Corrientes is known as the capital of the dorado. The largest dorado on record has been found in Paso de la Patria. Within a radius of 50 km. in the Paraná River it is possible to practise three or four fishing techniques.

In special periods (August-September) there are motorboats "on patrol" all day long. The dorado can be caught more than once in a day and it will always struggle in a different way.

El Dorado (Salminus maxillosus) is the most popular and important fresh water fish of the country. Due to its beauty, aggressiveness, muscular strength and tenacity, the dorado is the game fish par excellence.

Due to its strong muscles and slender body, the dorado is one of the greatest swimmers and jumpers of the river. It has a spindly body, slightly compressed on the sides. The head is big and imposing. It has the characteristics of a predator. Its mouth is oblique and of considerable size.

It has conical and pointed teeth, arranged in two rows. The tongue is muscular and of considerable size. Save for the head, the whole body is covered and protected by ctenoid scales, which on the sides and back have small black spots.

The body is generally olive green. The sides are yellow with gold sparkles, getting lighter towards the belly. The fins are usually red, but in some specimens they are orange and present a black strip on the caudal fin.

The Dorado has eight fins -characteristic of the Characidae-: dorsal, anal, adipose, caudal, two pectoral fins and two ventral fins, all of them with flexible rays.

The Dorado eats mainly fish, but it does not scorn other animals, which can be hunted in the surface or the centre of the water. Its diet usually consists of shads, bogu0es, catfish, sea breams, etc., but sometimes it also consumes frogs, birds, small mammals, and some insects, such as crickets and locusts.