PESCAMAPA

Fishing in Esquel and Trevelin, Chubut: rules and 2026/27 permit

The Futaleufú, the Carrileufú and lakes Rosario and Fontana. The 2026/27 season and rules read from the official Chubut annex, the permit and what is still to read.

By Equipo Pescamapa · Updated · Regulations checked 4 November 2026

Species
Techniques
Fly fishing · Spinning and baitcasting where allowed · Fishing from a boat · Catch and release
When
1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027; some waters have other dates.

Esquel and Trevelin are the base for fishing the Futaleufú, the Carrileufú, lakes Rosario and Fontana and the rivers around Los Alerces National Park, with Cholila and Río Pico farther away. This page brings together the 2026/27 season and rules read from the official Chubut annex, the permit, what the lodges publish and what we have not read yet.

The 2026/27 season

According to the Chubut Annex, the general season runs from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027. The catch of brook trout in rivers and streams ends on 1 March 2027: from then on it must be released alive. The annex recommends not wading rivers and streams until 15 December 2026, to protect the spawning beds, and says the authority may change the schedule in a water emergency or for biological reasons.

A note: local press reported that Disposición 131/2026 opened the season on 30 October, while the published annex says 1 November. We follow the annex and say so; ask your guide for the exact date of the water you will fish.

Some waters have other dates: the Futaleufú, Lake Fontana and the Corcovado allow fishing with mandatory release from 1 October until the general season begins; Lake Rosario is open all year, with mandatory release of all salmonids from 1 August to 31 October.

General rules we have read

  • Barbless hooks in every method and on every water. Felt-soled wading boots are banned across the province, and all gear must be washed (Didymo algae).
  • Dropper: with a fly rod only one dry fly and one nymph are allowed; two streamers or two nymphs are not.
  • “Fly only” also allows spinning or baitcasting with a bubble float and an artificial fly. In “exclusive fly equipment” only a fly rod and reel are allowed, and carrying spinning lures (spoons, spinners) in a bag or vest counts as using them: an offence with confiscation.
  • On waters not in the list you may keep, per day, one salmonid, two perch and four pejerrey, except on rivers and streams, where release is mandatory. In mandatory-release areas it is banned to carry fish.
  • Lead, lures with batteries, and fishing from floats or belly boats within 200 m of a river mouth are banned.
  • Motors: fishing from a boat with the motor running is allowed only on waters that say so; elsewhere you drift or keep the motor off. Carburetted two-stroke motors are banned on waters shared with National Parks and on highly sensitive waters.
  • Guides: wardens check that guides and their assistants are licensed (Resolución 072/97-OPT). They may use body cameras and drones.

Rules by water we have read

  • Futaleufú or Grande River (Los Alerces National Park, Chubut jurisdiction): all methods; fishing open until 30 June 2027; one salmonid under 35 cm; a single artificial lure with one hook; fishing with the motor running and trolling are banned. It is shared with National Parks.
  • Lake Rosario: all methods, all year; trolling allowed; two trout and four pejerrey a day; mandatory release within 200 m of the source of the Nant y Fall River.
  • Lake Fontana: all methods; trolling allowed; three salmonids a day; the streams that feed it close to fishing from 1 March 2027. Fontana stream: fly only and mandatory release.
  • Carrileufú River: exclusive fly equipment and mandatory release.
  • Lake Cholila: all methods; one salmonid and two perch a day; dragging is not allowed.
  • Percey River: all methods, with a single hook and mandatory release.
  • Corcovado River: open from 1 October with mandatory release until the general season starts; not navigable with a motor; from Lake Wintter to the Las Carpas stream, exclusive fly equipment and mandatory release.
  • Lake Engaño: exclusive fly equipment and mandatory release; the feeder streams close from 1 March 2027.
  • Lake Puelo (National Park and Chubut): all methods; follows the National Parks regulation; fishing until 31 May 2027; two salmonids a day.

