esteros del iberá — río corriente
The great wetland of Corrientes and the river that drains it. Golden dorado on the fly, in clear water over white sand bottoms, always catch and release.
The Iberá is one of South America's largest wetlands, with lagoons, esteros and clean-water channels. The Río Corriente is the system's southern boundary and its natural outlet. There the water is clear, the bottom is white sand, and you can see dorado, surubí and boga. Fishing is on the fly, from a boat and with a guide, casting at vegetated edges, channel mouths and rapids. Trahira (tararira) shows up in the eddies and among the camalotes (floating mats). It is a park setting: fishing is catch and release and shares the water with boat tours, wildlife watching and diving.
best season
From spring to autumn, September to April, with warmer water and golden dorado active in the channels. Activity drops in winter.
Local rules: Iberá covers Iberá National Park (APN) and the Corrientes provincial park and reserve: fish only where fishing is allowed. At Portal Río Corriente, according to the official guide, fishing is fly-only and catch and release. In Corrientes, dorado is a Provincial Natural Monument (Law 6.730/2025): release every dorado. A Corrientes sport-fishing license is required. Check local rules.
- getting there
- From Corrientes city via RN 12 and then RN 123, about 180 km of paved road to Chavarría. From Mercedes it is 61 km via RN 123. The Río Corriente parador is about 5 km from the village.
- facilities
- Parador with beaches and services on the Río Corriente, tour and guided fishing operators and basic shops in Chavarría. Around the Iberá there are fly-fishing lodges on estancias (ranches).
- country
- Corrientes, Argentina
tip
Bring an 8- or 9-weight rod for fly, an intermediate line and large streamers. Dorado cut the leader: use a short final section of thin wire or heavy fluorocarbon.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Argentina
There is no national license: the sport fishing license belongs to each province. In northern Patagonia, the Patagonian Regulation permit issued by Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut or the National Parks Administration (APN) is valid in all these jurisdictions, including the southern parks; in 2025/2026 it cost $40,000 per season for residents of the country and from $50,000 (day) to $280,000 (season) for non-resident foreigners, with online purchase. Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego have their own permits (TDF 2026/2027: foreigners from $78,000 per day to $260,000 per season). On the coast (Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Corrientes) each province issues its own.
- The license is provincial. In Patagonian national parks, the APN permit or the provinces' Patagonian permit is valid, and fishing is only allowed in the environments listed in the parks' annex.
- Patagonian Regulation (2025/2026): general season from November 1 to May 1; in rivers and streams, including 200 m from their mouths, mandatory release with a single barbless hook, except for exceptions in the annexes; as a rule, one artificial lure with a single hook; selling fish prohibited; felt-soled boots prohibited.
- In national parks, all native species (perch, Patagonian pejerrey, catfish, peladillas) must be released; Atlantic salmon must be released in all environments under the regulation.
- Golden dorado: in Corrientes it is a Provincial Natural Monument (Law 6,730/2025); in Entre Ríos commercial fishing is prohibited and sport fishing is catch-and-release only (Law 11,174/2024); on the Uruguay River, shared with Uruguay, there's a CARU closed season from September 1 to December 31.
- Tierra del Fuego (2026/2027): season from October 30, 2026 to May 2, 2027, fly and spinning only, and mandatory release in all provincial environments starting March 1, 2027.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official Argentina.gob.ar — Guía turística Iberá, edição 2023 (Portal Río Corriente)At Portal Río Corriente, permitted fishing is fly-only and catch and release
- official Administración de Parques Nacionales — Parque Nacional Iberá
- official Senado de Corrientes — Ley provincial 6.730 (declara o dourado Monumento Natural Provincial)Enacted Oct 22, 2025; enforcement authority: Corrientes Ministry of Tourism