The Fishiest Region in the Entire Pantanal!

It is a fish considered noble in the Pantanal, as its meat has few spines and is very tasty. It can reach 1.5 m and weigh more than 40 kilos. It is a leathery fish, with black transverse stripes and black spots all over its body. It frequents places such as: mouths of river channels, mouths of corichos and under camalotes. Prefers places where the bottom is sandy. Its minimum size allowed is 80 cm. Medium/heavy to heavy action equipment should be used, as this fish can reach up to 80 kg, although specimens like this are very difficult to catch nowadays, as predatory fishing is very extensive. With natural bait (tuvira, cascudinho, jeju, lambaris, piaus and pieces of fish, you can fish in the round or at anchor.

It exists in the Amazon and the Prata Basin, and in the latter, it is the largest species found in the region. It frequents large river pools where it stalks its prey. It reaches up to two meters in length and weighs more than 160 kilos, making it one of the largest freshwater fish in South American rivers. It is a smooth and dark fish, sometimes light and yellowish. It lives in mighty rivers and hides in submerged quarries. It can be caught throughout the year, as this fish does not experience adverse weather conditions. Its minimum allowable size is 90 cm. Heavy action equipment must be used. Anchoring the boat a little above the well, proceed by throwing the bait so that it remains firmly glued to the bottom. When hooked, be patient, as this fish can fight for more than an hour before giving up. If when you start fishing, some buttonfish are caught, don't be discouraged, as the buttonfish is the Jaú's main food, signaling that it is nearby.

It is one of the largest freshwater scale fish. It reaches 1.60 m and weighs 20 kilos. It inhabits flowing waters and fishing is easy, as it is attracted to everything that shines on the surface of the water. The large mouth is equipped with sharp teeth. It has a golden color, with a spot on the tail and small parallel dark stripes across the body. Dourados can be fished from February to October, being the best time when the river is falling, causing small fish that were trapped in the lagoons to come out, thus promoting a “feast”. To fish Dourados you must use medium/heavy action equipment. You can fish in two ways: with natural bait: With hooks set in size 8/0, using a small local fish as bait (preferably live) proceed by casting in places with fast water: rapids in exits of wells, lake mouths, etc. The best baits are: tuviras, sauás, piaus and jejus. Or with artificial bait: considered one of the most exciting types of fishing, fishing with artificial bait, thus practicing sport fishing. When the Dourado attacks, hook very hard, as this fish's mouth is very hard, making it difficult to set the hook.
NOTE: PROHIBITED, FISH AND RELEASE!

This freshwater fish is very similar to the pintail and surubim. It is made of leather and reaches more than 1.20 m in length, weighing more than 100 kilos in some cases. Its meat is very tasty. It differs from the pintade and the surubim by its slightly reddish fins and tail. Cacharas frequent rivers, lagoons, streams and places with slower waters, close to camalotes (water hyacinths) where they lurk for their prey. To fish, you must use medium/heavy equipment. The most commonly used baits are small fish from the region where you are fishing, such as tuviras, piaus, jejus, muçuns, etc. You can also fish with artificial bait. Throw and wait to touch the bottom. Keep the line taut, waiting for small touches that will be followed by a long run. When the rod drops with the fish running, hook vigorously twice so that the hook sets well. You must be careful with the side stingers. Cacharas can be caught from February to October, with dry seasons being better. The minimum size required is 80cm.

There are several species of these fish in the Pantanal where they are most fished. It frequents rivers and lakes in times of flood, where it eats almost everything, vegetables, fruits, fish, etc. The most popular of the species is the one with a black back and yellow belly. It has the shape of an oval disc, approximately 50 cm long and weighs up to 8 kilos. The pacu is very combative and fishermen like to catch it on the hook. Its meat is considered noble. As the Pantanal is closed to fishing in the summer (Piracema season), the best months will be March and April, as the water level should be high and there should still be trees dropping fruit into the water, a place where there will be a greater concentration of Pacus . Its minimum size is 40 cm. Pacú can be fished in two ways: on the beat: With the boat on the round near a ravine with fruit trees, using a bamboo pole, proceed by hitting with the bait (fruit, coconut or ball of dough) 2 or 3 times in a row letting the bait sink until the Pacú attacks it. Hook with enough force so that the hook sets in the fish's hard mouth. Throwing: Medium/heavy action equipment must be used and with the boat tied close to the bank, throw the bait so that when it sinks it ends up in places such as: under cabins, banks with fruit trees, etc. The best baits are those that have a sour taste: crab, dated fish fillet and local fruits. Both when hitting and throwing, you must be as silent as possible, because at the slightest noise the Pacús disappear.

It is a very common type of catfish, found in the rivers of the Prata basin and Pantanal Mato Grosso. It reaches a very large size, not exceeding 1.00 m, weighing around 12 kg. Its color is very beautiful, metallic silver, slightly greenish. Good at fighting, as it has more strength than the cachara or the pintade. However, its meat is not very popular among riverside people. It is a smooth leather fish that has large fins near the corner of its mouth, hence the origin of its name. This species of fish can be caught when fishing for Pintado or Cachara, quite easily, as they populate more or less the same regions. The fishing material is basically the same as that used for Pintado or Cachara, medium to heavy. The baits used are Tuviras, Pirambóias, Minhocuçus, fish fillets.

