Spring Creek Lodge -Fly fishing Argentina’s best trout rivers

Collón Curá River

The large Collon Cura is a prolific trout river running through a wide valley flanked by smaller mountains that precede the larger Andes. It is known for 40+ fish days with strong 16-18 inch trout that are most abundant in the riffles. Larger Browns are more frequently found in deeper pools, under submerged willow branches and along the rocky cliffs. The Collón also has slow slide channels and several backwaters where it’s common to see multiple heads sipping insects. The diversity of water allows anglers to employ a variety of tactics.

Midsummer offers exciting fishing due to the great minnow migration up river from the Piedra de Águila Reservoir. Millions of silver-sided minnows fill riffles, creating a feeding frenzy where both trout and prey are seen breaking the water. These are big and powerful fish and demand nothing lighter than a 2x tippet. In the fall, Red Stag bugle 24 hours a day and 5-15 pound Brown Trout migrate from the reservoir to the river to spawn.

Malleo River

Spring Creek Lodge Anglers access the lower Malleo River that runs through the Mapuche Indian Reservation and on to the confluence of the Aluminé River. The Malleo is an Argentina fly fishing classic, with prolific hatches, easy wading and superb dry fly fishing. The Malleo showcases pools for dredging streamers, cut banks and willows for skating hoppers and glassy runs for drifting dries and nymphs. Browns and Rainbows average 16 inches but anticipate landing a few in the 18-19 inch category as well. Since floating is not permitted, the guides travel in vehicles up and down the river, stopping to wade the best sections.

Chimehuín River

The Chimehuín River, also known as the Chime, runs from Huechulafquen Lake, through Spring Creek Lodge’s property and empties into the Collón Curá River. Its crystal clear waters are lined with willows, grasses and rocky ledges and cut through some of Patagonia’s most beautiful scenery. Rainbow and Brown Trout ranging from 15-20 inches are caught using a variety of techniques.

The Chime is one of the many famed fly fishing rivers in Argentina and is considered the first river that gave northern Patagonia its renowned trout fishing reputation. Years before Joe Brooks’ arrival, legendary Argentine angler Bebe was pulling huge trout from the Chimehuín. It has produced the largest landlocked Brown Trout in all of Patagonia, and during the fall spawning run, anglers gather at the boca of the Huechulafquen Lake looking to hook into one of its prized Brown Trout, which migrate from the lake to the river.