Junín de los Andes calls itself the Capital Nacional de la Trucha — Argentina’s National Trout Capital — and it has earned the title. This quiet, unpretentious town in northern Neuquén sits right on the banks of the Chimehuín, the most storied trout river in the country, with the Malleo, the Aluminé and the Collón Curá all within an easy drive. It has none of the resort polish of its neighbour San Martín, and that is exactly the point: Junín is a town built around fly fishing, with the best river access in Patagonia and a guiding tradition that goes back generations.
Junín de los Andes at a glance
- Region
- Northern Patagonia, Neuquén province, on the Río Chimehuín
- Setting
- The gateway to Lanín National Park and the volcano lakes
- Airport
- Chapelco (CPC), about 20 minutes away
- Species
- Wild brown, rainbow and brook trout; landlocked salmon
- Season
- Roughly November to April
- Known as
- The National Trout Capital of Argentina
Why base your fishing trip in Junín
Junín is the angler’s town. It is smaller, quieter and more down-to-earth than San Martín de los Andes, 40 minutes south — fewer restaurants and boutiques, but far better access to the water and a purer fishing atmosphere. It sits directly on the Chimehuín, is closer to the boca of the Chimehuín and the volcano lakes, and is the launching point for what many consider the most prolific dry-fly fishing on earth: the corridor of rivers running from Junín north toward Aluminé holds enough water to fish a different beat every day for months. If your trip is about the fishing first, Junín is where you want to wake up.
The waters
Junín is surrounded by legendary water, most of it flowing from Lanín National Park:
- The Chimehuín — the town’s home river, flowing out of Lago Huechulafquen. Its boca (lake outlet) is hallowed ground, where Joe Brooks had “the best fishing day of my life,” and it is famous for very large brown trout.
- The Malleo — a short drive north, one of the world’s great dry-fly rivers, clear and wadeable, dropping from Lago Tromen below the Lanín volcano.
- The Aluminé and Collón Curá — bigger freestone float rivers with prolific wild trout; the Junín-to-Aluminé region is a dry-fly paradise.
- The volcano lakes — Huechulafquen, Paimún and Tromen, with superb boca fishing for big browns, rainbows and landlocked salmon beneath the Lanín volcano.
The fish
Junín’s rivers and lakes hold wild brown trout (including genuine trophies on the Chimehuín), rainbow trout, brook trout in the colder waters, and landlocked salmon in the big lakes.
Fly-fishing guides
Junín has arguably the deepest guiding tradition in Argentina, with outfitters who have floated and waded these rivers for decades. Days here are typically float trips down the Chimehuín, Aluminé or Collón Curá, and walk-and-wade on the Malleo and the smaller streams — dry-fly, dry-dropper, nymph and streamer depending on the season. The local knowledge is exceptional, and a guide will read the water and the hatches to put you on the best fishing of the day. We can arrange the right guide and float programme for your trip.
Lodges and where to stay
Junín’s accommodation is fishing-focused: dedicated fishing lodges and estancias set right on the Chimehuín and the surrounding rivers, where the guiding, meals and rhythm of the day are all built around the water, plus simpler hotels and cabins in town for those who prefer to base centrally and fish out each day. For a pure fishing week, a river lodge here is hard to beat. Tell us your dates and we’ll match you with the right one.
Fishing shops (casas de pesca)
As befits the trout capital, Junín has good fly shops — casas de pesca — stocked with locally proven flies, leaders and gear, where you can also sort your fishing licence and get straight, current advice on river conditions. For the DIY angler they are the essential first stop.
Fishing on your own (DIY & wade access)
Junín offers some of the best public, walk-and-wade access in Patagonia. Stretches of the Chimehuín right by town, the wadeable Malleo, and the lake bocas can all be fished on foot with a licence — one reason Junín is so beloved by self-guided anglers. Get local intel from a fly shop, respect the boca etiquette (don’t crowd another angler), and you can have a superb self-guided trip, saving a guided float for the bigger rivers.
When to go
November to April: hatches and clearing water in spring, world-class dry-fly and terrestrial fishing in January–February, and big browns on streamers in autumn. See our guide to the best time to fly fish Argentina.
Getting there
Fly into Chapelco (CPC), about 20 minutes from Junín, via Buenos Aires; many anglers also arrive from Bariloche, roughly three-and-a-half hours south. The town is small and easy to get around, with transfers and rentals available.
Beyond the fishing
Junín is the base for Lanín National Park and the perfect cone of the Lanín volcano, with the beautiful volcano lakes of Huechulafquen and Paimún on its doorstep. The town has a strong Mapuche heritage and cultural sites such as the Vía Christi hillside sculpture trail, and it makes an easy pairing with San Martín and the Seven Lakes for a broader Patagonian trip.
Frequently asked questions about fishing in Junín de los Andes
Why is Junín de los Andes called the National Trout Capital?
Because it sits at the centre of Argentina’s most famous trout rivers — the Chimehuín (its home river), the Malleo, the Aluminé and the Collón Curá — with the best river access in Patagonia and a guiding tradition going back generations.
Junín or San Martín de los Andes — which is better for fishing?
Junín has better river access and a quieter, fishing-first atmosphere right on the Chimehuín; San Martín, 40 minutes south, offers more comfort, dining and things to do for non-anglers. Serious anglers often prefer Junín; mixed groups often prefer San Martín — and many combine both.
What rivers can you fish from Junín?
The Chimehuín (right in town, with its legendary boca), the Malleo, the Aluminé and the Collón Curá, plus the volcano lakes Huechulafquen and Paimún — the Junín-to-Aluminé corridor is world-class dry-fly country.
Is there good DIY fishing in Junín?
Yes — some of the best public wade access in Patagonia, on stretches of the Chimehuín, the Malleo and the lake bocas. Get a licence and local advice from a fly shop, and mind the boca etiquette.
When is the best time to fish Junín?
November to April, with January–February the prime dry-fly and terrestrial window and March–April best for big browns on streamers.
How do I get to Junín de los Andes?
Fly into Chapelco airport (CPC), about 20 minutes away, via Buenos Aires; or drive from Bariloche, about three-and-a-half hours south.
Let us organise your Junín trip
A week on the Chimehuín in the trout capital of Argentina is a bucket-list trip for any fly fisher. Tell us your dates, budget and style, and we’ll put it all together — river lodge or town, the best guides, licences and the right water for your dates.