The Fly Shop™ Signature Destination

Nineteen years ago, The Fly Shop discovered El Saltamontes on the Gorrono Ranch in the Patagonia Region of Southern Chile.

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The home river, Rio Ñireguao, has proven to be one of the finest hopper-fishing brown trout streams we’ve ever experienced, with amazing numbers of surface-oriented fish. Testimony to its excellence is the large numbers of clients who return annually.

Jose and Erica Gorrono open their ranch to angling guests in early December, welcoming guests over the Christmas Holiday, and fish straight through the end of March. Fewer than a hundred anglers fish the ranch each year, and every week of the short season is a good one. El Saltamontes is exclusively brown trout angling. Most fishing is done in the Nireguao River and its oxbow lagoons. Some of the best water in the valley is only a few yards from the door of the deluxe lodge. Browns actively feed on grasshoppers and other terrestrials and the grass bordering the stream is loaded with them in January, February, and March. Even the lodge's name, "El Saltamontes" means grasshopper.

The superb lodge is nestled in a beautiful river valley and is luxurious, by any angling standards. Each of the nine guest rooms has private baths, and magnificent views. A small and intimate experience, El Saltamontes allows only eight to ten fishermen and four non-anglers each week of its short season. Constructed completely from local timber and river stones, the furnishings and final touches reflect the Gorrono family commitment to make this the finest fishing lodge in Patagonian Chile. The cuisine at El Saltamontes is nothing short of gourmet. Talented chefs deliver meal after meal of mouth-watering regional specialties, guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and a few inches on your waistline! To accent these dining masterpieces, your host Jose Gorrono has already started stocking the lodge cellar with a fine selection of domestic wines for next season. The final evening you'll be treated to a traditional asado, an outdoor barbeque complete with live, local entertainment.

The trip to the lodge from the States can be made in a single day, but allowing a night en-route in Santiago makes the trip much more comfortable and enjoyable. Balmaceda, the nearby center of the Chilean cattle ranching district, is serviced by direct jet flights from the capitol, and fishermen usually sample the fishing upon arrival at the lodge.