Planned iternary:
The Maullin River, from its source in the city of Llanquihue, Chile, to Puerto Toledo, is a majestic waterway that offers an unparalleled experience in fishing and observing diverse species and natural landscapes. As we navigate
through lush forests, this river becomes a paradise for anglers, providing the opportunity to catch various species, among them, the famous Chinook salmon and Coho stand out, known for their strength and vigor.
Additionally, rainbow and brown trout, as well as native perch trout, delight fly and spoon fishing enthusiasts alike. The river is divided into three navigable sections, allowing for various types of fishing and species exploration.
Our Day
Monday was our day for fishing on the Maullin River, which has its source at Llanquihue. It is a beautiful waterway through a natural landscape. It’s known for rainbow and brown trout and native perch trout.
Fishing guides Mattias and Paulo and some helpers picked us up at 9 am. 45 minutes later, we arrived at the put-in spot. Kimberly and I decided to go out with Mattias in the smaller boat. Glenn and Mike launched with Paulo. The river’s current was pretty fast. Our first fly casting casts were rough, but Mattias worked with us to smooth them out. We even got pretty good at hitting the spots where he said to cast. Kimberly got the first bite – but he got away. I kept snagging grass – even the most enormous submerged tree. Finally Kimberly got a brown trout! I had a nibble or two but no authentic bites. We stopped on the side of the river for a sandwich and water and set off again. Just as I was going to quit casting, I caught a brown trout, brought him in, then released him. I cast again, got a bite but he got away – witnessed by everyone aboard! Finally, I cast again, saw a brown trout take the hook, brought him in, photo op, and let him go.
It was a gorgeous sunny and quiet day to be on the river. Mike and Glenn’s luck was similar – Mike caught a rainbow trout, a small brown trout that slipped out of the net, and a large brown trout that made it into the net but not into the boat. Around 2:30 we got to the pull out spot and were treated to cookies. We returned to the hotel by 3:30 to prep for our 6:30 am departure for Punta Arenas, the gateway to the Chilean Patagonia.
