río madre de dios and tambopata — puerto maldonado
At the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios, gateway to the southern Peruvian Amazon. Big catfish in the river and peacock bass in the creeks of the Tambopata Reserve.
Puerto Maldonado sits where the Tambopata flows into the Madre de Dios, a muddy whitewater river that descends from the Andes toward Bolivia and the Madeira. The river's commercial fishery works out of town, and large migratory catfish pass through: dorado, babo (Brachyplatystoma platynemum) and, in smaller numbers, piraíba (saltón). Studies of this fishery show mature dorado heading upstream to spawn near the Andes. In still water the fishing changes: in Palma Real creek, inside Tambopata National Reserve, SERNANP points to sport fishing for peacock bass (Cichla). For the river, Lake Valencia and tributaries, DIREPRO grants sport-fishing permits to anglers using rods, flies and artificial lures.
best season
Dry season, May to October, the season recommended by SERNANP. From November to February, high water brings logs downriver and fishing on the Madre de Dios nearly stops.
Local rules: In the Peruvian Amazon an individual sport angler does not need a fishing permit (DS 015-2009-PRODUCE), but DIREPRO Madre de Dios grants sport-fishing permits for the Madre de Dios River, Lake Valencia and tributaries, with the obligation to return fish alive: ask whether your guide has the permit. Minimum sizes (RM 147-2001-PE): dorado 115 cm, doncella 86 cm, tigre zúngaro 100 cm, gamitana 45 cm and paco 40 cm. In Tambopata National Reserve, enter only with an operator authorized by SERNANP, and pay the entry fee. Check local rules.
- getting there
- From Lima, 1 hour 20 minutes by plane. From Cusco, 465 km by road, about 10 hours. Palma Real creek is 2 hours by boat from town, on the right bank of the Madre de Dios.
- facilities
- Hotels in town, jungle lodges on the Tambopata and Madre de Dios, boats at the dock and operators authorized by SERNANP to enter the reserve.
- country
- Madre de Dios, Peru
tip
For the catfish, a heavy sinker and thick line in the channel, with fish bait. For peacock bass in the creeks, surface and mid-water lures, early or late in the day.
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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
before you fish in Peru
In the Amazon, the Fisheries Management Regulation (DS 015-2009-PRODUCE) says individual sport fishing does not require a fishing permit; anyone fishing from a sport fishing vessel pays an access fee of 0.005 UIT per person per day, for total catch of up to 10 kg. At sea, individual sport fishing is treated as non-commercial and there is no specific license. In a natural protected area, enter with an operator authorized by SERNANP and pay the entry fee.
- Blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin and sailfish: commercial fishing and sale prohibited; in sport fishing, catch and release only (DS 009-2008-PRODUCE).
- Paiche (arapaima): season from March to September; fishing, holding, transporting and selling prohibited from October 1 to February 28 in public waters, except in the Putumayo basin (RM 215-2001-PE, amended by RM 320-2020-PRODUCE).
- Paiche: minimum catch size of 160 cm total length (RM 147-2001-PE, section 4.3, kept by DS 015-2009-PRODUCE).
- In natural protected areas of the Amazon, fishing follows the area's master plan and the fisheries management programs approved with SERNANP.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official SERNANP — Visita Áreas Naturales: Reserva Nacional TambopataPalma Real creek route with sport fishing for peacock bass; access, fees, authorized operators and season May to October
- official Gobierno Regional de Madre de Dios — Resolución Directoral 048-2021-GOREMAD/GRDE/DIREPRO (permiso de pesca deportiva)Sport-fishing permit for the Madre de Dios River, Lake Valencia and tributaries (procedure 10 of DIREPRO's TUPA), with obligation to return caught fish
- scientific Barthem et al. (2017) — Goliath catfish spawning in the far western Amazon confirmed by the distribution of mature adults, drifting larvae and migrating juveniles (Scientific Reports)Commercial fishing at Puerto Maldonado: mature dorado and babo; piraíba in smaller numbers; fishing nearly stops from November to February because of the logs
- official Ministerio de Pesquería — Resolución Ministerial 147-2001-PE (tallas mínimas en la Amazonía)Text on FAOLEX (FAO), section 4.3: dorado 115 cm, tigre zúngaro 100 cm, doncella 86 cm, gamitana 45 cm, paco 40 cm