El Atravesado Lodge: First Week Fishing Reports
On December 11, we officially opened the fishing season at El Atravesado Lodge, marking the first time these waters are being explored under our operation. After years of planning and preparing this remote and private fishery, it was incredibly exciting to finally begin putting lines in the water.
With more than 10 miles of private river, lakes, lagoons in around 15,000 hectares of untouched land, this season represents a fresh start on water that has seen no angling pressure in years.
El Atravesado Lodge
Our first official fishing day brought shifting conditions. After warm days, on opening day it turned windy and cooler. We switched to Plan B: targeting the dragonfly hatch on the lake.
We fished from a raft using:
0X leaders (15 lb)
6-weight rods
Dragonfly patterns to match the hatch
Despite the wind (and plenty of rowing from our guide), it was an exceptional day on the water.
Our first client Tom had a great first day:
71 rainbow trout – between 19 and 22 inches
Witnessed incredibly strong fish with explosive takes
Saw jumps clearing 3 feet out of the water
Experienced pure, wild power from unpressured fish
A spectacular start and a clear sign of the health and vitality of this private system.
On the right, one of Kathy’s great catches from the lake.
River Program Fishing Report
As we began exploring the river system, fishing conditions varied depending on water volume, offering two distinct approaches.
High Water Conditions
When the river is running high, a more aggressive streamer-based strategy has proven most effective.
- Lines: sinking tips
- Flies: olive and black Woolly Buggers, leeches, and minnow imitations
- Rods: 5- or 6-weight
The key technique is casting across the river, allowing the fly to sink, and retrieving it aggressively to trigger reaction strikes. After a long winter period of inactivity, trout are actively feeding and attack the fly with authority.
Fights vary by species:
- Rainbow trout provide very visual fights, often jumping repeatedly
- Brown trout tend to head straight into the depths of the pools
Fish size ranges from 14–20 inches, with the constant possibility of a larger surprise fish.
Low Water Conditions
Under lower flows, the river offers more technical and finesse-oriented fishing.
- Lines: floating lines
- Morning techniques: dry-dropper rigs or nymph rigs, as colder water makes trout less willing to rise early in the day
As temperatures increase and the sun warms the river, trout become more aggressive and are eager to take attractor dry flies, particularly beetle patterns.
For nymphing, a two-fly tandem rig has been most effective:
- A heavy attractor nymph on top (such as a Prince nymph)
- A more selective nymph below, adjusted daily (mayflies, caddis or midges)
There are also opportunities for ultra-technical sight fishing, using small midge imitations in overflows and soft edges where individual fish can be targeted.
A Promising Start to a New Era
The first days at El Atravesado have already shown the potential of this untouched fishery. With lake fishing off to an incredible start and rivers still ahead of us, we are looking forward to sharing more updates as we continue discovering this unique corner of Patagonia.
Combine Our Two Venues
We highly recommend a combination trip between Rio Manso Lodge and El Atravesado Lodge.
It’s the perfect way to experience both the classic Manso fishery and the wild remoteness of southern Patagonia. If you’re interested, contact us to learn more about our special packages and exclusive rates for this unique program.
