The Flies Our Guides Trust

Personal Picks from Jurassic Lake

Choosing the right fly at Jurassic Lake is not about luck, it is about knowing the water.

Our guides spend months on the lake and the Barrancoso every season, refining their fly boxes based on fish behavior, conditions and years of experience.

Whether you are planning your first trip or coming back for another season, here is the fly box breakdown that gives you the best odds of a lifetime catch.

Santiago Catellani, Head Guide and Lodge Manager

Foam Mouse. I enjoy fishing mouse patterns because they look and move very realistically, which usually gets big trout really interested. They are great for calm water and low light conditions, and always a lot of fun to fish.

Foam Beetle. A very effective fly for both the lake and the river, especially on days with light wind and calm water. It can be a bit hard to see, but it consistently produces results.

Balanced Leech. In my opinion the most effective fly across the different spots around the lake. The best performing colors are olive green and black. One tactic that worked especially well this season was using it as a dropper, with a Chubby Chernobyl on top.

Gonza, Guide

Prince. A fly you should always have with you. When a delicate presentation is key and nothing else seems to work, this one can save the day. Despite its small size, we have landed some truly impressive trout with it.

Chubby Chernobyl. This is my favorite dry fly. It is incredibly effective when conditions are right for dry fly fishing, and it is easy to spot from a distance, which is key when tracking your fly. It also has excellent floatability, making it both practical and reliable.

Balanced Leech. This fly is effective almost all season long. Like it or not, you should have it in your box. Olive green and black are must have colors. Many other variations work, but those two are essential.

Mati, Guide

Copper John. This fly imitates an insect in its larval stage, typically found near the bottom. It is usually tied with heavy materials, so it sinks quickly and drifts naturally right along the riverbed, exactly where the fish are often feeding.

Foam Beetle. This fly imitates a beetle, a common insect at Jurassic Lake. It has excellent floatability, which makes it ideal for hanging a nymph underneath, which is why it works so well in dropper and tandem setups. The red abdomen imitates the natural beetle, though the green version also performs very well.

Balanced Leech. The Balanced Leech, tied with a quality bead head, ideally tungsten, is a highly effective streamer variation. It imitates a baitfish, which makes it an excellent choice. The hook eye, where the tippet is tied, is positioned below the body, creating a lever like motion in the water. That unique action is what makes the fly stand out.

Nico, Guide

Copper John. A timeless pattern that continues to produce season after season. Its buggy profile and contrasting colors make it highly effective in both clear and slightly stained water. Great as a dropper or fished solo in slower pockets and seams.

Chubby Chernobyl. The Chubby Chernobyl is a dry fly that performs exceptionally well when conditions are right. Its larger size makes it much easier to track through the entire strike sequence, something that is often difficult with smaller flies, especially when there is some wind on the water.

Balanced Leech. The Balanced Leech in olive, white and black are among our top choices, but white, yellow and chartreuse can also be very effective depending on conditions.

Fede, Guide

Woolly Bugger. Olive or black. A classic that works in virtually every Patagonian river and lake. In my opinion, it performs well in both murky water, where it is more visible, and clear water, where it is highly attractive. Whether in fast currents or on calm flats, it is one of those flies that should never be missing from your box.

Foam Beetle. One of the few dry flies that works well in both windy conditions and extreme calm. It is easy to spot from a distance, which makes it very practical. In my opinion, the best time to fish it is at dawn or around sunset.

Balanced Leech. Even with the distinctive action from its hook design, I find this fly works well in almost any condition. This past season, before the water rose, I noticed that versions with a black body and some flash performed better on the right side of the lake when fishing a floating line with an intermediate tip. Chartreuse patterns, on the other hand, seemed to work just about anywhere you cast them.

Guide Approved Fly Selection at Jurassic Lake Lodge

At Jurassic Lake Lodge our guides are on the water every day, testing and refining their fly choices across the lake, the Barrancoso and the surrounding waters. The result is a short list of proven, high performance patterns that consistently deliver in some of the most demanding fly fishing conditions on Earth.

Most Recommended Patterns

Our expert guides rely on a handful of proven patterns. The Balanced Leech stands out as the most versatile and effective fly throughout the season, especially in olive green and black, but also in white, yellow and chartreuse. The Foam Beetle, with its excellent floatability and natural insect profile, performs well in calm and breezy conditions and is often used in tandem setups. For dry fly action, the Chubby Chernobyl is a favorite for its visibility and reliability, making it perfect for spotting strikes and supporting droppers.

When targeting deeper or pressured fish, the Copper John and Prince nymphs are key, both tied with heavy materials to sink quickly and drift naturally. For streamer fishing, nothing beats the classic Woolly Bugger, effective in both clear and murky water, especially in olive and black. Finally, the Foam Mouse adds an element of excitement, ideal for calm, low light conditions when aggressive trout are looking up.

All these flies, and more, are available at the lodge, professionally tied on strong hooks and selected specifically for Jurassic Lake’s unique waters.

Jurassic Lake Team