Fish Patagonia › Guides › Flies and Hatches for the Futaleufú, Yelcho and Palena

Flies and Hatches for the Futaleufú, Yelcho and Palena

In short: The flies the app uses for this area: Parachute Adams, Pheasant Tail and CDC emerger (mayflies), Elk Hair Caddis, foam hoppers, cantaria beetles, foam dragonflies, pancora crabs, and Woolly Buggers or zonkers as streamers. When the water is high or blown out the app steers you to subsurface flies.

Guide updated October 27, 2026 · live data Oct 27, 2026, 1:59 PM (Chile)

Hatch calendar and flies

This is the app's general calendar (levels 1 to 3 per month), not an insect count.

Mayflies

Active: October to May (strongest: December and March); fished on the surface.

• Parachute Adams #14–18 · Grey / Olive · Clear water
• Pheasant Tail nymph #14–18 · Natural / Flashback
• CDC emerger #16 · Olive / Dun

Caddis

Active: November to April (strongest: December to February); fished on the surface, evening activity.

• Elk Hair Caddis #12–16 · Tan / Olive body
• Soft-hackle pupa #14 · Olive / Amber

Stoneflies

Active: October to May; fished subsurface.

• Rubber-leg stonefly nymph #6–10 · Black / Coffee
• Chubby Chernobyl #8–10 · Golden / Royal · High visibility

Dragonflies and damselflies

Active: December to March (strongest: January to February); fished on the surface.

• Dragonfly nymph #6–8 · Olive / Brown
• Foam dragonfly #6 · Cobalt Blue / Olive

Hoppers

Active: December to April (strongest: February to March); fished on the surface, best on warm days.

• Fat Albert / foam hopper #6–10 · Tan / Yellow / Pink indicator

Cantaria beetle

Active: November to April (strongest: January to February); fished on the surface, best on warm days.

• Cantaria beetle (green-bronze foam) #8–12 · Iridescent green-bronze

Cicadas

Active: December to February; fished on the surface, best on warm days.

• Foam cicada #8–12 · Black / Orange belly

Pancora crab

Active: October to May; fished subsurface.

• Pancora crab #4–6 · Olive / Rust brown

Baitfish (streamers)

Active: October to May (strongest: April to May and October to November); fished subsurface, useful in high water.

• Woolly Bugger (black / olive) #4–8 · Olive (clear) / Black-purple (runoff)
• Zonker / sculpin #2–6 · Olive-white (puyén) / Tan

What to pack

• 6 wt floating setup + 7/8 wt streamer rod
• 200–300 gr sink-tip line (rivers) & Type III/V full-sink (lakes)
• 0X–3X fluorocarbon & mono tippet + 9 ft tapered leaders
• Rubber-soled wading boots (no felt — Didymo rule) + breathable waders
• Hemostats / pliers to pinch barbs (mandatory barbless hooks)
• Foam dragonflies (#6), Cantaria beetles (#8–12), Chubby Chernobyl (#8–10), Pancora crabs & #2–6 olive/black streamers
• Sernapesca fishing licence downloaded on phone + rain shell

Frequently asked questions

What flies work on the Futaleufú in summer?

In summer the app suggests dry-dropper rigs, hoppers (Fat Albert / foam hopper #6–10), cantaria beetles (#8–12) and mayflies such as the Parachute Adams (#14–18).

What streamers should I use on the Yelcho and Palena?

The app lists Woolly Bugger (black / olive) (#4–8) and Zonker / sculpin (#2–6); Lago Yelcho is also fished with sinking lines along the deep edges.

What should I fish when the river is blown out?

The app switches to subsurface flies (nymphs and streamers) when flow is high or blown out, and points to the lakes when rivers run high.

Can I wear felt-soled wading boots?

Didymo biosecurity: avoid felt-soled boots (use rubber soles); soak boats, waders and nets for 5 min in 5% dish-soap, 2% chlorine or 5% salt solution and dry 48 h when changing watersheds.

Open the live app →

Provisional data and general guidance. Conditions change quickly: scout, check local rules with Sernapesca and use a local guide on big water.