WILD TROUT AT THE END OF THE WORLD.
Water that keeps getting wilder.
Week one of Noah’s dream trip starts with a first morning on the Rio Codihue and ends with a float out of the Trocomán canyon. Everything here is water we actually fished, with the guides who put us on it.
WHY PATAGONIA?
Every day can feel like a different fishing trip
Northern Patagonia packs an extraordinary variety of trout fishing into a remarkably compact region, and our week proved it: home water on the Codihue, sight fishing on a spring creek, horses over a pass, and a canyon float, all inside seven days. This is also Patagonia at its mildest, with long summer days and a mountain climate that feels surprisingly familiar to anglers who know places like Montana.
The part of Patagonia most people drive past
Most Patagonia trips route through the same handful of famous rivers. This one sits north of all that, in the Neuquén backcountry, where the valleys are wide and the fishing pressure is close to nonexistent. Rakin holds more than 14 miles of trout water on one working ranch, and the exploratory program continues to expand its selection of world-class waters on nearby estancias as well.
Trout doing what trout are supposed to do
Browns, rainbows, and brook trout still behave like nobody has bothered them. They eat voraciously, throw caution to the wind, and fight considerably harder than their size suggests. That is what happens when trout are left to flourish in secluded, cold, clean water without daily angling pressure.
A culture that sticks with you
Mate in the truck at dawn. Gauchos moving stock down the dirt road alongside you. Lamb turned over a fire at camp while the sky goes dark and the stars materialize above. The guides grew up in these valleys, and somewhere around the middle of the week the days stop feeling guided and start feeling shared.
Rakin Lodge
A private six-guest home above the Rio Codihue, surrounded by the river and mountains of Estancia El Halcón. Set fishes one angler per guide, so the team quickly learns whether you are a streamer junkie, a dry-fly purist, or somewhere between. The lodge pairs breathtaking 360-degree views and modern comforts with an atmosphere that stays personal rather than formal. Group meals are prepared twice daily, picnic lunches travel to the river, and the team shares the place with easy generosity. By the middle of our week, we felt less like people passing through and more like part of its rhythm.
THE FISHING
Species
Wild brown, rainbow, and brook trout. Most of our fish throughout the trip came on dry flies and streamers.
The water
Four distinct kinds of fishing inside one week: the Codihue below the lodge; the Trolopé, a clear spring creek and lagoon system where you spot-and-stalk trophy trout and fish from a raft; and the Trocomán canyon, winding through country with no road access at all. Rakin also holds private access to the Liu Cuyín, Yumuyumu, and Yucuyín.
How you fish it
Dry flies and dry-dropper rigs can carry you on most days. Nymphing can be very effective, as can streamers for bigger fish, especially trophy brown trout later in the season.
Season, gear, difficulty, and fitness all live in Trip Details below.
A TYPICAL WEEK
From home water to the Trocomán. Set builds every week around water levels, weather, and the group. This is the shape of the week we fished—not a locked itinerary.
DAY 1 — ARRIVE
Fly Buenos Aires to Chapelco, drive roughly three and a half hours to Rakin, rig rods, walk the property, and share your first Argentine dinner.
DAY 2 — THE HOME WATER
Walk and wade the Codihue while the guides learn how you like to fish.
DAY 3 — THE TROLOPÉ
Sight fish the spring creek and secluded lagoon system on foot and from a raft.
DAY 4 — MORE CODIHUE
Explore new stretches across the Rakin property and settle further into the home water.
DAY 5 — INTO THE TROCOMÁN
Cross the pass before sunrise. Horses carry the gear while you fish and hike into camp.
DAY 6 — THE CANYON FLOAT
Float and fish through a roadless canyon, finishing at the Trocomán house for asado, a shower, and a comfortable bed.
DAY 7 — BACK TO RAKIN
Return to the lodge, fish the Codihue, and finish with a farewell dinner.
