MAGICAL FISHING TRIP TO CHILE – ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND

We invite our guests to an unforgettable fishing adventure in one of the most remote and fascinating corners of the world: Isla Robinson Crusoe in the South Pacific. This legendary island – reachable only by ferry or small aircraft – is part of the Juan Fernández Archipelago and lies around 670 kilometres west of the Chilean coast, right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with largely protected waters, the island offers an extraordinary underwater world with almost zero commercial fishing pressure. Join us for incomparable fishing for explosive Yellowtail Kingfish, Striped Marlin and the endemic deep-sea species of the Juan Fernández Archipelago in crystal-clear Pacific water – combined with a unique nature experience on the very island that inspired Daniel Defoe’s novel “Robinson Crusoe”. Welcome to Chile!

TOP 10 REASONS FOR A FISHING TRIP TO ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: commercial net fishing largely prohibited – virtually no fishing pressure
Reachable only by small aircraft (max. 10 passengers per flight) – a true wilderness atmosphere
Limited fishing season from October to April – maximum concentration of fish
Yellowtail Kingfish of over 30 kg as the spectacular main target species
Endemic fish species of the Juan Fernández Archipelago that can be caught nowhere else
Striped Marlin and Southern Bluefin Tuna as a bonus from deeper waters
Crystal-clear Pacific water – ideal conditions for popping and jigging
4 anglers per guide and boat
Very low overall capacity: only a handful of fishing groups per season on the entire island
A unique nature experience with Juan Fernández fur seals and endemic pelicans right by the water

WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR CHILE FISHING ADVENTURE

This is how your fishing adventure begins:

After your long-haul flight from Europe you will usually land in Santiago de Chile in the evening and spend your first two nights at a local hotel.

A modern metropolis backed by the breathtaking panorama of the snow-capped Andes, Santiago offers a range of exciting highlights: the historic Plaza de Armas in the city centre, the Cerro San Cristóbal lookout hill with its spectacular city views, the lively Mercado Central with its world-famous fish market, and the picturesque neighbourhoods of Lastarria and Bellavista. Use your free day for a stroll through the city – the Mercado Central alone is worth it for the sheer variety of Chilean seafood.

The following day starts early with a transfer to the domestic terminal of AEROCARDAL. There you will board a small charter aircraft carrying a maximum of up to 10 passengers. The roughly two-hour flight across the endless Pacific is an experience in itself. After landing on the island’s small airstrip, a short boat transfer brings you to the lodge. Once you have settled into your accommodation and received a brief introduction, you can use the late afternoon to explore the small village of San Juan Bautista – and get in the mood for the adventure that begins tomorrow.

YOUR FIRST DAY OF FISHING ON ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND

You will meet your guide after breakfast at the village’s small pier at around 7:30 a.m., and the first day of fishing can begin. The best fishing spots around the island can usually be reached within 20 to 35 minutes.

Rig up your favourite popper/stickbait or speed jig and off you go. Lunch is served on board the boat. Freshly caught fillets are prepared by your guide right on the boat – simple, extremely tasty and made with the best ingredient of all: the fish you have just caught yourself.

Freshly fortified, it is then on to round 2, before you tie up again at the pier at around 5:30 p.m. After dinner, the first day winds down in a relaxed atmosphere with a glass of Chilean wine and the first stories of the day.

FISHING DURING YOUR CHILE FISHING HOLIDAY

Over the following days you will start the day with a fresh breakfast at around 6:30 a.m.

At 7:30 a.m. you will meet your guide at the lodge pier and head out for the day’s fishing. Whether you start straight away with popping for yellowtail on the surface, or prefer to try a round of jigging for deep-sea species first, is entirely up to you to coordinate with your fellow anglers and your respective guide.

Experience shows that an attempt on the surface pays off in the early morning hours, as the Yellowtail Kingfish hunt particularly aggressively along the rocky drop-offs and underwater edges at this time. As soon as the wind picks up and the fish move a little deeper, you switch to jigging with jigs of 150 to 300 grams – a technique that has proven especially effective for the endemic deep-sea species as well as for heavy yellowtails from depths of 60 to 120 metres. The fishing day ends at around 5:30 p.m., and dinner is served for everyone about an hour later. Anyone still in the mood can explore the small village of San Juan Bautista or simply enjoy the tranquillity of the Pacific.

The low evening sun bathes the island’s dramatic volcanic peaks in a warm golden light – and what could be finer than letting the day fade out to the sound of the Pacific and the calls of the sea lion colony on the nearby rocks.

The fish-rich Juan Fernández Archipelago has plenty of surprises in store, and the lodge records speak for themselves:

Heaviest Yellowtail: approx. 45 kg
Heaviest Bacalao (Juan Fernández grouper): approx. 52 kg

Numbers according to the lodge management: on the best yellowtail days, more than 30 fish per boat can be caught and released – with average sizes between 10 and 25 kg, an absolute spectacle!

TYPICAL TRIP ITINERARY IN CHILE

Day 1: Morning departure from Europe, evening arrival in Santiago de Chile, overnight at the hotel

Day 2: Stay in Santiago, city sightseeing, overnight at the hotel

Day 3: 7:00 a.m. transfer from the hotel to the AEROCARDAL terminal at Pudahuel Airport. 8:30 a.m. departure for Robinson Crusoe Island, arrival on the island at approx. 10:30 a.m., 30-minute boat transfer to the lodge in Cumberland Bay, check-in, lunch, introduction, island exploration

Days 4–6: 3 full fishing days from approx. 7:30 a.m. to approx. 5:30 p.m., including breakfast and dinner at the Isla Pacifico Lodge as well as lunch on the boat. All dishes are prepared from regional ingredients, including lobster, golden crab, sashimi, ceviche and much more.

