Patagonia Fly Fishing Road Trip Adventure: Chile Argentina

Trip Notes: Puerto Montt to Tierra del Fuego, March 12 - April 10, 2018

This trip was truly a trip of a lifetime. We were armed with a Mitsubishi van, Advanced Elements inflatable kayaks, rods and reels, Stio rain jackets and fleeces, dry bags, camera equipment and Spanish language apps for this much anticipated road trip journey down the Andean spine through Patagonia. It was all about big lakes, long rivers, bumpy roads, pointy mountains and beefy trout. It was the unplanned parts that will truly stick with us—quirky towns, local flavor, new foods, unexpected detours, crazy weather, etc. That’s why we do this. We hope you got a chance to follow the journey on social media and on chasingscale.com! And, many thanks to our sponsors, Advanced Elements and Stio who kept us afloat, dry and warm during our crazy and wonderful adventure down in Patagonia.

Did You Follow the Action?

We definitely stayed busy on the road down in that South American wonderland. Of course we focused much of our attention on chasing big trout. We also spent chunks of time getting creative. One of our biggest goals was to let our viewers in on the action… to catch a glimpse of the adventure… to feel the mystique of Patagonia for yourself. We photo journaled, filmed and wrote. You can see all our creative pursuits on Instagram, Youtube and our Blog page.

Patagonia 2018: The Final Cut

 

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Fly Fishing Road Trip Patagonia Adventure: Filmed & Published on the Road in Patagonia

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Fly Fishing Road Trip Patagonia Adventure: Our Route through Patagonia

This trip was absolutely incredible! We had a game plan going in. But, that game plan fell to the wayside pretty much immediately. Fall in Patagonia meant variable weather. Rain happened. And then more rain happened. Wind? Yep. The further south we went the windier it got. Tierra del Fuego brought a bit of snow and some very cold temps. The time of year provided very low river flows. Most of the rivers and lakes were clear as well. We hoped for a few fish and ended up encountering and landing more than we could’ve imagined. This is where we went:

Puerto Montt to Coyhaique

Fly Fishing Road Trip Patagonia Adventure

  • Town: Puerto Montt
  • Fished: Rio Petrohué near the boca at Lago Todos los Santos.
  • Our original plan was to head south. The wet weather pushed us eastward out of Chile and into the Lake District region of Argentina.
  • Town: Bariloche, Argentina
  • Fished: Lago Guillelmo and Lago Hess, Argentina
  • Town: El Bolson, Argentina
  • Fished: Lago Verde and Lago Futalaufquen, Argentina
  • Town: Trevelin, Argentina
  • Fished: Rio Grande, Argentina
  • Town: Futaleufú, Chile
  • Fished: Lago Yelcho, Chile
  • Fished: Rio Cisnes, Chile
  • Town: Coyhaique, Chile

Coyhaique to Punta Arenas

Fly Fishing Road Trip Patagonia Adventure

  • Town: Coyhaique, Chile
  • Fished: Lago La Paloma and Lago Azul, Chile
  • Town: El Chaltén, Argentina
  • Backpacked: Monté Fitz Roy
  • Town: El Calafaté, Argentina
  • Fished: Rio Gallegos and Rio Rubens, Argentina
  • Town: Rio Gallegos, Argentina
  • Fished: Tierra del Fuego, Chile

Fly Fishing Road Trip Patagonia Adventure: The Gear

Pack List

Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayak

  • Advanced Elements inflatable kayaks (ADVANCEDFRAME® KAYAK: AE1012)
  • kayak paddles, pumps, PFDs, kayak backpacks (KAYAKPACK™ AE3011)
  • 5, 6, 7 and 8wt rods, reels (with spares) and flies
  • chest waders and light-weight wading boots
  • neck gaiters and Chasing Scale hats
  • rain gear, fleeces, base layers
  • waterproof hiking/trail-running shoes
  • dry bags, dry-bag day pack and overnight backpack
  • tarp, tents, sleeping bags, pads
  • backpacking stove, headlamps
  • backcountry First Aid kit
  • Waterproof, handheld 2-way radios
  • cameras, GoPros, drone, laptops
  • mobile wireless hotspot for online communications

Chasing Scale - KAYAKPACK™ AE3011

Van items

  • 2 gas stoves
  • bbq grill
  • sink, cutting board
  • cutlery
  • plates, cups, bowls
  • saucepan, pot
  • cooler
  • smartphone recharger
  • solar shower
  • camp chairs
  • blankets, sheets, pillows
  • limited emergency equipment