DAY 8 — DEPART
Transfer to Chapelco for Buenos Aires—or continue onward to Corrientes.
TRIP DETAILS
Lodging, guided fishing, meals at the program, and the in-country transfers specifically listed in your proposal are typically packaged together. International airfare, Buenos Aires hotels, gratuities, insurance, and personal purchases are generally separate. Set will itemize your exact proposal.
Rakin and Casa de Campo generally run December through April; Spring Creek Lodge runs November through May; the Limay Expedition runs February through May. The right week depends on water, desired techniques, and availability.
Most Rakin itineraries fly from Buenos Aires to Chapelco, followed by about three and a half hours by paved road. Set coordinates the in-country transfer plan and confirms every connection before travel.
Set provides a date-specific list. Plan on layered clothing, serious rain protection, sun protection, wading gear, and tackle matched to the program. Ask about loaner equipment before packing rods and boots.
Expect uneven ground, current, long outdoor days, and getting in and out of rafts. The Trocomán portion adds horseback access, several miles on foot, and a remote camp. Tell us candidly about mobility so Set can recommend the right program.
Summer days can be mild and long, but mountain weather changes quickly. Wind is often the real learning curve. Layers and quality rain gear matter more than trying to forecast one perfect week.
IS THIS TRIP RIGHT FOR YOU?
This trip is a strong fit if you:
• Would rather fish dry flies to willing trout than grind for one big fish
• Want variety inside a single week, from technical spring creek to canyon float
• Are comfortable walking uneven ground and spending long days outside
• Like the idea of earning your water by horse and on foot
• Care as much about the people and the food as the fishing
THINK CAREFULLY IF YOU
• Need a lodge with resort amenities, a spa, or reliable connectivity all week
• Are not comfortable with horses or a night in a backcountry camp
• Want guaranteed trophy-sized fish rather than a lot of quality trout
• Cannot manage a full day of wading in current
First-time international anglers do well here, and so do people who have fished all over the world. Noah had never taken a trip like this and had one of the best weeks of anyone in our group. The wind is the real learning curve, not the fish.
PATAGONIA BEYOND THE FILMS
Four programs. Four different ways in. Set has operated across northern Patagonia for more than 25 years. If Rakin is full—or another pace suits you better—there is usually a program that still fits the vision.
RAKIN LODGE · DEC–APR
Unexplored Patagonia. Set’s smallest and most remote program: six guests, one angler per guide, and private access across the Codihue, Trocomán, Trolopé, Liu Cuyín, Yumuyumu, and Yucuyín.
SPRING CREEK LODGE · NOV–MAY
Classic Patagonia. A guide and vehicle for every two anglers, six private casitas, River Houses, and options spanning walk-and-wade, stillwater, day floats, and multi-day floats. The strongest choice for groups with non-anglers.
THE LIMAY EXPEDITION · FEB–MAY
Six days on the water. Roughly 50 miles of the region’s biggest river and five nights in deluxe mobile camps. Also available as a three-day add-on; April and May bring the best odds for a truly giant brown.
CASA DE CAMPO · DEC–APR
Trout hunting. Set’s most technical program: four days stalking specific fish on foot in the Pehuenía District, followed by a two-day float and riverside camp. Maximum six anglers.
Not sure which one is yours? Tell Wild Fly and Set what you are after, and the team will match the program to your dates, pace, and the way you like to fish.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes. Spring Creek Lodge is the strongest base for a separate non-angling itinerary, though other programs may also work. Tell us what everyone wants from the week.
Pricing depends on the program, dates, group size, and transfers. Submit an inquiry for current pricing and an itemized list of inclusions.
Rakin is small and prime weeks go early. Reaching out well ahead gives Set the best chance to match your preferred timing and program.
Deposit and cancellation terms vary by program and will be provided in writing before you commit. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Absolutely. The form below starts a conversation with Wild Fly and Set—not an instant booking.