Isla
Monita, Chile Fly Fishing Instruction Week Itinerary
Day 1 Saturday: Arrival & Introductions
Arrive in Santiago and connect to Puerto Montt. In Puerto Montt you board your 40-minute flight to Chaitén, a "flight back in time". This flight is reserved by Expediciones Chile and included in your trip price. We will meet you at the airport where we start our drive into the Andes. The landscape will be volcanoes, hanging glaciers and the turquoise waters of Lago Yelcho. We arrive at our dock and take the launch over to the island two miles across the lake. After you get moved into your room at the lodge there is time to get an introduction to Patagonia fly fishing.
Day 2 Sunday: Introduction to Casting
Today we will fly fish the waters around Isla Monita Lodge and learn the fundamentals of fly casting. First there will be a demonstration from our Chile fly fishing guides about the ins and outs of good fly casting technique. We will talk about what it means to “cast the line and not the lure” and have a discussion about efficient line management skills. Afterwards we will move to the water to practice what we have been taught. We will spend the day fly fishing the waters around the Isla Monita lodge. Most anglers will discover that they will be able to catch fish even though they have not fully mastered the casting technique! After a full day of fly fishing in Chile we will head back to the lodge for dinner.
Day 3 Monday: Fly Fishing Equipment & Gear
Today we will fish on Lago Yelcho, not too far from the lodge, on sheltered waters that are suitable to the skill level of the students and group members. On this day we will practice the fly casting techniques learned on Sunday. Throughout the day we will incorporate lessons about appropriate equipment selection including types of rods and reels, floating and sinking lines, tippets, waders, belts and safety procedures. After a great day of fly fishing in Patagonia we will head back to the lodge in the evening for a hearty dinner and happy hour.
Day 4 Tuesday: Fly Fishing Knots
In the morning we will head out for a sheltered part of the lake for more casting instruction. This day will include learning about the most common types of knots used while fly fishing. You will be taught the most fundamentally important knots for connecting line-to-line, line-to-tippet, and tippet-to-fly. Choosing the right type of knot and knowing how to tie it will have a have a great impact on the smoothness and fluidity of your casting. Fly fishing knots need to be nearly perfect and as equally strong. Our guides will demonstrate basic knot tying and then let you practice the knots throughout the day. We will have happy hour and dinner back at the lodge then go over all the knots one final time before the day’s end.
Day 5 Wednesday: Insects, Hatches and Fly Patterns
Today we will fish two different areas of Lago Yelcho that require using more than one type of fly pattern. The art of successful fly fishing often boils down to one essential skill, that of being able to select the appropriate fly pattern and weight for the conditions in which you are fishing. The correct fly pattern often needs to correspond exactly to what kind of insect activity there is on the surface and underneath the water. Our guides will spend the day going over the different types of fly patterns and their uses, both the wet and dry variety. They will also talk about the life cycles of the insects here in Patagonia, Chile. In the evening after dinner there will be a fly tying demonstration of some of our favorite fly fishing Patagonia patterns.
Day 6 Thursday: Fish Finding – How Fish and Waters Interact
Today will be our first introduction to moving water and currents. We will follow the fishing activity and probably end up fly fishing along the Lower Futaleufu River north of the Isla Monita Lodge. Moving water supplies both oxygen and food for all fish species and the fish often behave differently in this environment. Our guides will demonstrate and talk about what is required to successfully find fish under different water conditions taking into consideration the various aquatic plants and animals that contribute the environment. Throughout the day you will be called upon to assist the guides find the most productive water for the group to fish on.
Day 7 Friday: Graduation Day
Today we will give the group a choice and return to the participant’s most favorite fly fishing area. This day’s emphasis is will be on having fun and catching fish. On this last teaching day we will go over the principles of catch and release fishing. We will emphasize not “playing” the fish to exhaustion, minimizing contact, keeping the fish in the water and placing them back upstream in their natural position.
Day 8 Saturday: Departure
Wake up for an late breakfast, with options for an early morning Patagonia fly fishing session, and drive back to Chaiten, Chile and your flight to Puerto Montt. As you catch a final view of the Río Futaleufu; surrounded by hanging glaciers and snow capped mountains, take a moment to reflect upon all of the amazing sights and experiences of this past week. After all these years we are still stunned that views like these exist. For anglers looking for even more fishing we suggest adding a week of Argentina fly fishing at El Encuentro Lodge.
PRICE: $4295.00 usd
INCLUDES: Round trip transportation through Chaiten between Isla Monita and Puerto Montt. See the fly fishing Chile packing list for specific gear, tackle and equipment details. The actual litinerary of your fly fishing in Chile week may vary according to the desires and skill level of your group, the water levels, weather, or other factors.
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| Experience Needed: Beginner to Expert |
| Physical Challenge: Medium |
| Cultural Experience: Medium Low |
| Lodging: Fishing Lodge |
| Comfort Rating: Very High |
| Days away from home: 10 |
| Days with us: 8 |
| Max Trip Size: 8 |
| Price: $4295.00 USD (includes RT flight between Puerto Montt and Chaiten) |
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| Region: Lower Futaleufu River, Yelcho Watershed, Palena , Patagonia Chile |
| Lakes, Rivers, Sites Visited: Rio Futaleufu, Rio Yelcho, Lago Yelcho, Rio Palena, Pacific Ocean |
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Other Chile Fly Fishing Lodge options include: Fly Fishing in Chile at the Isla Monita Lodge, Chile Fly Fishing from the CondorNest Ranch, Patagonia Fly Fishing Lodge - Multisport Vacation, Argentina Fly Fishing in Los Alerces, Chile Fly Fishing Lodge Instruction. All of our programs adhere to our Catch & Release Guidelines for Fly Fishing in Chile.
Downloadable pdf Brochure Chile Fly Fishing
