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THE DORADO (Salminus Maxillosus)
Dorado means "golden". In Argentina it is also known as "the tiger of the river" and is the great native gamefish of South America. Beauty and ferocity, the perfect challenge and an extreme test for any flyfisherman.
The Dorado's body is a combination of yellow, gold, orange and black which produces spectacular flashes when it jumps under the gleaming sun. Its average weight is between 6 lbs. and 12 lbs., although 20 lb Dorado are not uncommon, and we have seen some trophys of 30-40 lbs. on exploratory trips to distant spots inside the Iberá Marsh. However, a broken line is the usual result of the brutal attack of one of those monsters.
The Dorado feeds on all kind of prey that he can kill and devour...fish, eels, frogs, big insects, mice, birds, etc.etc. He breaks the head or neck of its victim with a fast and strong bite. That's the reason why the strike is extremelly violent and many times the Dorado - specially the big ones - breaks the hook or the line instantly.
It is a subtropical fish who lives in warm waters of rivers, streams and ponds. This predator inhabits some points of Southern Brasil, Paraguay, Uruguay, some spots of Bolivia and Perú, but Argentina is the country with the biggest Dorado trophies. And the best waters for the flyfishers are in Iberá Marsh, thanks to the great number of Dorado, its unspoiled nature and the permanent transparency of the water.
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