teles pires river — alta floresta and paranaíta
A rapids river famous for big payara and trairão. Good logistics from Alta Floresta.
The Teles Pires drops rapid after rapid toward the border with Pará. The water is clear in low water and fishing is for predators in current. Payara is the star, with big fish and high jumps. Trairão in the eddies and logs, bicuda and matrinxã in fast water, pirarara and jaú in the pools. Most of the fishing is casting, with mid-water lures and heavy jigs. Hydroelectric dams changed stretches of the river. The inns are isolated in the forest and practice catch and release.
best season
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 peacock bass, trairão, matrinxã, pirarara, jaú, piraíba and caparari, 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
- Alta Floresta airport, with flights from Cuiabá. From the cities, road and boat or charter flight to the inns.
- facilities
- Fishing inns on the river bank, with voadeiras and guides. Hotels in Alta Floresta and Paranaíta.
- basin
- Amazon
tip
For payara, a long mid-water lure and sharp treble hooks. The mouth is hard: set the hook firmly.
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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
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official Assembleia Legislativa de Mato Grosso — Lei estadual nº 12.434/2024 (Transporte Zero)Amends Lei 9.096/2009 (art. 19-A)
- official Sema-MT — Lei estadual nº 9.096/2009 consolidada (Política de Pesca de Mato Grosso)Check whether the consolidated version already includes the most recent amendments
- official Ibama — Defesos continentaisIncludes the Amazon basin and MT spawning closure (piracema)