The permit and what it costs

According to the Río Negro annex of the 2026/27 regulation, the Patagonian permit is valid in Río Negro, Neuquén, Chubut and the National Parks. 2026/27 values from the Mesa Directiva Zona Andina, in Argentine pesos: non-resident foreigners, one day AR$ 50,000, ten days AR$ 140,000, season AR$ 280,000; residents of Argentina, one day AR$ 12,500, ten days AR$ 25,000, season AR$ 50,000. Trolling takes an extra permit (AR$ 25,000 a day, AR$ 50,000 for ten days and AR$ 100,000 for the season, according to the press). The Chubut Annex says a digital permit managed through the DINO platform can be downloaded again for free if lost. Always carry it with your ID.

When to go

La Pilarica Lodge works from November to April and says January and February bring more and bigger fish, November and December fish well with fewer people, and March and early April can be exceptional for browns. This is one operator’s description: to choose your week, ask your lodge.

Getting there

AHO Fishing says its lodge is a 50-minute drive from Esquel airport and three hours from Bariloche airport. La Pilarica Lodge includes transfers from Esquel airport. Las Pampas Lodge, in Río Pico, is about two and a half hours south of Esquel airport, according to its website. These are each operator’s own times.

Lodges and outfitters

Below are the ones we found with public information; we have not contacted them yet, which is why they are marked. A rate is shown only when the operator publishes it with its season, and none of these does.

Indicative calendar

Season from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
  • Open by the rule
  • Best time, according to La Pilarica Lodge
  • Closed

Waters with other dates: the Futaleufú until 30 June 2027, Lake Puelo until 31 May 2027 and brook trout in rivers and streams until 1 March 2027.

A month shows as open if any day of it falls inside the season. Waters with their own rules may open or close on other dates: read this guide's regulations.

WhenWhat to expect
1 OctoberFutaleufú, Lake Fontana and the Corcovado allow fishing with mandatory release until the general season begins.
1 NovemberThe general 2026/27 season starts (local press says 30 October).
1 MarchThe catch of brook trout in rivers and streams ends; from then on it is released alive. Some streams and rivers close to fishing.
1 MayThe general season closes (2027). The Futaleufú runs to 30 June and Lake Puelo to 31 May.

Licence, closures and regulations

Chubut Annex and Chubut Environments, 2026/27 season, read on 4 November 2026 on the site of the Regulation of Continental Sport Fishing of Patagonia, which reproduces the text of the Dirección de Pesca Continental. General season from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027, with barbless hooks and no felt soles. We did not read the National Parks annex (Los Alerces, Lake Puelo); permit values are Río Negro's, confirm them when you buy.

Authority: Dirección de Pesca Continental de Chubut

Last checked: 4 November 2026. Rules change: confirm with the authority before you go.

Guides and lodging

Tell us what you are looking for and we will connect you with guides and lodging in Esquel and Trevelin (Chubut). We build listings from public information and correct them with each provider; prices, when shown, are dated.

Packages and trips

AHO Fishing, Esquel y Trevelin

Fishing programme at a lodge 50 minutes by car from Esquel airport and three hours from Bariloche airport, according to its website. It has six double rooms with private bathrooms and full lodging service. Its website describes programmes in Esquel and Trevelin on several rivers of the area. It publishes no rate.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Includes
Lodging
Languages
English

Price: on request

Public information, not yet checked with the provider. Is this your business? Ask us to correct or remove it. · Source: argentinaheritagefishing.com

Ask about availability

Lodging · Packages and trips

La Pilarica River & Mountain Lodge

Fly-fishing lodge in Cholila that fishes the Carrileufú River and the rivers and lakes around Los Alerces National Park, mostly from a boat and on foot. It works from November to April. According to its website the week includes seven nights in one of five rooms, all meals and drinks, six days of guided fishing, transfers from Esquel airport, park entries and fishing licences; it does not include flights, equipment or tips. It offers a lower rate for non-fishing companions. It publishes no rate: it quotes it for your dates.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Includes
Lodging · Meals · Drinks · Transfers · Fishing licence
Languages
English · Spanish

Price: on request

Public information, not yet checked with the provider. Is this your business? Ask us to correct or remove it. · Source: lapilaricalodge.com.ar

Ask about availability

Lodging

Las Pampas Lodge

Log-and-stone lodge in Río Pico, about two and a half hours south of Esquel airport according to its website, with double rooms and private bathrooms. It offers fly fishing for brown, rainbow and brook trout on spring creeks, rivers and mountain lakes, with a lunch served on the water by the guides. It publishes no programmes or rates: it asks you to get in touch.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Includes
Lodging · Meals
Languages
English

