serrano river and lago del toro — torres del paine
The river that carries the waters of Lago del Toro to Última Esperanza fjord, in Torres del Paine. Trout and chinook, released within the park.
The Serrano rises at the western end of Lago del Toro and runs 38 km across an alluvial plain to Seno Última Esperanza. Along the way it receives the Grey and Tyndall rivers, which carry glacier water from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, so it swells in summer with the snowmelt. It is the main river of Torres del Paine National Park and, together with Lago del Toro, the only part of the park where Conaf allows fishing, always catch and release. There are rainbow trout, brown trout and chinook salmon. Fishing is from the bank, at bends, pools and creek mouths, or from a boat with park authorization. The steppe wind blows all year and can be very strong.
best season
In Magallanes the salmonid season runs from October 16 to April 14; in the final 5 km of rivers, until February 28. Inside the park, fishing is always catch and release.
Local rules: Sernapesca license required. In Magallanes the season runs from Oct 16 to Apr 14, with up to 3 fish or 15 kg per day, artificial lures and one rod only (D.S. 320/1981); in the last 5 km of the rivers it closes on Feb 28. In Torres del Paine National Park, Conaf only allows fishing in the Río Serrano and Lago del Toro, with catch and release, and requires disinfecting all gear against didymo. Boats and kayaks need a park permit and a disinfection certificate issued in Puerto Natales, valid for 48 hours. Park entry is paid. Check local rules.
- getting there
- From Puerto Natales, via the Y-290 road (Lago Porteño), about 80 km to the park, or via Route 9 through Cerro Castillo. Natales has an airstrip with direct flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt.
- facilities
- The Serrano sector has a Conaf ranger post and a campground with a restaurant. Puerto Natales concentrates lodging, shops and the companies that issue boat disinfection certificates.
- country
- Magallanes, Chile
tip
In strong wind, use a 6- or 7-weight rod, a sinking line and streamers, casting downwind. Stay on the official trails: the park bans walking off them.
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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 Conaf — Parque Nacional Torres del PaineFishing only in the Río Serrano and Lago del Toro, with catch and release and didymo disinfection; boats need a permit and a 48-hour certificate; access via Y-290
- official Sernapesca — Medidas de administración de pesca recreativa en Chile 2026-2027 (PDF, atualizado em 11/09/2026)Magallanes: Oct 16 to Apr 14; river-mouth areas (5 km upstream) until Feb 28; 3 fish or 15 kg
- official Sernapesca — Guía de Pesca Recreativa, Macrozona Sur y Austral: Biobío a MagallanesRío Serrano, in Última Esperanza: rainbow trout, brown trout and Chinook salmon
- 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)Chinook population in the Río Serrano, formed by natural dispersal from the Río Prat