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Fishing in Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi: lake, rivers, rules and 2026/27 permit

Lake Nahuel Huapi and the Manso, Traful and Limay rivers of the National Park. The 2026/27 rules we have read, the Río Negro permit and what is still to read.

By Equipo Pescamapa · Updated · Regulations checked 30 October 2026

Species
Techniques
Fly fishing · Spinning · Fishing from a boat without a motor · Catch and release
When
1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027 on the lake; the Limay inside the Park until 31 May 2027.

San Carlos de Bariloche is the base for fishing on Lake Nahuel Huapi and the rivers of the Nahuel Huapi National Park: the Manso, the Traful and the upper Limay, with the Limay below the dams a longer drive away. This page covers the 2026/27 rules we have read, the permit and what we still have not read. It is a planning guide: confirm everything with your guide and the authority before you travel.

The permit and what it costs

The permit for Río Negro is issued by the Mesa Directiva de Pesca Deportiva Zona Andina (Av. 12 de Octubre and Onelli, Bariloche), which sells it online. The 2026/27 season starts on 1 November 2026. Values on its portal, in Argentine pesos and with VAT:

  • Non-resident foreigners: one day AR$ 50,000; ten days AR$ 140,000; whole season AR$ 280,000. Residents of bordering countries: ten days AR$ 50,000.
  • Argentine residents: one day AR$ 12,500; ten days AR$ 25,000; season AR$ 50,000; ages 13 to 17, season AR$ 25,000. No charge for people over 65, children up to 12 and people with disabilities.
  • Trolling (extra permit on top of the ordinary one): AR$ 25,000 per day, AR$ 50,000 for ten days, AR$ 100,000 for the season, according to Perfil on the Advisory Commission decision. The Río Negro portal lists the permit but its amounts did not appear in what we read.

According to the Río Negro annex of the 2026/27 regulation, the Patagonian fishing permit is valid in Río Negro, Neuquén, Chubut and the National Parks, as long as its authenticity can be checked on the spot (the Neuquén annex says the same for an online permit, with its QR code and your ID). So one ordinary permit covers the lake, the rivers inside the National Park and the provincial waters. From 2026/27 Río Negro also sells a separate social licence for the Río Negro river and other waters far from here: it is not valid in the rest of Patagonia. Take your ID or passport and the permit with you.

Rules we have read: Nahuel Huapi National Park, 2026/27

These are the entries of the 2026/27 National Parks annex, read in a copy hosted by a third party because the official site did not answer. Waters not listed in the annex are not open to fishing. Always ask your guide which rules apply on the day.

  • Lake Nahuel Huapi: open from 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027, with a daily limit of two salmonids. From 2 May to 31 May 2027 (and in October 2027) the limit is one salmonid under 40 cm, and fishing is banned within 200 m of river and stream mouths. Fishing is banned in the west of the Campanario arm until 31 December 2026. Motor navigation is banned within 300 m of the cliffs on Isla Victoria and Isla Fray Menéndez, and there are landing bans on parts of the Blest and Tristeza arms and some islands.
  • Manso River: the upper Manso (source to Lake Mascardi) is closed to fishing. The middle Manso (Mascardi to Lake Hess, and the fourth waterfall to Lake Steffen) is catch and release; fishing from a boat without a motor is allowed from 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027, while fishing and navigation are banned between Lake Hess and the fourth waterfall. The lower Manso (Lake Steffen to the Villegas confluence) is fly only, with a limit of two salmonids, and boats without a motor are allowed from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027. Didymo alert: treat your gear.
  • Traful River: navigation is banned in every form; fly only and catch and release; the only public access is at the confluence with the Minero River. Lake Traful: one rainbow trout under 40 cm per day in November (barbless hook), two between 1 December 2026 and 31 March 2027; no fishing within 100 m of the Bosque Sumergido.
  • Upper Limay (inside the National Park): 1 November 2026 to 31 May 2027; boats without a motor are allowed except in the first 400 m below the lake; from the lake to Rincón Chico it is fly only and catch and release; the limit is one salmonid and from 1 April 2027 every fish is released. The annex also lists permitted fishing hours by month.
  • Lake Mascardi: 1 November 2026 to 1 May 2027, two salmonids. Lake Steffen: one salmonid; boats with engines over 50 HP are banned.
  • Felt soles are banned in the National Park waters we read, and in all waters under Río Negro jurisdiction (Río Negro annex). Disinfect your gear against the Didymo alga.

