all destinations MT · Chapada dos Guimarães · reservoir

manso lake — chapada dos guimarães

The largest artificial lake in Mato Grosso, on the Manso River, a tributary of the Cuiabá River. Marinas, beaches and boat fishing near Cuiabá and Chapada dos Guimarães.

forecast for here see on the map

Manso Lake was created by the dam of the Manso hydroelectric plant, on the river of the same name, the main tributary of the Cuiabá River, and flooded about 427 km² in the valleys of the Manso and da Casca rivers, in Chapada dos Guimarães and Nova Brasilândia. It is a boating-leisure lake with marinas, beaches and fishing cabins, and boat fishing in its arms, points and submerged timber. The fishing targets scaled fish of the Paraguay basin, such as pacu and piraputanga, with trahira in the coves and piavuçu and curimbatá on bottom fishing. In Mato Grosso, recreational fishing is catch and release, with consumption only on site.

best season

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Dry season, May to September. The Mato Grosso spawning closure runs Oct 1 to Jan 31.

Local rules: Mato Grosso has the Zero Transport rule through Dec 31, 2028 (Lei MT 9.096/2009, as amended by Lei 12.434/2024): recreational fishing is catch and release, with on-site consumption of up to 2 kg or 1 specimen, and taking fish home is banned. Twelve species may not even be eaten, including piraputanga, surubim, cachara, jaú and peacock bass. The state spawning closure from Oct 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 (Resolução Cepesca 1/2026) is already under way: no fishing in rivers, not even catch and release. Dorado and piraíba: catch banned in Mato Grosso (art. 17-A). On the lake, Lei 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in reservoirs during the spawning closure, subject to a study and a license from the environmental agency: confirm with Sema-MT whether that license is being issued before fishing in this period. Check local rules.

getting there: The dam is about 86 km from Cuiabá. From downtown Chapada dos Guimarães, it is about 90 km via the Água Fria community, with a dirt stretch, or 122 km by paved road toward Cuiabá, to the lake turnoff.
facilities: Marinas, a large resort, fishing cabins and restaurants serving regional food around the lake.
basin: Paraguay (Pantanal)

tip

The big lake kicks up waves in the afternoon wind: leave early and plan your return. At the mouths of the rivers that feed the lake, moving water gathers pacu and piraputanga.

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

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