all destinations MT · Barão de Melgaço · pantanal

cuiabá river — barão de melgaço

Northern Pantanal near Cuiabá, with the Cuiabá River and the Chacororé and Siá Mariana bays.

Barão de Melgaço is a Pantanal village on the bank of the Cuiabá River. The area joins river and large bays, such as Chacororé and Siá Mariana, linked by corixos. In the river, surubim and cachara on the cutbanks and pools, dorado and piraputanga in the current, pacu on the banks. In the bays and corixos, piranha and pacu in numbers. A good weekend destination from Cuiabá. Fishing is bottom fishing with live bait and dough, and casting for dorado.

best season

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Low water, June to September. Spawning closure (piracema) in MT from Oct 1 to Jan 31.

Local rules: MT has Zero Transport (Laws 12.197/2023 and 12.434/2024): until 2029, 12 native species, including surubim, cachara, dorado and piraputanga, may not be captured to take home, transported or sold. In practice, catch and release. Spawning closure (piracema) in MT from Oct 1 to Jan 31. The laws are being challenged at the STF (Supreme Federal Court): check local rules.

getting there: About 110 km from Cuiabá on paved road. Cuiabá airport, in Várzea Grande.
facilities: Fishing inns, simple hotels in the village, fishing guides and rental boats.
basin: Paraguay (Pantanal)

tip

At the end of the dry season, the bays become shallow and warm. Fish the river and the corixo mouths, where the water renews itself.

next 7 days here

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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

PimelodidaeVU

Spotted sorubim

Pseudoplatystoma corruscans

The great leather catfish of the Pantanal, the Paraná and the São Francisco. Nocturnal, heavy and with long runs. Vulnerable on the national list.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: Aug–Oct

Pimelodidae

Cachara

Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum

The striped sorubim of the Pantanal. Smaller than the pintado, more common along the shore and much sought in night drifting with tuvira.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: May and Aug–Oct

Serrasalmidae

Pacu

Piaractus mesopotamicus

The fruit eater of the Pantanal. Caught by batida (tapping the water with the rod), under the trees, or with crab. Pulls hard and dives into submerged timber.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: Mar–Apr and Oct–Nov

Bryconidae

Golden dorado

Salminus brasiliensis

The king of the river. A rapids predator that strikes violently and leaps out of the water several times. In MS, MT and PR it may only be fished for catch and release.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: Aug–Oct