What we have not read yet

We have not read the list of environments in Río Negro jurisdiction (for example the Limay downstream, the Ñirihuau and the Pichileufu), so we publish no rules for them: ask the Mesa Directiva (+54 294 442-1515) or your guide. Below the dams, the Neuquén annex divides the Limay into zones, from the Piedra del Águila dam down to the paraje Álamo Guacho, with fly-only stretches and release rules; those are covered in the Neuquén annex. In Neuquén waters fishing is banned within 500 m of the dams and from bridges and footbridges, and hiring a guide who is not an authorised tourism provider of the province is an offence. The Río Negro annex also states that fishing is for daylight hours and that transporting live fish is banned without authorisation.

Getting there and when to go

Bariloche has its own airport; Tipiliuke Lodge describes the flight from Buenos Aires as about two hours. Rio Manso Lodge says its guest transfers from the Bariloche area are included and that the lodge is about 1.5 to 2 hours by road from the nearest regional airport. These are the operators’ own times. The season starts on 1 November 2026; Lake Nahuel Huapi closes on 1 May 2027 and the Limay inside the Park on 31 May 2027.

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.

Indicative calendar

WhenWhat to expect
November2026/27 season opens (1 November 2026).
Until 1 MayLake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Mascardi close on 1 May 2027; the Limay inside the Park closes on 31 May 2027.

Licence, closures and regulations

General Regulation of Continental Sport Fishing of Patagonia, 2026/27 season. Annexes for the National Parks and Neuquén read on 30/10/2026 in copies hosted by a third party (AICACYP); general points of the Río Negro annex copied from the regulation site by the owner the same day. Permit values from the portal of the Mesa Directiva Zona Andina. The list of Río Negro environments and the general text (Articles 4 and 22) were not read.

Authority: Mesa Directiva de Pesca Deportiva Zona Andina (Río Negro) y Administración de Parques Nacionales

Last checked: 30 October 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 Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi. We build listings from public information and correct them with each provider; prices, when shown, are dated.

Fishing guide

Expediciones Baruzzi (Andrés Makek)

Trout guide on the Limay River and Nahuel Huapi lake, Bariloche, with rafts and boats with casting platforms for up to four anglers. Brown, rainbow and brook trout.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Boat
Rafts and boats with casting platforms · Up to 4 anglers per boat
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat
Languages
Spanish

Price: on request

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

Ask about availability

Fishing guide

Eze Faccio

Trout guide in Bariloche: Limay River float by drift boat, Manso River by raft and lakes Roca and Fonck by tracker boat. Lunch and drinks included. Brown, rainbow and brook trout.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Boat
Drift boat on the Limay, raft on the Manso, tracker on the lakes
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat
Includes
Meals · Drinks
Languages
Spanish

Price: on request

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

Ask about availability

Lodging

Limay River Lodge

Lodge on the Limay River, built on riverfront land bought in 2013; first season 2015 (the operator's own history). Its fishing page did not load in our reader, so nothing else is confirmed: no rate, no capacity.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)

Price: on request

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

Ask about availability

Fishing guide

Lucas Pesca

Guide for trout days on the Limay River, Bariloche, with fly and spinning: eight-hour trips for two anglers. Rainbow, brown and brook trout.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast) · Spinning and baitcasting
Boat
Up to 2 anglers per boat
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat
Languages
Spanish

Price: on request

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

Ask about availability

Fishing guide · Packages and trips

Patagonia Drift Fly Fishing

Day trips from Bariloche by drift boat: the Limay float and the National Park lakes (Mascardi, Hess, Roca, Fonck, Guillelmo); also lodge programmes and multi-day camping expeditions. According to its website (read on 31 October 2026): the Limay float is USD 550 and the lakes USD 580, full day for 1 or 2 anglers, with a riverside lunch with wine and drinks; at most two anglers per guide and boat; waders and gear provided on request. Its page does not say whether the licence is included: ask.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Boat
Drift boat · Up to 2 anglers per boat
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat · Tackle provided
Includes
Meals · Drinks · Fishing tackle

Limay float USD 550 and lakes USD 580, full day for 1 or 2 anglers (price checked within the last 30 days)

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

Ask about availability

Fishing guide · Packages and trips

Patagonia in the Loop

Fly fishing guide service based in Bariloche, on the rivers and lakes of Nahuel Huapi National Park: the Limay, the Manso and the Manso basin lakes (Roca, Fonck, Mascardi, Hess). According to its website (read on 31 October 2026): half day USD 430 and full day USD 550 for 1 or 2 anglers, with round-trip transfers, a drift boat (raft on the Manso), gear and a riverside lunch; Manso trips add USD 100 for logistics; the licence (USD 35, they arrange it) and the park entrance fee for the Manso lakes (USD 25) are extra. Bilingual guide; states it is authorised in the Park and in Neuquén.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Boat
Drift boat · Up to 2 anglers per boat
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat · Tackle provided
Includes
Transfers · Fishing tackle · Meals · Drinks · Fishing licence
Languages
English · Spanish

