Fishing tournaments in Paraguay: which ones, where and in which month

A fishing tournament in Paraguay is a weekend on the river with boats of two or three anglers, rules that require every fish to go back in the water and a lunch at the end. Clubs run them, several with more than twenty editions behind them, and they draw from 80 to over 400 boats depending on the venue. Here are the ones we could confirm from what each club or the press published, month by month, and what entry cost in the latest edition we found. The exact date each year is set by the club: the guide has its phone or email, tournament by tournament, at the tournaments.

One thing before choosing: all the ones we found fall between March and October, outside the closed season, which starts in the first days of November and runs until December 20 on waters shared with Argentina and until January 31 of the following year on waters shared with Brazil. To compete you need the MADES licence, as for any outing: the licence step by step.

March: the corvina at Tacuaras

The first one on the calendar we could confirm is in Ñeembucú. The Torneo de la Corvina y Mburifest is held at Colonia Mburicá, Tacuaras, where the Tebicuary meets the Paraguay river, backed by Club Deportivo Pilarense, whose fishing department does the checking. The ninth edition was on Sunday 16 March 2025, launched at Posada del Tebicuary, with the course running from the mouth of the Tebicuary to Tres Bocas; boats enter the closed park at 7 in the morning. Entry was Gs. 600,000 until 1 March and Gs. 700,000 after that, and more than 150 boats from Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil were expected. The first Mburifest, with live music on the grounds, was held the same day.

Easter week: Pilar

One of the most traditional in the country. The Torneo Int. de Pesca Semana Santa reached its 55th edition in 2026, organised by Club Deportivo Pilarense and Copa Puku, and is fished on the Paraguay river in front of the town. On Good Friday 2026, 80 boats of three anglers set off at 11:30, with catches checked until 17:00; on the Thursday there was shore fishing for women in the morning and children in the afternoon, with over 250 taking part, and a paddle category for kayaks and canoes. Teams came from San Pedro, Villarrica, Resistencia and Uruguay, and the hotels of Pilar filled up: many families slept in neighbouring districts. Catch and release.

July: the Deportivo Sajonia anniversary

The Puerto Sajonia club turns a year older on 26 June and celebrates with its international contest at the Rancho, its 300 hectare grounds at Nanawa, on the Chaco shore facing Asunción and Chaco'i, with two pontoons for mooring, a casting field and barbecue shelters. The 105th edition ran from 9 to 11 July 2026: boat fishing with catch and release plus a specific armado contest, three anglers per boat, Gs. 600,000 entry with dinner included and Gs. 50,000 for the beach contest. In 2025 more than 70 boats from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay took part. It is also the base of the metropolitan clubs' championship, the Campeonato Metropolitano de Pesca, which is in the guide too.

August: Mbiguá and Itá Enramada

Two tournaments in the capital. The anniversary contest of Club Deportivo Amigos de Pesca was held on the first weekend of August 2026, based at Club Nacional de Regatas El Mbiguá on Asunción bay: teams of three, five fish per species and total release. At the end of the month, the Asociación Paraguaya de Caza y Pesca runs the 8 Horas de Santa Rosa at its Itá Enramada base, the southernmost neighbourhood of the city: boat fishing from 8:30 to 16:30, five species with total release, Gs. 500,000 per team in 2024, a course between the Itá Enramada port and the Hovy bank, and camping for those who stay over.

September: Bella Vista and Ayolas, the two big ones on the Paraná

The Bella Vista fishing club, in Itapúa, runs the contest with the most people in the country: the 56th edition was held from 6 to 8 September 2024, with more than 400 boats of two anglers over some 30 kilometres of the Paraná facing Hohenau, Obligado and Bella Vista, fishing for golden dorado, boga and mixed species with release, and a brand new pickup as first prize. Friday opens with shore fishing for children. It is the Torneo Internacional de Bella Vista in the guide, in the Encarnación and San Cosme area.

At the end of the same month, Club de Pesca Yacyretá runs the Torneo Internacional del Dorado y Variada at Ayolas and the Paraná Corridor: the 22nd edition was on 29 September 2024 on the Paraná, with total release (each fish is measured, weighed, logged and set free), a first prize of Gs. 50,000,000 and the backing of the Yacyretá binational entity. In 2023, 135 competitors took part, and for 2024 more than 200 boats were expected. September is also the month of the fish festival at San Cosme y Damián, 74 kilometres from Encarnación: not a tournament, but river food and one of the district's events of the year.

October: the Monday, in Ciudad del Este

Club de Pesca y Deportes Náuticos Monday announced its 40th edition for 10 and 11 October 2026, on the Paraná at Ciudad del Este: two people per boat, catch and release, a top prize of Gs. 50,000,000, early entry of Gs. 600,000 until 30 September and general entry of Gs. 700,000, fellowship lunch included. It is the closest one to Foz do Iguaçu and to anglers arriving from Brazil. The club publishes the date of the next edition: Concurso Internacional de Pesca Deportiva del Club Monday.

Late April in 2024: the ray at Carmen del Paraná

Club Tacuary of Carmen del Paraná has run its international mixed and ray catch and release contest for more than twenty editions on the Tacuary creek sub-reservoir, over two days: Saturday from 13:00 to 17:00 and Sunday from 8:00 to 12:30. In 2018 it was part of the town's 175th anniversary, with Gs. 450,000 entry and trophies for the top fifteen; the 2024 edition was the 21st, was held at the end of April and added corvina. It is the Torneo de la Raya con devolución.

What the rules ask, at all of them

Release: in every edition cited the fish is measured or weighed and goes back in the water. One treble hook per lure, under Law 3556/08 (art. 36, k), and no artificial light as a fishing aid (j): a factory lure with two or three trebles is left with one. Minimum sizes apply in competition too; for dorado, 70 cm. The full table is at licence, closed season and sizes, and each species month by month, with the closure marked, at the month-by-month calendar.

Frequently asked questions