Coyhaique, November 2025.- Early Saturday morning, a hundred fishing rods and hooks crossed the main square of Coyhaique on their way to the Patagonia store. This was the meeting point for these professional and amateur fishermen, who departed from there for the Farellón sector to take courses on safety and river stewardship and renew their fishing licenses before beginning fly fishing workshops on several local rivers.

 

The groups, divided by workshop, met their guides and set off for the activity locations. On the Simpson River, with the support of local guides Vanessa Briceño and Pablo Pérez (host of ESPN's Aguas Arriba program), an Introduction to Fishing and Gear Preparation Workshop was held, where families from the community came to learn about the sport.

 

Nahuel Stauch led the Scandinavian and SPEY Technique Workshop for more technical fishermen seeking to improve their two-handed casting technique. Another group, led by Patagonia ambassador and local guide Fran Berrocal, went to the El Zorro River. There, they participated in the Reading the Water Workshop and enjoyed some fishing. "We are very happy with what we achieved with this event, which fosters a wonderful sense of community in the Aysén region," said Berrocal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another workshop, led by Rodrigo “el Pela” Amadeo, a Patagonia brand ambassador who crossed the mountains from Argentina to learn more about the behavior of the king salmon, took place at the confluence of the Simpson and Mañihuales rivers. Amadeo taught us about the history, feeding habits, and spawning of the Chinook salmon.

 

"Being able to share knowledge with the guides who accompanied us and get to know the entire community that drives this sport is very rewarding. We are united by our love for the sport and our commitment to caring for the rivers and their species. We had two wonderful days, during which we were able to fish in the river without feeling cold and enjoy fly fishing to the fullest," said Benjamin Carvallo, Patagonia's sports and impact manager.

 

Luis Uribe, head of the Patagonia Ecosystem Research Center (CIEP), emphasized the importance of "creating a simple, easy-to-understand story for families to learn about the water and its species." Says Uribe: "By communicating, we can all gather information and systematize it. Because we know little about native species and we need to learn how to conserve everything that is there.”