all destinations MT · Cáceres · pantanal

paraguay river — cáceres

Upper Paraguay, with live-aboard boats and one of the country's biggest fishing festivals. Surubim, pacu and dorado.

Cáceres sits on the Paraguay River at the entrance to the northern Pantanal. The river is winding, with bays, corixos and high cutbanks. Surubim and cachara in the pools and bay mouths, pacu on the banks, jaú in the deep pools, dorado and piraputanga in the current. Live-aboard boats run down the river for days. The town hosts the International Fishing Festival, now catch and release. Bottom fishing with live bait and casting for the scaled fish.

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, jaú 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. Taiamã Ecological Station, downriver: fishing banned.

getting there: About 220 km from Cuiabá via the BR-070 and BR-174. Regional airport in Cáceres.
facilities: Hotels, live-aboard boats, marinas, fishing guides, tackle shops and bait.
basin: Paraguay (Pantanal)

tip

At the mouths of bays where dark water enters the river, surubim hold on the line where the waters meet. Anchor upstream and let the bait drift.

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