Map

Fishing in Pico river basin: the river and its five famous lakes See map

Rio Pico is a typical Patagonian town of Chubut. About 1000 people make up its population. Through these land once walked Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It is located 1,900 kilometers from Buenos Aires, and can be accessed from Trelew, Comodoro Rivadavia (east of the province) or from Esquel (north).

In this prolific fishing area, the fly-fisherman can even forget the world, because the Pico River Basin, has the namesake river and five lakes (Vinter, Guacho, Engaño, Berta Berta Superior and inferior) rich in salmon populations, brown trout and rainbow trout. In more than one occasion you can catch one per day of unlimited extent. Specific information for fly fishermen.

Pico River west zone and Nilson are small and beautiful rivers with a very large population of fish and slow and fast currents with riverbeds for production of hatches of stone fly, caddis and May fly. These rivers are ideal for fishing with dry flies and nymphs. You can find many and large trout fishing from boats or floats in the still waters of small lakes and ponds.

Finally, to add a new exciting chapter of fishing we meet again in the upper Rio Pico and Nilson zone, with other features, almost exclusively water for dry fly fishing.

No matter what program the fisherman want to choose of these three examples, or a combination of each other, we can guarantee a fishing adventure ever imagined handled with experience guiding in these environments in the province of Chubut, which are a real natural marvel, exceptional habitat for thousands of wild trout.

Lake Uno - Vinter: 12 km gravel road from Rio Pico and authorized to fish with engine running. Like all lakes, the Uno has its secrets. You have to collect the flies very fast because of the sinking lines. But the trout do not like a fast fly. A clear "stillwater" line of slow sinking can give yuo success to get a great Rainbow trout. The place is quiet without the presence of wind, rocky shores and beaches of the lake are inhabited by nymphs of mayflies and stoneflies of good size and caddis with free-living house. There are small crustaceans, leeches and snails in soft-shelled.

Any large dry fly presented in the way of trout with some movement works fine, but highlights the floating Bombers as they have the body of deer hair. The trout fight very hard and for that reason is recommended a tippet not less than 2x. Lake Uno is a lake for fishing enabled engine running and the daily limit is one piece unlimited extent.

Lake Dos - Gaucho: 40 kilometers from Rio Pico, accessible only horseback riding or 4x4.

Lake Tres - Engaño: another gravel road 20 km leads to Lake Tres, where fly fishing is done and return mandatory. One warning, the engine power must not exceed 35 HP and trawling is banned.

Lake Cuatro - Berta Superior: here is prohibited from using engine and you can fish by anchored boat.

Lake Cinco - Berta Inferior: green light to test fly fishing with compulsory return. But is sanctioned fishing with engine.

How to access the area

From Esquel or Trevelin take the National Road No. 40 to the south and after passing Gobernador Costa, 16 km, is the turnoff to Rio Pico, where you arrive after traveling about 70 km.

From Trelew through Jose de San Martin and moving northwest along the National Road 40 you get to Gobernador Costa. From there the same as above.

From Comodoro Rivadavia, take the Route 3 south, then the Provincial Road 26 west to reach Gobernador Costa, and there is continued as is described above.

By Adriana Leiva and Gustavo de Vera