Golden dorado Salminus brasiliensis
River fish Salminus brasiliensis: world record, typical size and fishing rules.
Updated
Key facts
- Scientific name: Salminus brasiliensis.
- World record (IGFA, all-tackle): 25.28 kg (55 lb 11 oz), caught by Andre De Button in the Uruguay River, on the Argentina–Uruguay border, in 2006.
- In Corrientes: catch and release only (Disposición 853/22 of the provincial natural resources authority).
Golden dorado world record
The IGFA (International Game Fish Association) all-tackle world record for the golden dorado is 25.28 kg (55 lb 11 oz). Andre De Button caught it in 2006 in the Uruguay River, on the border between Argentina and Uruguay. The IGFA certifies its records with line and leader testing, certified scale weighing, photographs and signed witness statements. Figure reported by Diario Uno (consulted 24 October 2026).
How big is a golden dorado
The adult golden dorado that is regularly caught in the Litoral measures 50 to 75 cm and weighs 2.5 to 6 kg (5.5 to 13 lb). It reaches sexual maturity at 40 to 45 cm in males and 50 to 55 cm in females. A 50 cm dorado weighs about 2 to 2.5 kg; one of 70 to 75 cm, between 5 and 6 kg. Guides in La Paz, Esquina, Goya or Reconquista say 3 to 5 kg fish are the norm, and trophy is used from 8 to 10 kg up. These are approximate ranges from sport fishing and from the literature on Río de la Plata fishes (Ringuelet, Aramburu and Alonso de Aramburu, 1967; INALI-CONICET), not a value measured in a single study.
Rules for fishing it
In Corrientes the golden dorado is catch and release only: it cannot be kept. This is set by Disposición 853/22 of the Dirección de Recursos Naturales (Boletín Oficial de Corrientes, 26 December 2022), in force until another act changes it. Rules in other provinces and closed seasons by river stretch change every year: check the guide of each destination, ask your guide or contact the local authority before you go.
Sources consulted (3)
- Diario Uno: El pez dorado más grande del mundo es de un río argentino y supera los 25 kilos (récord mundial IGFA, 25,28 kg, Andre De Button, 2006)
- Boletín Oficial de Corrientes: Disposición 853/22 (tallas y cupos) official
- Ringuelet, Aramburu y Alonso de Aramburu (1967), Los peces argentinos de agua dulce; INALI-CONICET (tallas y madurez); guías de pesca deportiva del Litoral (rangos habituales; consulta propia)
Guides who fish for golden dorado, with prices
Public listings by town; the price is the one each guide publishes, with the date we checked it. Inquiries go through the Pescamapa form.
- 2 in Goya: From ARS 300,000 per outing (Experiencia Isoró, checked within the last 30 days) · See guides →
- 3 in Esquina: From ARS 480,000 per boat, full day (Rebo Pesca, checked within the last 30 days) · See guides →
- 3 in Paso de la Patria: no published rate · See guides →
- 1 in La Paz: no published rate · See guides →