Day 7: Free day to explore the island on foot, including shore fishing. Lunch at a local restaurant. The schedule may vary in order to make the most of the days with the best weather conditions for fishing.

Days 8–9: 2 full fishing days from approx. 7:30 a.m. to approx. 5:30 p.m., including breakfast and dinner at the Isla Pacifico Lodge as well as lunch on the boat.

Day 10: Approx. 9:00 a.m. transfer to the island’s airfield, departure with AEROCARDAL back to Santiago, arrival in Santiago, transfer to the hotel, overnight stay

Day 11: Morning return flight to Europe

Day 12: Arrival home.

RECOMMENDED TACKLE FOR CHILE

As on all trips for hard-fighting fish, exceptional demands are placed on your tackle here too. Simply pack what you can rely on 100%. For spin fishing for yellowtail and jigging for bacalao, we recommend solid jigging rods in the PE6 class and popper/stickbait rods in the PE6–8 class, paired with a robust, saltwater-proof spinning reel in the 14000 size (e.g. DAIWA Certate or SALTIGA) and a braided main line in the 60–80 lb class.

When choosing lures, plan for rather more jigs than soft plastics, as the latter usually have only a short lifespan under the aggressive strikes of yellowtail and the like. An absolute insider tip for bacalao are heavy octopus lures up to 300 g, which can be fished slowly near the bottom.

For popping on the surface, a popper rod in the PE6–8 class combined with a 14000-size spinning reel works perfectly.

Trolling gear for Striped Marlin and tuna is available on site and does not need to be brought along. If you would rather not bring your own tackle, it can also be rented locally for USD 60/day (2 rods + reels).

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CHILE

With a north-to-south extent of around 4,300 kilometres, Chile is the longest country in the world.
The capital of Chile is Santiago de Chile.
The official language of Chile is Spanish.
Chile lies between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes mountain range to the east.
Chile has a population of around 20 million people.
The country is one of South America’s most important wine producers – the Maipo and Colchagua valleys in particular enjoy a worldwide reputation.
Chile is home to extraordinary geographical diversity: from the Atacama Desert (the driest desert in the world) in the north to the glaciers of Patagonia in the south.
The Juan Fernández Archipelago has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1977.
Robinson Crusoe Island was originally called Más a Tierra and was officially renamed after the famous literary character in 1966.
The real-life predecessor of the literary Robinson Crusoe was the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who survived alone on the island from 1704 to 1709.

MODERN BOATS DURING YOUR FISHING TOUR

The boats are robust 11-metre fibreglass centre-console boats with powerful 115 hp outboard engines. These boats are ideally designed for 4 anglers plus a personal fishing guide on the open Pacific and offer ample stability even in the typical swell and wind conditions around the island. Their equipment includes a sounder/chartplotter combo as well as a VHF radio.

In total, the lodge has 2 boats for a maximum of 8 anglers per week.

BEST TIME FOR YOUR CHILE FISHING TRIP

The fishing season on Robinson Crusoe Island runs from October to April – the Chilean summer and early autumn. During this time, Yellowtail Kingfish, Striped Marlin and the first tuna schools are particularly active and concentrated in large numbers along the island’s rocky drop-offs. February and March in particular are considered the absolute prime time, when heavy yellowtails break the surface in schools and marlin hunt along the current edges. Thanks to the extremely limited capacity – both in accommodation and fishing boats – fishing pressure is minimal at any point in the season. The mild island climate, with temperatures between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius, makes every day on the water a pleasure.

HOW MUCH DOES YOUR CHILE FISHING HOLIDAY COST?

Price: from EUR 6,500 (excl. international flights)

Included in the trip price:

5 fishing days, 4 anglers/boat and guide
7 nights at the lodge on Robinson Crusoe Island, 2 anglers/room
Each room is equipped with its own bathroom, shower and toilet
3 nights at a hotel in Santiago de Chile (double room) incl. breakfast
Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Breakfast and dinner at the lodge. Lunch is freshly prepared on board each day
Water, tea, coffee
Return flight Santiago (Pudahuel Airport) ↔ Robinson Crusoe Island (approx. 2 hours’ flight time)
Laundry service
Chilean taxes (IVA)
Free Wi-Fi/internet at the lodge

Not included in the trip price:

International flights to Santiago de Chile
Meals at the hotel in Santiago (lunch and dinner à la carte)
Single-room supplement for the hotel stay in Santiago
Transfer hotel ↔ AEROCARDAL terminal
Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages (billed according to personal consumption)
Rental tackle (2 rods + reels: USD 60/day)
Tips + personal expenses

Further optional services:

Extension of the fishing day or an additional fishing day possible on request and for a surcharge
Snorkelling or diving excursions to the sea lion colonies available on request

BOOK YOUR CHILE FISHING HOLIDAY NOW

You are just one cast away from your next adventure! For any passionate saltwater angler who has always wanted to experience an explosive yellowtail on the surface or hook a lightning-fast marlin, Robinson Crusoe Island is the perfect combination of adventure, pristine nature and excellent fishing.

Book your next fishing holiday with us and look forward to eventful, varied days in Chile.

Your Travel2Fish Team!