentina
There is no national license: the sport fishing license belongs to each province. In northern Patagonia, the Patagonian Regulation permit issued by Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut or the National Parks Administration (APN) is valid in all these jurisdictions, including the southern parks; in 2025/2026 it cost $40,000 per season for residents of the country and from $50,000 (day) to $280,000 (season) for non-resident foreigners, with online purchase. Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego have their own permits (TDF 2026/2027: foreigners from $78,000 per day to $260,000 per season). On the coast (Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Corrientes) each province issues its own.
- The license is provincial. In Patagonian national parks, the APN permit or the provinces' Patagonian permit is valid, and fishing is only allowed in the environments listed in the parks' annex.
- Patagonian Regulation (2025/2026): general season from November 1 to May 1; in rivers and streams, including 200 m from their mouths, mandatory release with a single barbless hook, except for exceptions in the annexes; as a rule, one artificial lure with a single hook; selling fish prohibited; felt-soled boots prohibited.
- In national parks, all native species (perch, Patagonian pejerrey, catfish, peladillas) must be released; Atlantic salmon must be released in all environments under the regulation.
- Golden dorado: in Corrientes it is a Provincial Natural Monument (Law 6,730/2025); in Entre Ríos commercial fishing is prohibited and sport fishing is catch-and-release only (Law 11,174/2024); on the Uruguay River, shared with Uruguay, there's a CARU closed season from September 1 to December 31.
- Tierra del Fuego (2026/2027): season from October 30, 2026 to May 2, 2027, fly and spinning only, and mandatory release in all provincial environments starting March 1, 2027.
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 Tierra del Fuego, Ministerio de Producción y Ambiente — Pesca deportiva, temporada 2026/2027
- official Tierra del Fuego, Secretaría de Ambiente — Resolución S.A. 259/2026 (regulamento da temporada 2026/2027)Río Grande and tributaries: Oct 30, 2026 to Apr 18, 2027, mandatory release of all salmonids