The water
Nahuel Huapi: fishing the big lake beside Bariloche, Patagonia
The glacial lake Bariloche sits on: 10–20 minutes from your door to the boat, the cordillera across the horizon, brown and rainbow trout. Season, rules and how the trip runs.
Nahuel Huapi is the big glacial lake Bariloche sits on, in Argentina's northern Patagonia: around 550 km² of surface, more than 400 metres deep, clear and cold even in January. The whole lake lies inside the national park, so the rules are park rules. For fishing it is the shortest trip possible: 10–20 minutes from your door to the boat, and all around you is what people fly here for: the cordillera across the horizon, the islands, the snowfields.
The water in brief
| From Bariloche | 10–20 minutes from your lodging to the boat |
|---|---|
| Season | 1 Nov — 1 May |
| Shoulder months | 2–31 May and October you can fish: 1 fish under 40 cm, not within 200 m of river mouths; June to September closed |
| Fish | brown and rainbow trout, brook trout, landlocked salmon |
| Limit | 2 salmonids a day in season |
| Methods | boat trolling, spinning, fly; live bait banned |
| Restrictions | no motoring within 300 m of the cliffs at the north and south ends of Isla Victoria and the west shore of Isla Fray Menéndez; the western part of Brazo Campanario closed 1 November to 31 December and in October; no landing on reserve shores |
How we fish
The main method on the lake is trolling along the drop-offs and islands: the lure runs behind the boat at a chosen depth and the sonar shows the bottom and the fish. For a beginner it is the ideal start; for a family with kids, a calm day without extra gear in hand. The browns here are warier and bigger; the rainbows fight harder. In spring the fish are more active near the surface and the shores; in summer they go deep, and then it is deep trolling.
How it differs from Alicurá
Nahuel Huapi is scenery and logistics; Alicurá is the trophy. There are no pens here, the fish are wild and smaller on average, the limit is two salmonids a day, and from June to September the lake is closed. In return you are on the water twenty minutes after leaving the house, a half day is enough to fish and be back for lunch, and it is the best option with kids: close, calm, and if they get bored we head back. The comparison table is in the Alicurá guide.
When to come
The 1 November opening and all of November and December: active fish and long days. January and February: warm, busy, and windy in the afternoons, so we go out in the morning. March and April: the quietest and most beautiful, with autumn colours on the slopes and still water. In May and October you can fish with restrictions: one fish under 40 cm and away from the river mouths. June to September the lake is closed; for those months there is Alicurá.
With kids
With kids I do exactly this: a half day on Nahuel Huapi, close and calm, and if they lose interest we head back. I carry child-size life jackets. Under 12 the permit is free, but it is issued in the child's name. I do not recommend Alicurá with small children: a long drive and a long day.
Prices
Half day from USD 600, full day from USD 800, per boat for up to four people; with four that is 150 and 200 each. We go out in the morning or in the afternoon. Included: boat with sonar, guide, all tackle, thermos, mate and a snack. I arrange the permit in advance and it is paid at cost: in the 2025/26 season, ARS 10,000 a day for residents and 50,000 for non-residents, plus 20,000 for trolling (on permits). Message me and we'll pick the day.
Season and restrictions per the 2025/26 regulations (National Parks annex), checked on 8 October 2026. The 2026/27 regulations are published in October; I will update.
Sources
Reglamento de Pesca Deportiva Continental Patagónico 2025/26, Parques Nacionales del Sur annex, entries "Nahuel Huapi (Lago)", "Limay (Río)" and "Gutiérrez (Lago)": reglamentodepesca.org.ar · Lake morphometry: Río Negro Departamento Provincial de Aguas reports; sources give 529–557 km² of surface and 438–464 m of depth.