Magic Waters Lodge Trip Report 2024
“Hold on, here comes a big one!” shouted Jaime over the thundering whitewater as he maneuvered the 14’ raft through a slot in the rocks and over a class IV drop. With a 5-weight rod in my right hand and grasping the frame with my left, I peripherally noticed a half dozen rainbow trout scatter off the bow of the boat in the ultra-clear, cyan water of the Rio Paloma. Clear of any immediate rapids, Jaime tells me to throw my hopper dropper rig at a cruising rainbow 20 feet at 10 o’clock. One cast, one dry fly eating rainbow … I could get used to fly fishing in Chile on these majestic waters.
I knew I was in good hands with Jaime. He had previously been a member of the Chilean National kayak team and has paddled rowdy waters all over the world, including some familiar ones to me in the US like Oh Be Joyful creek in Colorado and the North Fork of the Payette in Idaho. Jaime’s risk tolerance decreased as his age increased, leading him to trade in his paddles for fly rods and his dry suits for waders. Though still on the younger side of the guide spectrum, Jaime is already one of the fishiest guides at Magic Waters Lodge and his passion for fishing and floating the local rivers brings an added level of excitement to a day on the water.
In situations like this – a remote part of the globe, swift water, and consequential rapids – it resonates with me how important it is to have a true pro as a guide. Beautiful trout, awe-inspiring scenery, and comfortable accommodations are key components to a successful trip, and I've enjoyed all of that. In my experience hosting fly fishing trips all over the globe and directing the operations of Montana Angler’s outfitting in the northern Rockies, the most vivid and lasting memories I take with me seem to be of the people I meet along the way; the elated expression of a guest when they catch their first truly large trout, the weathered face of a longtime guide squinting through the glare on the water’s surface, or the friendly smile of the lodge host beckoning you to try just one more tasty appetizer.
Magic Waters Lodge: World Class Service paired with Unique Fishing Opportunities
In addition to professional, experienced guides, a well appointed and smoothly run lodge is a key component to a successful and memorable trip. With a series of hot appetizers each evening, a nice selection of Chilean wines available, and an attentive staff, guests at Magic Waters experience world class service. I especially appreciated the organization and communication of the lodge staff. Each evening, guide and lodge host Collin would review the guide pairings and fishing venues for each group, answering any questions guests had and providing advice throughout the process - what clothing to wear, what rods to bring, how far the drive was, and so on. These seemingly small details are easily overlooked, but attention to them makes for seamless transitions, less confusion and ultimately more time catching fish.
The Culture and Community of Patagonia
In Chilean Patagonia I have found the connectivity in the community to be even more pronounced than other areas I have traveled and fished. Perhaps it is due to the sheer remoteness of the Aysén region that spawns an informal yet intricate network of landowners, fishing guides, food producers, and local artisans working together to help one another survive and prosper. Or it may be more of a cultural attribute, where conversations are unhurried and deliberate, a meal can be a multiple hour affair, and relationships are cultivated over generations.
On one morning commute from Magic Waters Lodge to the Rio Paloma, we stopped by the home of Alfredo who, along with is family, owns vast tracts of land throughout the Paloma Valley allowing lodge guides and guests private access to stretches of one of the planet’s most beautiful trout streams. Greeted by the cluck of chickens, the lazy tail wag of an old ranch dog, and towering mountains flanking the river, I was introduced to Alfredo by Collin, my guide for the day, and his wife Bam, who would be running our vehicle shuttle. As Collin and Alfredo conversed in Spanish, I attempted to follow along with my primary school level of Spanish language learning, picking up the gist here and there, with a majority failing to be internally translated. With boat trailer attached and pleasantries exchanged, Collin, Bam, and I hopped back in the truck. Collin looked over and explained the crux of his conversation, “Bam, we need to come back tomorrow with three bottles of wine and we are going to help Alfredo kill a cow!”
Variety, Knowledgeable Guides, and Large Trout
Magic Waters Lodge owner Eduardo Barrueto, who’s family has been in Coyhaique for generations, has forged countless relationships such as this one with Alfredo throughout the local valleys securing access to some of the most diverse and varied trout waters anywhere on Earth. From a fishing standpoint, if there is one trait that sets Magic Waters Lodge apart from other programs in Patagonia, it is the sheer number of different waters available to anglers within an hour of the lodge.
With the bovine slaughter arranged and an NRS raft in tow, we set our sights on floating and fishing the lower Paloma; a magnificent stretch of water that terminates at Lago Caro. The opposite end of Lago Caro is home to an outlet that is the source of the Rio Blanco which flows north to its confluence with the Aysén river and eventually reaches the Patagonian fjords of the South Pacific. The Rio Blanco is also home to the sister program of Magic Waters Lodge, River of Dreams Basecamp, where guests this very same day landed some truly massive browns.