Price: on request

Public information, not yet checked with the provider. Is this your business? Ask us to correct or remove it. · Source: laspampaslodge.com

Ask about availability

All Esquel and Trevelin (Chubut) listings on one page: fishing guides in Esquel and Trevelin (Chubut) →

How to choose a guide: what to ask before booking

  1. Style: does the guide fish bait, spinning/baitcasting or fly? Pick one who specialises in what you want to do.
  2. Boat and gear: what boat, how many anglers it takes, which engine (horsepower, bow electric motor)? Casting platform, fish finder? Is tackle provided?
  3. What is included: bait, meals, fuel, lodging, transfers. Get it in writing, with the price.
  4. Timing rules: the month decides the fishing. Ask what works on your dates, at what river level and water temperature.
  5. The place: where the lodging is, boat ramp, distance to the fishing areas and the overall setting.
  6. References: photos of recent trips and anglers who have been. If you can, talk to the owner or operator.

Put together from what local guides and operators told us.

To read before you go to Esquel and Trevelin (Chubut)

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Frequently asked questions

Can I fish in Esquel and Trevelin (Chubut) now?

As of 5 November 2026, yes: the season is open, from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027. Waters with other dates: the Futaleufú until 30 June 2027, Lake Puelo until 31 May 2027 and brook trout in rivers and streams until 1 March 2027. Dates according to Dirección de Pesca Continental de Chubut. Waters with their own rules may have other dates, and the rules change every season: read this guide's regulations.

When is the fishing season in Esquel and Trevelin?

According to the Chubut Annex, the general 2026/27 season runs from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027. Local press says Disposición 131/2026 opened it from 30 October; the published annex says 1 November. Some waters have other dates: the Futaleufú runs to 30 June 2027 and Lake Rosario is open all year.

Which permit do I need and how much is it?

The Patagonian permit, which according to the Río Negro annex is valid in Río Negro, Neuquén, Chubut and the National Parks. 2026/27 values for non-resident foreigners: one day AR$ 50,000, ten days AR$ 140,000, season AR$ 280,000 (Mesa Directiva Zona Andina). A digital permit is managed through the DINO platform and can be downloaded again for free if lost.

Can I wear felt-soled boots?

No. They are banned on every water in Chubut province, and all gear must be washed because of the Didymo alga.

Can I fish with a barbed hook?

No. The annex bans barbs on any kind of hook and in every method, to favour releasing the fish.

What do "fly only" and "exclusive fly equipment" mean?

In "fly only" you must use an artificial fly and may use spinning or baitcasting with a bubble float. In "exclusive fly equipment" only a fly rod and reel are allowed, and carrying spinning lures in a bag or vest already counts as using them: an offence with confiscation.

How many fish can I keep?

On waters not in the list, one salmonid, two perch and four pejerrey a day, except on rivers and streams, where release is mandatory. Each water with its own rule has its own limit: for example one salmonid under 35 cm on the Futaleufú and two trout and four pejerrey on Lake Rosario.

What are the rules on the Futaleufú River?

On the stretch inside Los Alerces National Park under Chubut jurisdiction all methods are allowed, with a single artificial lure and one hook; fishing with the motor running and trolling are banned; you may keep one salmonid under 35 cm; fishing runs until 30 June 2027. It is shared with National Parks.

Where can I fish with a fly only?

The Carrileufú River and Lake Engaño are exclusive fly equipment with mandatory release; the Fontana stream is fly only. Check the exact water in the current year's annex.

What are the rules in Los Alerces National Park?

We have not read the National Parks annex yet, so we publish no rules for lakes Futalaufquen, Verde, Menéndez or Arrayanes. The Futaleufú inside the Park does appear in the Chubut annex, as a shared water. Ask your guide or the Park administration.

How much does a week at a lodge in the area cost?

We cannot say from the operator's own source: La Pilarica Lodge, AHO Fishing, Las Pampas Lodge and Challhuaquen publish no rates on the sites we read. La Pilarica says its week includes seven nights, all meals and drinks, six days of guided fishing, transfers from Esquel airport, park entries and fishing licences; it does not include flights, equipment or tips.

Sources consulted (10)