Green Baker Lodge – Río Baker Fly Fishing, Chile

Fishing at Green Baker Lodge

Green Baker Lodge sits on the Río Baker at Puerto Bertrand in Chile's Aysén Region. Guided wade and cataraft fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout covers the Baker, the Cochrane, San Martín and Jeinimeni rivers and the lakes, with a gravel beach ten steps from the cabins.

The Baker, Chile’s Largest River

Green Baker Lodge stands at the head of the Río Baker, where it leaves Lake Bertrand, and a wide gravel beach with clean water for fly fishing is ten steps from the cabins. The river is deep and fast, so trout hold in several kinds of water and the day changes with it: nymphs on the gravel islands of the upper reaches, dries when caddis hatch over the big countercurrents, and large streamers cast to deep banks with plenty of cover.

Cochrane, San Martín, Jeinimeni and the Lakes

The Baker is the main fishery, but the program reaches further. The Cochrane fishes like a spring creek, the San Martín is known for trophy rainbows and the Jeinimeni for trophy trout. Lake Brown and General Carrera Lake, near the Marble Caves, add lake fishing to the mix.

Rainbows From October, Browns From March

The season runs from October to May. Rainbows are at their best from October to December and browns from March to May, though both can be fished all season. The San Martín’s trophy rainbows come early in the season and the Jeinimeni’s trophy trout late, so the month you book shapes which rivers you fish.

Catarafts, Long Days and Riverside Lunches

Fishing is guided from catarafts, with a full day of eight hours or more and the length of the day left to the angler. Because the river flows beside the lodge, a line can go in before breakfast or after dinner. Lunch is taken riverside, and guides pitch the day to each angler’s skill, from a first cast to a five-thousandth.

To learn more about the fishing and express an interest, message The Support Team.

Fishing Highlights

Active adventure
Beginner-friendly
Customizable itinerary
Guided fishing
Loaner rods & reels
Loaner wading gear
Orvis Endorsed
Trophy fishing
Wilderness fishing

Fishing Gear & Information

The lodge can lend rods, reels, waders and boots, though it recommends bringing your own. Rods from 5 to 8 weight, 9 feet long, cover the rivers and lakes fished, and you do not need one of each.

Bring floating, intermediate sinking and full sinking lines, and 9-foot leaders from 5x to 1x. Useful flies include Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulator and Chernobyl Ant for dries, Pheasant Tail, Prince and Copper John for nymphs, and Woolly Bugger, Kreelex Minnow and Peanut Envy for streamers.

The weather is unpredictable, so pack waders, wading shoes, a wading jacket, a windbreaker, polarized lenses and sunscreen.

Fishing Program Overview

Fishing Program: Freshwater Fly Fishing
Fishing Gear: Loaner gear is available for guests.
Species to Target: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Season: The fishing at Green Baker Lodge runs from October to May.
For seasonal updates and recommended gear, message The Support Team.

What to Bring

Chest waders
Fly line - floating
Fly line - sinking
Leaders & Tippets
Polarized Sunglasses
Single-handed rod
Sunscreen
Wading boots
Wading jacket

Commitment to Sustainability

Green Baker Lodge follows catch-and-release (C&R) practices to help sustain fish populations for future generations.

Advocates for Catch & Release

Green Baker Lodge Accommodation

Seven cabins stand on the bank of the Baker, with the Cordón Contreras range behind them and the river a few steps from each terrace. Cabins sleep two to seven, and a handcrafted breakfast basket is delivered to the door each morning.

Seven Cabins Named for Local Rivers

Each cabin is named for a river of the region, from Baker and Neff to Chacabuco and Barrancoso, and has a view of the Baker, direct access to it, a living and dining room, a terrace, a fully equipped kitchen and a hot-water shower. Furniture is rustic rauli wood and housekeeping is included. Two cabins sleep two in a loft double bed, one sleeps four and one five, and three sleep seven with a double-bed bedroom of their own, so a family or a group of friends can take a whole cabin. Pellet stoves heat them all, and the three largest also have a slow-burning wood stove.

Breakfast Baskets, Chef’s Dinners and the Asado

Breakfast arrives in a basket at the cabin door, with fresh bread, jam, local honey, eggs to cook, Patagonian cheese and ham, fruit, yogurt and French press coffee. On fishing weeks, dinners by the river are cooked by chef Jorge Seguel from local seasonal ingredients, with Patagonian beef and southern salmon on the menu, Chilean wines to match and an open bar. A traditional lamb asado is cooked over fire, and vegetarian and gluten-free diets can be arranged.

The Quincho and the Hot Tub

The Quincho is the shared lounge, with a fireplace and a bar that look over the river. Outdoor hot tubs are there for the end of a long day on the water.

To explore room options, availability, and planning your stay, message The Support Team.

Accommodation Gallery

Accommodation Highlights

Complimentary drinks
Gourmet chef
Hot tub
Mountain views
Riverfront views
Walk to fishing

Amenities

BBQ grill
Double occupancy rooms
Equipped kitchen
Licensed bar
Housekeeping service
Open fireplace
Prepared meals
Private bathroom
Wood burning stove
Wifi

Travel Information

Guests fly to Santiago (SCL) and connect to Balmaceda (BBA). Lodge staff meet guests at Balmaceda and drive them south along the Carretera Austral to the lodge, about four hours.

Transfers to and from the airport, transport to the fishing locations and the fishing license are included in the fishing program.

Visa & Vaccine Requirements

Citizens of the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in Chile. Passports should be valid for the full length of stay, and travelers should check current entry rules with their own government before departure.

Visitors receive a digital tourist card on arrival and complete an agricultural (SAG) declaration for food and organic items.

No vaccinations are required for entry. Routine vaccinations should be up to date, and hepatitis A and tetanus are commonly recommended. Yellow fever vaccination is not needed for Patagonia.

Travel regulations and health recommendations may change, so guests should verify current visa and vaccination requirements before traveling.

Beyond Fishing Experiences

The Baker valley has plenty to do away from the water, and the lodge runs a program for partners and non-anglers. Rafting starts at Puerto Bertrand, 3 km away, and covers the first 7 km of the Baker through class 2 and 3+ rapids. A 14 km kayak tour or a motorboat ride runs to Lake Plomo, where two lakes of different colors meet. Ten kilometers south, an 800-meter trail leads to the viewpoint over the meeting of the turquoise Baker and the milky Nef, with a drop of more than 10 meters in the falls on the Baker.

Further afield, boat and kayak trips from Puerto Río Tranquilo, 70 km away, visit the marble chapels, cathedral and tunnel on General Carrera Lake. Glacier trekking to Calluqueo starts from Cochrane, 45 km south, and Patagonia National Park, 39 km south, has more than 18 trails where guanacos and condors are seen. Horseback rides follow the shore of General Carrera Lake at Mallín Grande.

To find out if this fishing trip is right for you, message The Support Team.