Size window in Tocantins
20 cm (maximum 50 cm)TOTocantins-Araguaia
In Tocantins the pike characin may only be kept between 20 and 50 cm.
Source: Portaria NATURATINS/GABIN nº 47/2026 (annexes amended by Portaria nº 105/2026)
catalog
Ctenoluciidae · predator
bicuda
Boulengerella cuvieri
Freshwater
Long-snouted, fast and leaping fish that chases fast lures in clear water.
Also called: bicuda, pirapucu
- common size
- 40–70 cm
- maximum
- 88 cm
- common weight
- 1–3 kg
- record/max.
- 6.0 kg
- depth
- 0.3–3 m
- ideal water
- 26–30 °C
overview
who is the bicuda
The pike characin has a torpedo-shaped body and a long, pointed snout, a design built for speed. It lives in clear- and blackwater rivers and lakes, near rocky stretches, beach points, shorelines and moderate currents, always hunting small fish near the surface. It chases fast lures and strikes with acrobatic leaps, which makes it fun on light tackle and fly. It fights with repeated jumps and often gets off, because its mouth is narrow and hard. It is a frequent catch on the same trip as peacock bass and payara, especially in the dry season when the water clears.
fun facts
- The fleshy tip of the snout is sensitive and helps locate prey.
- It usually makes several jumps in a row after being hooked.
how to recognize it
identification
Elongated, rounded body, long pointed snout with a fleshy tip. Olive back, silver-to-golden flanks and fins with dark spots. Dorsal fin set back near the tail. The payara has a tall body and large fangs. The barracuda is a marine fish. In the Amazon, the only similar one is the spotted pike characin, which is smaller and has spots on its body.
how bicuda fishing looks
Loading the next 7 days…
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.
distribution
open on the large map where found
Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins basins, in clear- and blackwater rivers such as the Negro River, Xingu, Tapajós, Teles Pires, Araguaia and Tocantins.
Habitat: Rocky stretches, beach points, shorelines, backwaters with gentle current and lake mouths in clear water.
native to the basins
AmazonTocantins-Araguaia
states
Amazonas, Pará, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Roraima, Rondônia, Amapá, Acre, Goiás
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Jul–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Dry season, June to October, with clear water and low river.
best time of day
Daytime. A daytime hunter, active all day; strong sun doesn't bother it much.
what affects the bicuda
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
A cold snap (friagem) reduces activity.
atmospheric pressure
Settled weather helps.
moon
Little effect.
rain
Dirty water hurts visual hunting.
water level
Low, clear water is the ideal scenario.
noise
Sensitive in clear, shallow water.
wind
A light chop doesn't matter; strong wind does.
depth
Surface and shallow mid-water.
how to fish
- rod
- 6'0'', fast action, 10 to 20 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 2500 to 3000 or baitcasting reel 100
- line
- braid 20 to 30 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 30 to 40 lb
- hook
- fine, sharp treble hooks 1 to 2/0
lures
- small prop bait
- small zara
- fast-retrieve stickbait
- colher
- streamer fly
natural baits
- live lambari or piaba
accessories
- alicate
- polarized glasses
tip from an angler
Retrieve quickly. The pike characin chases fast lures and loses interest in a still lure.
rules for the bicuda
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: 60 cm
MTAmazonTocantins-Araguaia
Minimum size: 40 cm (max. 55 cm)
GOTocantins-Araguaia
Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, Annex I, Araguaia-Tocantins basin (on-site consumption only; zero transport)
Minimum size: 20 cm (max. 50 cm)
TOTocantins-Araguaia
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 47/2026, Annex I, as amended by Portaria nº 105/2026
piracema closures in the basins where the species lives
Closed season in Goiás (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02GO
Allowed: Sport and guided fishing only in reservoirs, catch and release with barbless hooks (no keeping, transporting or eating). Subsistence: up to 5 kg per day, for household consumption only.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)
01/10 to 31/01MT
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Araguaia River basin
01/11 to 28/02GOTOPAMT
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with handline, rod, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Fish may only be eaten on site, not transported. Competitions prohibited. Subsistence: 3 kg + 1 fish. State rules (GO and TO) may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Tocantins and Gurupi river basins
01/11 to 28/02TOPAMAGO
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Tocantins (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02TO
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
Closed season in the rivers of Marajó Island (PA)
01/01 to 30/04PA
Allowed: The same recreational-angler exceptions as in Portaria 48/2007 apply (handline or rod, 5 kg + 1 fish), unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Closed season in the Amazon basin in Amapá
15/11 to 15/03AP
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Closed season in Roraima
01/03 to 30/06RR
Allowed: Subsistence fishing only.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Border rivers MT/RO and MT/PA
05/11 to 28/02MTROPA
Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Hold it by the body, not the snout, and remove the treble hooks with pliers. Release it quickly.
in the kitchen
White, tasty flesh but with bones. Fried in steaks.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00269, b = 3.21; FishBase (bayesiano, espécie + forma do corpo da família)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
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.
- scientific FishBase — Boulengerella cuvieri (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Boulengerella cuvieri (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Boulengerella cuvieri (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 21/10/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Vari, R. P. (1995). The neotropical fish family Ctenoluciidae (Teleostei: Ostariophysi: Characiformes): supra and intrafamilial phylogenetic relationships, with a revisionary study. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 564: 1–97.Review of the pike characin family (genus Boulengerella).
