Food & Drink While the lodge provides world-class comfort and service, they have retained an authentic Chilean farm ambience. Food and wine are of the highest quality, utilizing as much as possible, meat and produce grown on our own farm. With regular flights from Chaiten, fresh sea food is often served. A grand 'Asado' (Chilean barbecue) with live local music is a regular Friday night climax. Futaleufu Lodge serves authentic Chilean cuisine which is a rich collection of culinary traditions from Spain, France, Germany and Italy, with some native influence added. Many of their guests are pleasantly surprised to discover that the highly seasoned (hot) dishes of other Latin countries are not popular in Chile. With meals you will have an opportunity to sample some of Chile's finest wines. St. Rita cabernet won the 1986 World Championship in Paris and this prompted Baron Lafite Rothschild to form a partnership with our local winery. We now enjoy this excellent wine as our house wine. Services The lodge staff consists of an overall manager/host, a hostess, a family staffing the farm, two English speaking guides, a chef, a driver, a waiter and a housekeeping maid. Futaleufu Lodge also has people in Santiago and Puerto Montt who will meet you in each of these airports and guide you through whatever transfers you require. All of these folks, with the exception of the guides, are Chilean, the manager/host and hostess, English speaking. If you leave dirty clothes where lodge staff can find them, they will be laundered, folded and placed in your dresser drawer. Please know that everyone at the lodge is dedicated to your service. If you note anything that they have overlooked, let it be known. Angling Program The angling is programmed yet flexible enough to respond to particular situations, client's preferences, weather, changing fish feeding habits, etc.
The basic week's schedule includes fishing 1) sections of the Futaleufu River that are separated by unnavigable stretches of white water, 2) sections of the Espolon River, 3) Espolon Lake and 4) horseback trips to remote lakes. Anglers utilize 'Rogue River' style drift boats to fish sections of the Futaleufu and Espolon Rivers. Anglers can move leisurely from location to location casting from the boats and then fish accessible water by wading. There are also one to three hour horseback trips through awesome scenery to some virtually untapped fishing. With other specialized choices including choices amongst several lakes, two and three day horseback expeditions and two day junkets to Puerto Ramirez, anglers have a vast number of possibilities. In all, you will enjoy six full angling days.
Prime fishing months are November through mid April.
The guided fishing week begins on Sunday following the daily 7 a.m. breakfast. However, guests are encouraged to arrive anytime after noon on Saturday. Lunch is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and then a leisurely afternoon of orientation. The orientation period allows you to get acquainted with the staff, go over equipment, see the water and plan for your six fishing days. Cocktails are at 7:00 p.m. each day with dinner at 8:00 p.m. For anxious anglers, after dinner there is superb water at the front door of the lodge and light in the early season until nearly 11 p.m. As guides are always happy to accompany you, they ask for the sake of safety that you do not fish alone.
Each fishing day is planned the night before between the guides and the anglers.
Our guides are experienced professionals, not competing fishing companions. They do not carry rods or equipment other than to serve your needs. All of their time and attention on the stream is dedicated to your safety, comfort and angling pleasure. We think your visit here is worth at least that much. While they are always happy to instruct when requested, please do not ask them to fish. It is embarrassing to them and strictly forbidden.
At Futaleufu Lodge, they are absolutely serious about catch and release. They do not keep fish, any fish, any time. If you have a problem with the techniques that make 'catch and release' angling effective, your guide will insist on releasing your catch for you. Anglers who refuse to abide by the lodge's strict catch and release policy will be asked to leave the premises without refund.
What Futaleufu offers is an opportunity for a rare few "trout and feathers" people, who see their sport as more than just a method of dragging fish out of the water, to experience one of the most ideal fly-fishing situations in the world. To enhance the fishing experience, Futaleufu Lodge is committed to providing you with the most caring and comfortable service possible.
HOOK UP: jimrepine@worldangler.com
|  | This hefty brown trout is as nice a river bred wild fish as you'll find anywhere. |
| |
EVALUATION REPORT... Jim Repine is a widely known angling author and photographer, having spent more than twenty years in Alaska as a guide, journalist and television personality. During Jim's years in Alaska he produced more than 200 television shows, numerous articles published in Japan, Europe and the United States, and has written several fine angling books. As an advisor to numerous world class lodges over his long career, Jim has amassed a remarkable knowledge of what a quality fishing lodge and superb fishing experience should be. Jim has been a strong influence in the interests of conservation and sport fishing ethics. He is an angler's angler. Futaleufu Lodge is a simple, yet elegant lodge. Certainly, it reflects Jim's sensitivity for unpretentious quality. | |
The number and quality of fishing opportunities in the Futaleufu region are remarkable. 