Back on the lower Paloma I enjoyed throwing articulated streamers to very willing brown trout as Collin pointed out the tailormade holding water to my left and right as we floated; deep pools, productive riffles and infinite structure offering ideal trout habitat. The visuals of watching trout chase down streamers in the clear waters of the Paloma is something every streamer angler should experience. Over the course of the day we saw exactly one other boat. This was intentional as Collin and I decided to do this particular float to tag along with other lodge guests, Bill and Cody, who were floating this section with guide Jaime. Having two boats floating together offered some friendly banter, additional photo subjects, and one very memorable “one that got away” moment. Collin and I were anchored up across the river from Jaime’s boat, watching Cody fight a large rainbow he had hooked in a productive back eddy. Cody expertly brought the fish in, Jaime was there with the net, and I was all set with my camera across the river for an epic photo…all the stars had aligned. Then, just as Cody began to raise the fish from the net, she gave one good flip of the tail, a flop into the water, and off she went. The five of us let out a collective noise that fell somewhere on the spectrum between laughing hysterically and screaming in agony. Though we caught many nice fish and floated one of the most scenic stretches of river I have ever had the privilege of fishing, it again is the people that make the best memories. The image of Cody’s fishless hands reaching longingly toward the heavens is a keeper.
Expert Guides Who Love Their Job
Dave Jackson is another Magic Waters guide I had the pleasure of spending a couple of days with. Dave has lived in Coyhaique for years but spends the Patagonian winter guiding anglers near the Arctic Circle in Canada’s Northwest Territories on Great Bear Lake and the Tree River. His diverse guiding background makes him incredibly adaptable and comfortable guiding for a variety of species on assorted water types. I accompanied Dave and guests Austin and Shawn to the upper Arco River, a small wade fishing stream where we saw high catch rates of browns and rainbows in the 8-14” range. We headed up an even smaller tributary, Retamal spring creek, that was no more than 6 feet wide at any point yet offered ideal habitat for surprisingly large brown trout.
Another day I spent with Dave was the most challenging weather day of the trip with strong winds, rain, and even a few rogue snowflakes. Opting to stay close to the lodge in the Seis Lagunas region we did some exploring of some area lagunas that had hardly been fished that season. One of these was “Hero or Zero” Lake, known for its relatively low catch rates but some massive trout. It was living up to the “Zero” part of its name after a couple of hours without a sniff on streamers or terrestrials. We came across an impressive mayfly hatch in a sheltered cove and a couple of subtle rises. Adapting to the situation, Dave suggested tying on a small mayfly dry and an emerger dropper. Sure enough, after zero action all morning, we saw a simultaneous tandem rise, one big rainbow eating the dry and the other striking at the emerger. Though we only hooked one of the two, and the one that came to the net was not worthy of “hero” status, it was a very memorable series of events that I attribute to the fantastic work of an experienced guide.
We switched gears after lunch and explored rarely fished Laguna Espejo, a small stillwater just minutes from the lodge with welcome shelter from the wind and surprisingly large brown trout relative to its size. We had a wonderful afternoon hooking a half dozen brown trout in the 16-20” range on streamers, and belly laughing about the adventurous exploratory drive in Dave’s classic Toyota to find the boat we were assured was stashed somewhere on the banks of the lake.
Guides Guillermo and Thomas were just as impressive on my days accompanying them to multiple spring creeks and the Rio Simpson. Guillermo is the resident spring creek guru, patiently stalking clear water dwelling trout and helping clients enjoy the unique visual experience of sight casting to fat trout in skinny water. Chatting with Guillermo while riding shotgun in his truck driving between fisheries, it came up that he had been guiding in the area for over a decade. I asked, “so do you still enjoy guiding?” With no hesitation he grinned and exclaimed, “Man, I love my job!” His passion and smile was contagious, turning a good day of fishing into a great one.
That afternoon guide Thomas showed me some nice runs to wade on the Simpson while he worked with guest Casey upriver. After a relatively slow hour with little action, Casey joked “well, that’s why it’s called fishing and not catching.” Thomas immediately looked up with a serious expression and retorted, “no, I catch”, then proceeded to change flies. The sense of humor, professionalism, expertise, and overall passion of the guides at Magic Waters is absolutely top notch.
Apres Fishing Activities
As much as I enjoy getting my hands dirty – crawling through brush to get that perfect angle to cast at a spooky spring creek trout, scrambling up a rocky outcropping to get a unique perspective for a photo, or casting a large streamer a thousand times prospecting for a big fish – I also enjoy getting a little spoiled occasionally. Eduardo and his staff do an amazing job creating an oasis of comfort within the rugged Patagonian landscape. Not more than five minutes after returning to the lodge from a memorable day of fishing, lodge host Valentina has me setup with a pisco sour in one hand, a hot empanada in the other, and I’m contemplating if I have the energy to thrown on some trunks and enjoy a soak in the woodfired hot tub on the deck overlooking the lodge’s private laguna. I believe the saying is this is what dreams are made of. The recent additions of a rec room with pool table and bar, a well-stocked fly-tying bench, and reliably fast WiFi round out the incredibly comfortable lodge experience.
A Return Trip is Already in the Works
Sooner or later I will be back to Chilean Patagonia. Having fished over a dozen days in the area so far, the number of fisheries I have still not even laid eyes on are too numerous to count. Maybe I’ll come back to visit the River of Dreams Basecamp to experience even greater solitude. Perhaps I’ll head to Patagonia Baker Lodge in the Patagonian fall to chase the legendary brown trout on the Rio Baker. Or quite likely, I will return to Magic Waters Lodge that delivers an exceptional experience time after time.
Join us for a return Hosted Trip to Magic Waters in January of 2025!