Also known in the region as Bico de Pato. Like all fish of the surubim species, it has a flat head, wide mouth and nocturnal habits, although it is fished during the day, in more turbid and deeper waters. One of the main characteristics of Jurupencém is the great difference between the upper and lower jaw. It has a longitudinal spot on the back and another on the sides of the body. The fins take on a reddish to pinkish tone. It does not reach large proportions, remaining on average between 35 and 45 cm in length. Fishing equipment is light material, although it is common for this species to come in when fishing for larger fish. The preferred baits are white and small baits (lambaris, saguirus, sauás) worms, worms, Tuviras, pieces of heart and beef liver.

The piraputanga looks more like a matrinxã, with reddish fins and tail, and white scales on its body. It is very agile when hooked. They reach more than 50 cm in length and their weight hardly reaches a kilo, no matter how large they are. Very tasty when roasted, it is highly sought after by fishermen. They live in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, where they exist in large numbers. They feed on small fish, fruits, flowers and insects. They are easily found in wells, rapids and under fruit trees. The minimum size is 30 cm. The equipment must be light or medium/light action. The most commonly used natural baits are: local fruits, small fish, fish entrails and cooked green corn. If you want to fish with artificial bait, you should use small surface plugs, midwater and spinners. Keep the clutch on your reel or reel well adjusted, as, when hooked, the Piraputanga gives strong movements that can compromise the line. The thinner the line, the more sporty the fishing will be.

They live in rivers, lagoons and dams, from the north of the Amazon to the west coast of Rio Grande do Sul. They are the most voracious fish in the Pantanal. At the slightest hint of blood in the water, they gather in a large school, ready to devour whatever is bleeding. It has scales and reaches a maximum length of 35 cm and weighs no more than four kilos. In the Pantanal, to cross a river or stream with a herd, it is customary to sacrifice an animal a few meters below so that the school does not attack the herd. Its meat is good, despite being prickly, and is often used as broth or soup. Its minimum size is 25 cm and it is fished all year round, always respecting Piracema. Known as a ruthless predator, the Piranha is always looking for meat, whether fish or any other animal, and is therefore very easy to capture. To fish for Piranhas, you can use any type of equipment, as long as the bait is a piece of meat, preferably bleeding.

They live on the banks of rivers, under caves and lake mouths. The piau, known in the Pantanal as piauçu, piavuçu, and piau tres pintas, inhabits clean, flowing watercourses. It is a fish with colorful scales and not very large, weighing a maximum of four kilos and measuring 60 cm in length. His favorite bait is green corn. It can be fished throughout the fishing season in the Pantanal, which runs from February to October. Its minimum allowable size is 40 cm. Medium action equipment must be used. The best baits are: corn, crabs, fruits and small fish, whole or in pieces. Proceed by casting the bait, letting it sink, keeping the line taut. You should hook when you feel short touches on the line, as the Piauçu usually steals the bait extremely quickly. Keep the clutch on your reel or reel well adjusted, as this fish fights a lot, taking several meters of line before being loaded.

This fish is one of the most common inhabitants of the running waters of our Pantanal region. A small species, it rarely exceeds 50 cm. Very tasty and tender meat, perhaps hence the origin of its name. Its back is dark gray in color, turning light gray towards the belly. Its eyes can be considered large in proportion to its small head. The preferred equipment is light material, which adds a little more sportiness to fishing for this species. The cover is always good to protect the line against possible attacks by piranhas. The baits are tuvira, small fish, or even pieces of them, worms, grasshoppers or small insects, pieces of heart or beef liver.

Leather fish. There are several species of Pimelodus. The body shape is very similar: high at the beginning of the dorsal fin, tapering towards the head and caudal fin. A common characteristic of the genus is the presence of a strong and sharp spike on the dorsal and pectoral fins. The length varies from 20-50cm, depending on the species, and the color also varies with the species. The drawing is a Pimelodus maculatus. The color is brown on the dorsal region, changing to yellowish on the flanks and white on the belly. It has 3 to 5 series of large dark spots along the body and spots on the fins. Reaches approximately 50cm in total length. Omnivorous fish. They feed on fish, invertebrates, fruits/seeds and detritus. They live in the backwaters on the banks of rivers. Light/light medium type equipment. Natural baits, such as worms, small fish or pieces, cheese. These fish must be handled with care because the stingers on their dorsal and pectoral fins can cause painful injuries.

It frequents very deep wells where it crawls the bottom for food, reaching up to 70cm in length and 7kg in weight. It is very common to catch Armaus when fishing for Jaú, as both frequent the same places, with Armaus often serving as food for Jaú. However, if the fisherman goes in search of just Armau, he must use medium/heavy equipment. Enough sinker must be used so that the bait touches the bottom. This is done by anchoring the boat close to the well, at a distance that causes the bait, when thrown, to remain in the deepest part of the river. The best baits are worms, tuviras and pieces of fish. It can be captured throughout the year, logically respecting the breeding seasons. Minimum size is 35 cm.