simpson river and mañihuales river — coyhaique
The capital of fly fishing in Aysén. The Simpson runs alongside the city and the Mañihuales lies to the north, along the Carretera Austral.
Coyhaique is the capital of the Aysén Region and the gateway to Chilean Patagonia for fly fishers. The Simpson River runs through the city and flows west through the Río Simpson National Reserve; near Puerto Aysén it joins the Mañihuales to form the Aysén River. The Mañihuales runs north through open valleys along the Carretera Austral. Brown and rainbow trout are the targets, with dry flies, nymphs and streamers, on foot or from a boat with a guide. There are many rivers, streams and lakes near town, so you can switch water depending on wind and rain. On the lower Aysén River there is a Chinook salmon run, with its own season.
best season
In Aysén, trout fishing runs from mid-October to early May (closed May 7 to Oct 11). January and February usually have the most settled weather; November and April are quieter.
Local rules: A Sernapesca recreational fishing license is required (Law 20.256), bought online. In Aysén, Res. Ex. 3.004/2024 of the Regional Fisheries Directorate applies: salmonid closure from May 7 to Oct 11 (2025–2027 seasons) and spawning zones closed to fishing all year, even with release (Res. Ex. 893/2025). Chinook has a catch season from October 12 to January 15. Check bag limits and baits in the resolution and with Sernapesca. Confirm the local rules.
- getting there
- Balmaceda Airport, with flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt, about an hour's drive from Coyhaique. The town is on the Carretera Austral (Ruta 7).
- facilities
- Fly-fishing lodges, hotels and inns in town, guides with boats, fishing shops and car rentals.
- country
- Aysén, Chile
tip
Wind rules in Patagonia: leave early and keep a sheltered river as Plan B. Wash and dry boots and waders when switching watersheds.
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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
- official Subpesca — Dirección Zonal de Pesca de Aysén, resolução de jan/2026 que modifica a Res. Ex. 3.004/2024 (salmão-chinook)Chinook catch Oct 12 to Jan 15; in the marked section of the lower Aysén River, until Feb 28, 2026
- official Conaf — Reserva Nacional Río SimpsonAt km 37 of the Coyhaique–Puerto Aysén road; marks the river for fly fishing