Malleo River, Patagonia

Widely considered one of the world's best dry-fly rivers, the Malleo runs out from the Tromen lake, beneath the spectacular Lanin Volcano (now extinct and snow-capped throughout the year) in the Andes mountain range.

In its upper reaches the river is slow and meandering, providing a challenging dry-fly experience quite similar to that of North America's spring creeks or the chalk rivers of southern England. The middle reaches are faster with more difficult wading and higher banks, making access more of a challenge in places, but it has a remote 'explorer' feel to it. The lower Malleo offers very varied fishing with good pools, riffles and glides between willow-lined banks. Fishing throughout the river is from the bank or by wading; there is no boat fishing.

The Wild Trout of the Malleo
The brown trout and rainbows range from one to three pounds with an occasional bigger fish. The fly hatches are prolific in spring and in autumn, but even in summer there is plenty of surface food for the fish to rise to. The guides that we use on our hosted trips are the very best, and they can offer expert fishing advice as well as flies suited to the river and the particular time of year. But as I'll explain in a moment, there is another outstanding added value element to the guiding package that we use and recommend...

Tackle
Light tackle (AFTM #4 or #5 rod) and fine tippets are essential if you are to get the best from this majestic stream. Distance casting is not required, but this is a great place to hone your accuracy skills. Dry flies and small nymphs to match the seasonal hatches are all you really need on the Malleo.

What to expect
This is a medium-sized river - it is typically 20 yards across - and if you move cautiously along the river some very fine trout can be caught within a ten to fifteen yard cast. In one day's fishing Sue caught more than forty trout, including several rainbows over 15 inches and a brown trout of 20+ inches (about 3.4 lbs in weight) taken on a size 22 nymph. The lower reaches are particularly good for beginners, while the more demanding upper river tends to offer more specimen fish, but they are not so easy to deceive in the clear, calm waters of the upper Malleo.

Accommodation
If you are able to join us on on a guided trip to Patagonia, while fishing the Malleo we are sure that you will really enjoy staying at the San Huberto Lodge...

The other Big Added Value...
You may already have mastered some or even many of the fishing techniques that give best results on Patagonia rivers; if not then the guides will ensure that you do. But the real bonus of this top-class guiding is the tactical advice and practical help you get: how you need to move a surface lure differently in fast water, slow water, deep and shallow areas, for example; how to set up the nymphing gear for different locations and flow conditions; which areas are likely to hold the quality fish in particular light and water conditions through the day. This kind of expertise is not acquired quickly and easily; it's the result of detailed surveys and hundreds of days of experimentation on prime stretches of the river. We cannot commend it highly enough.

Join us in March 2009 or in early 2010 on a Hosted Flyfishing Trip to great rivers in Patagonia...

Can't wait? Send for details of opportunities in 2008...

More Great Rivers...

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