A maze of rivers and streams an hour from Buenos Aires: what you catch in the Delta, with which techniques and how to get there.
A maze of water at the gates of Buenos Aires
The Paraná Delta is a world of rivers, streams and channels that begins at Tigre and San Fernando. It is one of the most accessible fisheries for the metropolitan area: on a short trip you are among islands, riverside woodland and fresh water.
What you catch
- Dorado, on lures in the riffles and stream mouths (warm season).
- Tararira, the surface strike among the floating plants (spring and summer).
- Boga and yellow catfish, on the bottom, for much of the year.
- Patí and other catfish in the deeper pools.
The techniques
It is almost always boat fishing: spinning for dorado and tararira tight to the vegetation, and bottom fishing for boga and catfish. The boat lets you move through the streams looking for structure: logs, current seams and mouths.
How to get there
The bases are Tigre and San Fernando, in the Buenos Aires Delta, and farther up Villa Paranacito, in the Entre Ríos Delta. It pays to go with a guide or know the channels: the Delta is a maze and it is easy to get lost.
When
The strong season for dorado and tararira is the warm one (spring and summer); the boga and catfish bite for much of the year. Always respect the dorado closure of each jurisdiction.
A tip
The Delta changes with the river level: when it rises it floods and the fish scatter; when it drops they concentrate in the channels. Check the Paraná level before you go.
