Overview

Welcome to the Limay!

A Dynamic Patagonian River

The Limay is one of the most important and challenging rivers in all of Patagonia. It drains the immense Lake Nahuel Huapi near Bariloche. From there, it flows some 430 km northeast through increasingly dry steppe. Eventually, it joins the Rio Neuquen to form the Rio Negro. Granted, it holds decent populations of resident rainbow and brown trout, a few of which are surprisingly large. Even so, the real draw is the migratory brown trout. Indeed, these fish run up from Lago Nahuel Huapi and the reservoirs below.

A World-Class Trophy Trout Fishery

Above all, the Limay surrenders more than its fair share of behemoths. In fact, it is arguably one of the world’s best fisheries for trophy non-anadromous brown trout. Superbly conditioned on pancoras and baitfish, these browns average 4 to 7 lbs. Moreover, fish over 10 pounds are relatively common. Better still, every year, fish over 15 lbs are landed.

Hard-Earned Rewards

That said, this certainly does not mean the fishing is easy. On the contrary, Limay’s secrets are hard-earned and closely guarded. As with most migratory fisheries, success demands patience, determination, and time.

Fishing

A Day on the River

Fishing the Limay is done from a drift boat, floating downriver and casting streamers tight to the bank, letting them sink, then retrieving them through the strike zone, while the guide rows constantly, working to keep you in the hotspot as long as possible. Anglers who prefer a two-handed rod can also swing flies spey-style.

Either way, you are in good hands: our guides are locals who know this river intimately, reading its moods, its lies, and its ever-shifting flows better than anyone. A typical day starts at 8:00 with pickup from your hotel, followed by a drive to the put-in, where we launch the drift boat and start fishing. Midday, we pull over for a classic Argentine lunch on the bank before pushing on, fishing hard until we take out around 6:00 pm.

When chasing migratory browns, consistency on the cast is crucial. These fish reward the angler who can put the fly tight to the bank cast after cast, hour after hour, without letting focus slip. Come May, there is also excellent action for big resident rainbows, strong, hard-pulling fish that can be taken nymphing or swung up on a two-hander, much like fishing for steelhead back home.

The Limay’s Three Segments

The river breaks cleanly into three parts: Upper (including the famous Boca), Middle, and Lower.

The Boca

Just 16 km east of Bariloche sits the legendary Boca, where water plunges out of Nahuel Huapi to form the channel. With public access along both stony banks, it has a devoted following. In fall, when the migratory browns push in, you can count on company. During peak season, you can stand on the Ruta 237 bridge and watch schools of jaw-dropping browns holding in the lake, many fresh and chrome, hot as salmon.

Upper Limay

Limay means “limpid” or “transparent” in Mapuche, and the gin-clear water hides the river’s size, power, and depth. Even up here, it runs big, with deceptively strong currents deeper than they look. We are not too proud to admit our first steps ended in a dunking. The boulder bottom stays mostly free of moss, so felt soles find good traction, assuming your feet reach it. Undammed, this stretch has real character: islands, side channels, sweeping bends, deep pools, and shallow riffles. Anglers split it into two parts, the Boca and everything else.

Middle Limay

The tailwater below the dams now holds prime perca and pejerrey, an ample food source for large, fish-eating browns. Much old spawning water was lost to inundation, however, tipping the balance toward big migratory fish over smaller residents. This is a trophy river, though resident rainbows of 12 to 18 inches can fish outstandingly. Compared with the upper river, this stretch runs wider, windier, and more uniform, with less obvious structure. Access is all off Ruta 237, and apart from the outflows, most is private. Some landowners grant access for a fee or a polite request, but floating fish is best.

Tackle

Big fish, big tackle. Here is what works:
Go 7 or 8 weight. It handles long casts, heavy tips, wind, and big flies, and gives you the backbone to fight a submarine.
Fish sink-tips and big streamers. This is the ticket for migratory browns.
Leave the light stuff home. The five-weight and the #12 Adams are for residents only.
Dries can work. A few savvy anglers pull it off, but do not count on it.

Season

The browns hold all season, but the months are not created equal:

November to early December. Can be red-hot, but high water and cold, wet weather keep it unpredictable.
January and February. The low point. Fewest migratory fish, heaviest pressure. Residents keep you busy, and a stray lake fish is always possible.
March, April, May. The money months. Fish stage for the spawn and pour down from the lake en masse. When the run fires is anybody’s guess, so be there when it does.