Cathorops spixii
Small estuary catfish, very common in mangroves and channels from North to South. It steals the bait of bottom anglers.
Also called: bagre-amarelo, uriacica, bagre-de-areia, gonguito, bagrinho
The yellow catfish (bagre-amarelo) is a small sea catfish, abundant in estuaries, mangroves, coastal lagoons and river mouths, where it lives on mud bottoms. It tolerates a wide range of salinity, from almost fresh water to hypersaline. It eats small invertebrates and small fish; juveniles feed on amphipods, isopods and copepods. It is among the most common fish in the estuaries of São Paulo and Paraná and shows up in large numbers as bycatch of shrimp trawling. For recreational anglers, it's the small catfish that bites nonstop when bottom fishing from piers and banks. The meat is good quality and sold locally. Like other ariids, the male incubates the eggs in its mouth.
Small catfish (up to about 30 cm), scaleless, with a broad flattened head, downturned mouth and short barbels. Dark brown to almost black back and pale yellow belly, which gives it its name. Serrated spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. Differs from the guri sea catfish and white sea catfish by its smaller size, lower mouth and yellowish belly tone.
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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.
From Amapá to Santa Catarina, in estuaries and bays. Very common in the estuaries of São Paulo and Paraná (Cananéia, Iguape, Paranaguá).
Habitat: Estuaries, mangroves, channels and shallow bays with mud bottoms; river mouths and coastal lagoons, including brackish and hypersaline ones.
coast
states
Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina
Present all year in estuaries; in cold weather activity drops in the South and Southeast.
Night and twilight. Most active from late afternoon into night, but in murky water it bites at any hour.
In the South and Southeast, cold reduces activity.
Not very sensitive.
Small effect.
Rain and muddy water don't hurt.
Follows the salt wedge; with heavy rain it moves down near the inlet.
Not very sensitive.
Strong wind only makes it harder to read the bite.
A running tide brings schools into the channels; at slack tide the bite drops off.
Shallows from 0.5 to 5 m in estuaries.
natural baits
accessories
If it's stealing the bait meant for the fish you want, move spots or lift the bait off the bottom.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). Minimum size of 12 cm on the coast from ES to RS (IN MMA 53/2005).
On the coast from ES to RS it is banned to fish for, keep on board or land yellow catfish (Cathorops spixii) under 12 cm total length. The 20% tolerance of the catch (by weight) provided in the rule is for enforcement at landings; recreational anglers must release the small ones. The rule does not apply to trawling.
Hold it with cloth behind the pectoral fins and remove the hook with pliers. Release small ones quickly, in shallow water.
Good meat, fried whole or in stew. Skin it and watch the spines when cleaning.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00661, b = 3.06; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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