all destinations MS · Corumbá · pantanal

paraguay river — forte coimbra (corumbá)

Lower Paraguay south of Corumbá, at the Forte Coimbra narrows. Surubim, jaú and pacu in the river, and blue peacock bass in the bays.

forecast for here see on the map

Forte Coimbra, an 18th-century fort listed by Iphan and still occupied by the army, sits on the right bank of the Paraguay River, in a narrows between hills, about 100 km south of Corumbá as the crow flies. The river is wide and deep, with banks, bays and corixos: surubim, cachara and jaú in the holes and banks, pacu along the edges, dorado in the current and at bay mouths, barbado and piranhas all the time. The official Mato Grosso do Sul fishing guide records adult blue peacock bass in the bays connected to the river near the fort, in high water. Bottom fishing with live bait and casting for dorado and peacock bass.

best season

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Season March to October, peaking August to October, when the river is low. In high water, blue peacock bass enter the bays. Spawning closure in MS Nov 5 to Feb 28.

Local rules: In MS, recreational fishing is catch and release: you may eat the fish on site and carry only 1 native specimen within the size limits, plus 5 piranhas; peacock bass and other exotic species have no limit (Decreto 15.166/2019). A state license from Imasul is required in addition to the federal one. Dorado: catch banned until Mar 31, 2027, catch and release only (Lei 5.321/2019, as amended by Lei 6.390/2025). Surubim is a vulnerable species: catch only under the recovery plan, with a minimum size of 85 cm in the upper Paraguay (PI MPA/MMA 15/2024); in MS, between 85 and 125 cm. Spawning closure Nov 5 to Feb 28 (Decreto 15.166/2019, art. 11): no fishing and no catch and release, except in February in the Paraguay River channel. The fort is a military area: do not land without authorization. The Bolivian and Paraguayan border lies downstream: fish only in Brazilian waters. Check local rules.

getting there: By river from Corumbá, by houseboat or voadeira (small aluminum boat). Corumbá has an airport and is about 420 km from Campo Grande via BR-262.
facilities: Houseboats and voadeiras leave from Corumbá, where there are fishing guides, tackle shops and live-bait sales.
basin: Paraguay (Pantanal)

tip

In high water, enter the bays connected to the river with topwater and mid-water lures for blue peacock bass; in the dry season, stay in the holes and banks of the channel with live bait for catfish.

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

Pimelodidae

Jaú

Zungaro jahu

The giant of the Pantanal and Paraná pools. Over 100 kg, lives on the bottom of rapids and requires heavy tackle.

Freshwater

time of yearbest: Aug–Oct

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