Full day USD 550 and half day USD 430 for 1 or 2 anglers (licence extra) (price checked within the last 30 days)

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

Ask about availability

Lodging

Rio Manso Lodge

Lodge near Bariloche with guided fishing. Its own site publishes for 2026-27 US$ 1,050 per angler per night or US$ 7,000 per week, per person in a double room (read on 30/10/2026). It says it works on private land and is not inside a national park; its pages disagree on whether the fishing licence is included, so ask.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)

Price: on request

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

Ask about availability

Fishing guide · Packages and trips

Southern Rivers Patagonia

Bariloche guides and outfitter: a full day on the Limay with a private guide and a boat for 1 or 2 anglers, floating and stopping to wade when the river allows. According to its website (read on 31 October 2026): USD 530 in total for 1 or 2 anglers, with transfers from your accommodation in Bariloche, gear and an Argentine riverside lunch; the licence (USD 40 per person per day, they can arrange it) and gratuities are extra. It says April and May are the best months for migratory browns.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Boat
Drift boat · Up to 2 anglers per boat
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat · Tackle provided
Includes
Transfers · Fishing tackle · Meals · Drinks · Fishing licence

USD 530 in total for 1 or 2 anglers, full day on the Limay (licence and gratuities extra) (price checked within the last 30 days)

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

Ask about availability

Fishing guide · Packages and trips

Trout Bariloche

Local Bariloche guides running private full-day and half-day trips on the Limay, the Manso and the Nahuel Huapi lakes, from a drift boat or wading. According to its website (read on 31 October 2026): a full day on the Limay is USD 520 per boat for 1 or 2 anglers, with transport from Bariloche, fishing gear and a riverside lunch; a third angler pays USD 60; the licence is extra (USD 40) and they arrange it. English-speaking guides.

Fishing styles
Fly fishing (flycast)
Boat
Drift boat · Up to 2 anglers per boat
Boat and gear
Fully equipped boat · Tackle provided
Includes
Transfers · Fishing tackle · Meals · Fishing licence
Languages
English · Spanish

From USD 520 per boat, full day on the Limay, 1 or 2 anglers (licence extra) (price checked within the last 30 days)

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

Ask about availability

All Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi listings on one page: fishing guides in Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi →

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 Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi

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Frequently asked questions

Which permit do I need to fish in Bariloche and how much is it?

The Patagonian permit of Río Negro, bought online on the portal of the Mesa Directiva Zona Andina. For non-resident foreigners in 2026/27: one day AR$ 50,000, ten days AR$ 140,000, season AR$ 280,000 (Argentine pesos, VAT included). Confirm the current amount before you pay.

Do I need a separate permit for the National Park?

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. We did not read a separate Park permit for the lake and rivers: confirm it when you buy.

When does the season start?

On 1 November 2026. Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Mascardi close on 1 May 2027, and the Limay inside the Park on 31 May 2027.

How many fish can I keep from Lake Nahuel Huapi?

Until 1 May 2027, two salmonids a day. From 2 to 31 May 2027, one salmonid under 40 cm. Local guides usually release everything.

What are the rules on the Manso River?

The upper Manso is closed to fishing. The middle Manso is catch and release, and fishing from a boat without a motor is allowed from 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027. The lower Manso, from Lake Steffen to the Villegas, is fly only with a limit of two salmonids.

How do I fish the Traful River?

Fly only and catch and release, with no navigation. The only public access is at the confluence with the Minero River.

Can I wear felt-soled boots?

No. They are banned in the National Park waters we read and in all waters under Río Negro jurisdiction. Disinfect your gear against the Didymo alga.

What are the rules on Río Negro rivers outside the Park?

We have not read the list of Río Negro environments yet (the Limay downstream, the Ñirihuau, the Pichileufu), so we publish no rules for them. Ask the Mesa Directiva on +54 294 442-1515, or your guide.

How much does a lodge stay cost?

Rio Manso Lodge publishes for 2026-27 US$ 1,050 per angler per night or US$ 7,000 per week, per person in a double room (its own site, read on 30/10/2026). The other operators publish no rate or we could not read it.

How do I get to Bariloche?

Bariloche has its own airport; according to Tipiliuke Lodge the flight from Buenos Aires takes about two hours. Rio Manso Lodge includes transfers from the Bariloche area.

Sources consulted (10)