Top 10 Fishing Spots in Paraguay
Paraguay is a landlocked country wedged between Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia, and its rivers are among the most productive freshwater fisheries in South America. The Paraná River marks its eastern border and holds golden dorado — arguably the most exciting freshwater gamefish on the continent. The Paraguay River bisects the country from north to south, carrying surubim catfish and pirapitá through landscapes of flooded savanna and gallery forest. To the northwest, the Chaco's slow, murky rivers shelter monster catfish rarely disturbed by outsiders. And where Paraguay meets Brazil and Bolivia in the remote north, Pantanal tributaries flow through one of the world's great wetland ecosystems. For anglers willing to trade comfort for wildness, Paraguay delivers.
Paraná River — Golden Dorado
The Paraná forms Paraguay's eastern border with Argentina and Brazil, and its upper reaches near the Itaipú reservoir are legendary for golden dorado. This species — known locally as dorado — has the gold-and-red colouring of a river predator evolved to chase baitfish through fast currents. Average fish run 3–6 kg, but specimens exceeding 15 kg are caught every season. Fishing is typically from boats anchored above rapids, casting large surface lures that mimic a wounded baitfish tumbling through the churn. Dawn and dusk are the most productive windows. The town of Presidente Franco near Ciudad del Este serves as the main base, with fishing operators running day and overnight trips.
Pesquero Tacuari and the Paraná Margins
South of Ciudad del Este along the Paraguayan bank, several named fishing spots including Pesquero Tacuarí and Pesquero Tacuaritas cater to local and visiting anglers. These spots offer both bank and boat fishing with a mix of target species: dorado in the main channel, surubim along the bottom, and smaller catfish in the backwaters. The infrastructure is modest — riverside shelters, basic facilities — but the fish populations are genuine. La Crucesita and Crucesita Lugar Real are riverside camps used by Paraguayan families who have been coming to these spots for generations, and they offer an authentic taste of local fishing culture.
Paraguay River — Surubim Cathedral
The Río Paraguay runs nearly 2,500 kilometres from Brazil through the entire length of Paraguay before joining the Paraná near Corrientes in Argentina. Surubim catfish — specifically the flathead catfish known locally as surubí pintado — reach 80 kg in the middle Paraguay sections near Concepción and Villa Hayes. These fish inhabit the deep holes and undercut banks of the main channel, holding in slow water just below the main current. Large livebait rigs on heavy mono or braided line, fished hard on the bottom, are the primary technique. Night fishing produces the best results, with the biggest fish moving into the shallows to feed after dark.
Pantanal Border Waters
In the far northwest corner of Paraguay, near the town of Bahía Negra on the border with Bolivia and Brazil, the rivers enter the Pantanal ecosystem — the world's largest tropical wetland. Here the fishing slows conceptually but intensifies in scale: giant pacu weighing 20 kg or more, enormous surubim, and peacock bass gather in flooded forest pools during the wet season from November to April. The dry season concentrates fish in remaining water bodies, making catches easier but travel harder. The Ossiro Pesque y Pague facility near the river margins is one of the few managed fishing operations in this remote zone.
Lago Ypacaraí — Family Fishing Near Asunción
Lake Ypacaraí, located 30 kilometres east of Asunción near San Bernardino, is the most accessible freshwater fishing destination for the capital's residents. The lake is shallow — never exceeding about 3 metres — and warm, supporting a productive warm-water fishery of tararira (wolf fish), mojarra, and surubim juveniles. While it lacks the trophy potential of the Paraná or Paraguay rivers, it offers easy access and consistent bank fishing. San Bernardino's waterfront promenade has provided fishing spots for generations of Paraguayan families.
Río Pilcomayo — Chaco Catfish
The Pilcomayo flows west through the Chaco and forms part of the Paraguayan-Argentine border before joining the Paraguay River near Asunción. In its Chaco sections near the town of Mariscal Estigarribia, the river floods enormous flat areas during the wet season and then retreats into a series of deep, turbid pools where massive catfish — pirá morotí, manguruyú, and surubim — concentrate as water levels fall. The region is remote, accessible only on dirt roads that become impassable after rain, but the catfish fishing in these isolated pools is exceptional.
Lago Ypoa — Wetland Bass and Catfish
Located south of Asunción in the floodplain of the Paraguay River, the Laguna Ypoa system is a national park encompassing wetlands, grasslands, and shallow lakes. The water levels fluctuate dramatically with the seasons, producing excellent fishing as the floods recede and concentrate fish in the remaining pools. Tararira, mojarra, and patí catfish are the main targets. Small wooden boats navigated by local guides are the only way to reach the best spots. The wetland's remoteness and protected status have maintained fish populations in excellent condition.
Río Monday — Dorado Below the Falls
The Río Monday empties into the Paraná south of Ciudad del Este via the Monday Falls, a spectacular 45-metre cascade that is easily visited. Below the falls, the river transitions from fast cascade to slower, deeper water that holds both dorado and smaller catfish. The pool directly below the falls is particularly productive, as the oxygenation and baitfish concentration attract predators. Local anglers wade the edges while boat fishers work the main pool. The combination of dramatic scenery and reliable fishing makes it one of Paraguay's most photogenic spots.
Lugar de Pesca Nemesio Parma
On the Paraguay River south of Asunción, the fishing access point known as Lugar de Pesca Nemesio Parma is used by local anglers targeting the larger species that move through this stretch of the Paraguay mainstream — surubim, manguruyú, and the large migratory catfish that travel up and down the river. Bank fishing with heavy gear and livebait is the norm. The setting is one of open river, floodplain vegetation, and birdlife so abundant that watching it competes with the fishing itself.
Hospedaje y Pesca — Riverside Lodges
Several riverside lodges scattered along the Paraná and Paraguay rivers operate under the hospedaje y pesca (accommodation and fishing) model that has served Paraguayan anglers for decades. These establishments combine basic rooms, meal service, and boat hire into an all-inclusive package that makes multi-day fishing trips straightforward. Pesqueiro Tio Mário is one such operation, offering structured access to productive sections of the Paraná with guides familiar with seasonal dorado and surubim movements.
Explore on the map
Paraguay's rivers thread through three distinct environments — the humid eastern forests along the Paraná, the flooded Chaco plains drained by the Paraguay and Pilcomayo, and the remote Pantanal border zone. Use the interactive map to navigate these regions and locate fishing access points, camp spots, and managed lodges. Explore Paraguay on the map for a geographic overview that shows how the river systems connect and where the seasonal floods create the most productive fishing conditions.