The philosophy of the Chucao Fishing Lodges
Our foremost aim is to build our lodges in the best possible locations near to the finest fishing areas. Our first location, Chucao Lodge Yelcho, is on the shore of the lake very close to where it empties into the Yelcho River. The lodge is only 45 minutes away from the airport at Chaitén.
Our second location, Chucao Lodge Rosselot, is also situated on the shore right where the Rosselot Lake empties into the Rosselot River. The lodge is located 15 minutes from the charming town of La Junta, just a 60-minute drive from our lodge at Yelcho.
Our second location, Chucao Lodge Rosselot, is also situated on the shore right where the Rosselot Lake empties into the Rosselot River. The lodge is located 15 minutes from the charming town of La Junta, just a 60-minute drive from our lodge at Yelcho.
The Lodges
These two magic places were built by Gonzalo Cortés, an experienced fisherman and author of the book "Fly Fishing in Chilean Patagonia". Constructed of fine native woods, the lodges have a warm and welcoming feeling. Capacity in both buildings is for 8 to 10 fishermen in five rooms, each with twin beds. All rooms have private bathrooms.
The lodges are designed for fishermen to relax after their day on the lake or river. In both lodges there is a large living room with an open fireplace and a comfortable dining room that is connected to the kitchen, which is equipped with a wood-fed cooking stove that is typical of the south of Chile.
Both lodges overlook a lake – one faces the majestic Yelcho and the other the beautiful Rosselot. In addition to their breathtaking views, both locations are only meters away from some of the best fishing in their area. Their strategically located terraces have magnificent views of the lake and river, as well as of the glaciers and mountains across the lakes from the lodge. When the weather permits, drinks and lunch are served on the terrace, and once a week the chef of the lodge serves a lamb barbecue prepared in the Chilean style.
To one side of the lodge and situated in the garden only meters away from the bar is our hot tub, with a capacity for six persons; this is permanently available throughout your stay.
The lodges are designed for fishermen to relax after their day on the lake or river. In both lodges there is a large living room with an open fireplace and a comfortable dining room that is connected to the kitchen, which is equipped with a wood-fed cooking stove that is typical of the south of Chile.
Both lodges overlook a lake – one faces the majestic Yelcho and the other the beautiful Rosselot. In addition to their breathtaking views, both locations are only meters away from some of the best fishing in their area. Their strategically located terraces have magnificent views of the lake and river, as well as of the glaciers and mountains across the lakes from the lodge. When the weather permits, drinks and lunch are served on the terrace, and once a week the chef of the lodge serves a lamb barbecue prepared in the Chilean style.
To one side of the lodge and situated in the garden only meters away from the bar is our hot tub, with a capacity for six persons; this is permanently available throughout your stay.
Fishing at Yelcho
Lake Yelcho is widely known as one of the great fishing destinations in Patagonia, Chile. The lake is famous for the spectacular rises of large trout to dragonflies that swarm near the edges of the lake each summer. Some of the largest trout caught each year in Patagonia come from this area.
Each day when you are fishing the lake, you will visit a new location. Most of the fishing on the lake is from outboard-powered, exceptionally stable aluminum boats that quickly take you to the prime fishing spots. Your experienced guide works the oars to quietly position you to make the perfect cast of your fly to the large trout that may await you there. Since our lodges are located so close to the mouth of the Yelcho and the Rosselot rivers, we use our own McKenzie-style drift boats for floating. There are numerous wonderful pools on these rivers where you can cast tiny dries and nymphs to sighted fish. If you choose, when water conditions permit, there are also many places to stop and wade.
Drifting the rivers can take the whole day, with a stop for lunch. Your guide becomes your personal chef and presents you with a delicious shore lunch. Our clients always enjoy the beautiful scenery of the glaciers on the mountains surrounding the river. Be on the lookout for the abundant selection of birds and other wildlife!
Each day when you are fishing the lake, you will visit a new location. Most of the fishing on the lake is from outboard-powered, exceptionally stable aluminum boats that quickly take you to the prime fishing spots. Your experienced guide works the oars to quietly position you to make the perfect cast of your fly to the large trout that may await you there. Since our lodges are located so close to the mouth of the Yelcho and the Rosselot rivers, we use our own McKenzie-style drift boats for floating. There are numerous wonderful pools on these rivers where you can cast tiny dries and nymphs to sighted fish. If you choose, when water conditions permit, there are also many places to stop and wade.
Drifting the rivers can take the whole day, with a stop for lunch. Your guide becomes your personal chef and presents you with a delicious shore lunch. Our clients always enjoy the beautiful scenery of the glaciers on the mountains surrounding the river. Be on the lookout for the abundant selection of birds and other wildlife!
Fishing at Rosselot
Lake Rosselot is very well known for the large and aggressive brown trout that live in the area. Each day you will have an exciting fishing experience using large floating patterns in order to catch these beautiful and unique trophies.
There are also rainbows in the lake and the river. Our home pool, located a few yards away from the lodge, offers amazing wading fishing for rainbows and browns in the 12-to-20 inch range. There are also other river fishing alternatives, like the float trip on the Figueroa River using our custom-made catarafts, some of which are also equipped with jet-pump engines that allow us access to unique fishing spots where no other fishermen have ever been.
The float down this beautiful river is always exciting and productive. Your next fishing experience will be a float trip down the Rosselot River. This river has a unique structure and is literally full of hundreds of trout, always avid to take dry fly patterns and streamers. The float trip ends where the Rosselot flows into the larger Palena River, which also provides great fishing opportunities.
There are also rainbows in the lake and the river. Our home pool, located a few yards away from the lodge, offers amazing wading fishing for rainbows and browns in the 12-to-20 inch range. There are also other river fishing alternatives, like the float trip on the Figueroa River using our custom-made catarafts, some of which are also equipped with jet-pump engines that allow us access to unique fishing spots where no other fishermen have ever been.
The float down this beautiful river is always exciting and productive. Your next fishing experience will be a float trip down the Rosselot River. This river has a unique structure and is literally full of hundreds of trout, always avid to take dry fly patterns and streamers. The float trip ends where the Rosselot flows into the larger Palena River, which also provides great fishing opportunities.
In our two locations on the river and the lake, you will generally fish with dry flies for big browns and rainbows from late November to mid-March. Early and late in the season (or when the dry-fly action slows down) fishing streamers is a good choice.
How to Get There
When you arrive in Santiago, the capital of Chile, you will take a connecting flight to the city of Puerto Montt, located approximately 620 miles to the south. There are numerous flights daily between both cities.
Once you arrive in Puerto Montt you will board a modern Cessna Grand Caravan airplane that will take you to the city of Chaitén in only 40 minutes, making it possible for you to arrive at the Chucao lodge at midday on the day after you leave your home town.
From the Chaitén airstrip you will travel 40 minutes by car on a road that takes you past hanging glaciers, rock escarpments of the towering Andes and ancient forests.
Once you arrive in Puerto Montt you will board a modern Cessna Grand Caravan airplane that will take you to the city of Chaitén in only 40 minutes, making it possible for you to arrive at the Chucao lodge at midday on the day after you leave your home town.
From the Chaitén airstrip you will travel 40 minutes by car on a road that takes you past hanging glaciers, rock escarpments of the towering Andes and ancient forests.
