paraguay river — pilar
Capital of Ñeembucú, on the Paraguay River facing Argentina. Surubim, dorado and pacu with local guides and a traditional Holy Week tournament.
Pilar sits on the left bank of the Paraguay River, where the Ñeembucú arroyo flows in, about 230 km south of Asunción. Across the river is Argentina's Formosa province. The town's guides run boats to the Paraguay River and also to the Paraná and Tebicuary. Surubim (pintado and cachara) are caught on natural bait on the bottom of the channels and at arroyo mouths. Dorado strike along the cut banks and currents, and pacu and boga (piapara) come to chum. During Holy Week the town hosts the International Fishing Tournament, with shore and boat events, now in its 54th edition as of 2025.
best season
From autumn to spring, with the river lower and surubim at the arroyo mouths. The town's tournament is held during Holy Week. The closed season applies in November and December.
Local rules: MADES sport fishing license required (there is a regional office in Pilar and processing through the SIAM portal). The annual closed season also applies to sport fishing: in waters shared with Argentina, in 2025–2026 it ran Nov 2 to Dec 20 (MADES Resolution 523/2025); check the dates for the next season. Sport-caught fish may not be sold. The Paraguay River is a border: on the Argentine shore, the Formosa license and rules apply. Check local rules.
- getting there
- From Asunción, about 230 km via route PY19, through Villeta and Alberdi. From San Ignacio (Misiones), via PY04. There is a launch and ferry to Colonia Cano, in Argentina.
- facilities
- Hotels, inns and campsites in town. The Asociación de Guías de Turismo de Pesca de Pilar has boats for 3 or 4 anglers.
- country
- Ñeembucú, Paraguay
tip
For surubim, fish the bottom in the late afternoon, with a sinker that holds the bait in the current. Use a steel leader: dorado and piranha cut through the line.
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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 Paraguay
The sport fishing license is issued by MADES, at the Asunción headquarters, at the regional offices (Pilar, Ayolas, Ciudad del Este, Encarnación, Coronel Oviedo and Concepción) or online through the SIAM portal. It requires a 3x4 photo and a copy of the document. Values released by MADES in April 2025: sport fishing G. 215,254; occasional sport fishing for nationals G. 107,627 (4 days); sport fishing for foreigners G. 322,881 (4 days). A sport fishing boat has its own registration. Valid for anyone who fishes, with or without a boat.
- Annual closed season set by MADES resolution, which also applies to sport fishing and prohibits the transport and sale of fish. In the 2025–2026 season (Resolution 523/2025): from November 2 to December 20, 2025 in waters shared with Argentina and in the other rivers; until January 31, 2026 in the Paraguay River upstream of the Apa River, in the Apa and in the Paraná upstream of the Yguazú River (waters shared with Brazil). During the closed season, selling and transporting live bait is also prohibited.
- Fish from sport and tourist fishing may not be sold (Law 3,556/2008, art. 18, cited in SEAM Resolution 650/2013).
- Foreign sport anglers need to register in the National Register of Fishers. SEAM Resolution 650/2013 limits transport as a trophy to up to 2 specimens of mixed species and 1 surubí or dorado, or up to 3 specimens of carimbatá, boga, pacu or patí. Confirm with MADES whether the limit remains the same.
- Monofilament nets are banned throughout the country (manufacture, possession, use, transport and sale), by MADES resolution.
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 Municipalidad de Pilar — Informaciones de turismoAsociación de Guías de Turismo de Pesca de Pilar: boat fishing on the Paraguay, Paraná and Tebicuary rivers; hotels and transport
- press ABC Color — Pilar recibe a los visitantes con una Semana Santa llena de fe, naturaleza y tradición (abril de 2025)54th edition of the International Fishing Tournament, with shore and boat events; the article does not detail the species
- official MADES — Licencias de pesca (tipos, requisitos y oficinas regionales, 2025)Regional office listing in Pilar
- official MADES — MADES establece periodo de veda pesquera 2025–2026 (Resolución 523/2025)Dates by river and stretch; the closed season is renewed each year