
Fly Fishing in Argentina at Rio Manso Lodge



The Channels of the river emptying Lago Hess are justly famous for their unique blend of big fish and technical fishing. The Channels' smooth currents provide a great dry fly challenge for any angler. Similar in nature to a big spring creek, large fish often cruise this area or setup along the banks making this a required stop for any Rio Manso angler. Even though the fish can be selective, for many guests this is their favorite section. For good reason: some of the largest fish in the watershed live in this area.
One of the jewels at Rio Manso Lodge is Lago Fonck. This four mile long lake offers big rainbows, browns and brook trout. Depending on the time of year, we fish streamers and dry flies on the lake, often both during a typical day. Dragon flies, damsels, and caddis flies all hatch on the lake and the trout cruise the lakeshore weed beds in search of a meal. We fish the edges from one of our Carolina skiffs, working the structure where rainbow and brook trout lay, with the occasional brown as well. With the added bonus of spotting an Andean Condor circling overhead, and beautiful Mount Tronador in the distance, a day on Fonck is always special.
Our Season

Early Season: Early November – Mid January
Summer Season: Late January - Mid March
Fall Season: Late March - End of April

The Rio Manso Day
While there is no such thing as an ordinary day at Rio Manso Lodge, we do have sort of a routine that begins most days with breakfast at 8am. After hot coffee, eggs, cereal, fresh fruit or whatever else you need to get going, you’ll meet your guide in the wader room around 9am. With the exception of a trip to the Pichi Leufu, Lower Manso, or a horse ride into Lago Los Cesares for big brookies and bigger browns, none of our waters are more than 20-25 minutes from the lodge which allows you to spend more time fishing and less time riding around. When departing for the Pichi, or Cesares, you will have breakfast at 7:30am.
We fish until mid day, then stop for a streamside lunch which might include such items as steaks, quiches, sandwiches, salads, cheese, and fresh bread. Some of our guests like to take a siesta after lunch, but we’re not surprised if you want to get right back on the water!
After fishing through the afternoon, you would normally get off the water by 7-8 pm or so, and return to the lodge to clean up, take a sauna, or perhaps get a massage. We serve drinks and hors d’oeuvres before dinner in front of the fireplace. Dinner is usually served between 9 and 10 o’clock, although we’ve been known to eat much later if the fish are rising and you just can’t tear yourself away.
We are very flexible when it comes to arranging your day. If you have a special request, just let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you to give you the best experience possible.

Fishing Tackle
Fly reels: Reels should be high quality, preferably disc-drag models loaded with a minimum of 80 / 100 yards of backing. The occasional 8-10 lb fish will test your gear to the limit! You may want a backup reel or extra spools for your reel. Having two rods rigged, one with floating line and one with sinking line will maximize your fishing time.
Lines: Floating and sinking lines cover the fishing at Rio Manso Lodge. Weight forward or double taper floating lines are fine for dry fly and small streamer fishing. We recommend that you bring a 30 ft 150-250 gram fast sink line for your reel. The fast sinking lines are especially effective in the lakes and the faster, deeper stretches of the river. Most of our lakes have abrupt drop offs along the edges and the sinking lines get the fly down to where the fish are. If you have not cast a fast sinking line before, we recommend you get a little practice in before you come. It’s not difficult to learn, but it will increase your fishing success and pleasure if you already have this technique down.
Leaders: 7 ½ to 9 foot 2x-5x leaders will suffice for most fishing. We like to use fluorocarbon for tippets for its added abrasion resistance and low light reflectivity. Bring some extra spools of tippet in the 2x – 6x range. Evening fishing in the channels near the lodge can become very technical at times.
Flies: Much of our fishing during the day is with streamers or large attractor pattern dry flies. See the separate fly list for complete recommendations. We do carry a full assortment of productive patterns at the lodge.
Waders: Breathable waders are the best way to maximize your fishing experience. You can layer poly-pro or fleece underneath in cold conditions and turn them down during hot weather.
Wading shoes: Sturdy shoes with good felt or rubber soles. While the footing is good, the Manso has many stretches of fast water with strong currents. Please be sure your waders and wading shoes are clean and dry before visiting to prevent the spread of invasive species like whirling disease, zebra mussels or didymo. We recommend the new rubber soled wading shoes and waders.

Clothing and Gear
Clothing: Layering is the mantra when fishing. Today's high tech garments offer almost limitless options for staying warm and dry. Patagonia, Orvis, Simms and others all make clothing specialized for fly fishing. But light cotton sweaters, short and long sleeve shirts and trousers, long underwear, wool sweaters, windbreaker, wool socks, etc. will work as well. Big temperature changes can occur in a matter of hours in the mountains, so make sure you are prepared. Contact us if you have any questions.
Critical Items: A breathable (Gore-Tex or similar) rain jacket, hat, polarized glasses, sunscreen.