araguaia river — são félix do araguaia
The Araguaia across from Bananal Island. Peacock bass lakes, beaches and catfish in the channel, in northern Mato Grosso.
São Félix do Araguaia sits on the Mato Grosso bank of the Araguaia, facing Bananal Island, the largest river island in the world. It is the wildest stretch of the Araguaia: fewer people than the Goiás stretch, huge beaches in the dry season and many lakes in the várzeas. Blue and yellow peacock bass, aruanã and pescada in the lakes; cachorra and bicuda in the currents; pirarara and barbado in the pools, bottom fishing. The Das Mortes River flows into the Araguaia just upstream of the town.
best season
Dry season, June to September. On the Araguaia, a border river, the piracema follows the federal date, Nov 1 to Feb 28.
Local rules: Bananal Island, across the river, has indigenous lands and the Araguaia National Park: fishing and camping only with authorization. Mato Grosso has Transporte Zero until Dec 31, 2028: amateur fishing is catch and release, with consumption on site only (Lei MT 12.434/2024). On the Araguaia, the piracema runs from Nov 1 to Feb 28. Araguaia matrinchã (Brycon gouldingi): capture prohibited. Check local rules.
- getting there
- In northeastern Mato Grosso, by road from the BR-158. Regional airport in São Félix do Araguaia.
- facilities
- Inns, basic hotels, boatmen, guides and seasonal campsites.
- basin
- Tocantins-Araguaia
tip
In the várzea lakes, peacock bass hide in the shoreline vegetation: quiet surface lures outperform noisy ones in still water.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official ICMBio — Parque Nacional do Araguaia
- official Assembleia Legislativa de Mato Grosso — Lei estadual nº 12.434/2024 (Transporte Zero)
- official Ibama — Defesos continentaisAraguaia basin spawning closure (piracema) (IN Interministerial MPA/MMA 12/2011)