Minimum size in Tocantins
40 cmTOTocantins-Araguaia
In Tocantins the wide payara may only be kept if it is 40 cm or longer.
Source: Portaria NATURATINS/GABIN nº 47/2026 (annexes amended by Portaria nº 105/2026)
catalog
Cynodontidae · predator
payara
Hydrolycus armatus
Freshwater
Rapids predator with huge fangs on its lower jaw. High leaps and strong runs in the current.
Also called: cachorra, peixe-cachorro, cachorra-larga, pirandirá
- common size
- 50–75 cm
- maximum
- 95 cm
- common weight
- 2–6 kg
- record/max.
- 12.0 kg
- depth
- 1–8 m
- ideal water
- 26–30 °C
overview
who is the payara
The payara is a fast-water predator, famous for the two huge fangs of its lower jaw that fit into holes in its skull. It lives in rapids, rocky stretches, river confluences and the heads of waterfalls, where it hunts fish such as sardines, piaus and curimatãs. It strikes fast, jumps a lot and fights hard in the current. In sport fishing it is a prized target in rivers such as the Araguaia, Xingu, Tapajós, Teles Pires and Uraricoera. Its mouth is hard and bony, so many escape during the jump. It likes well-oxygenated water and tires quickly, so it needs careful release.
fun facts
- The fangs pass through the head via two openings in the upper jaw when the mouth closes.
- Abroad it is also known as payara and is a target of anglers worldwide.
how to recognize it
identification
Elongated, tall body, flattened on the sides, silver with a blue-tinged back. Two huge fangs on the lower jaw, visible with the mouth closed. A dark spot just behind the gill cover and large pectoral fins. The knife payara is slimmer and has a blade-shaped belly. The pike characin has a long snout and no large fangs.
how payara 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
Rivers with rapids in the Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins basins: Araguaia, Tocantins, Xingu, Tapajós, Teles Pires, Trombetas, Branco and Uraricoera, among others.
Habitat: Rapids, rocky stretches, eddies, river confluences and the heads and bases of waterfalls.
native to the basins
AmazonTocantins-Araguaia
states
Amazonas, Pará, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Roraima, Rondônia, Amapá, Goiás
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Jul–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Dry season, from June to October, when the rapids become well defined and the water clears.
best time of day
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Hunts by day, peaking at dawn and late afternoon at the heads of the rapids.
what affects the payara
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
Murky water shuts down the strikes.
water level
Low water exposes the rocks and concentrates the payara in the current channels.
noise
Not very sensitive; the noise of the rapids masks the boat.
wind
Little effect.
depth
Mid-water to the bottom of the rapids, 1 to 6 m.
how to fish
- rod
- 6'0'' to 7'0'', fast action, 15 to 30 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- baitcasting reel 200 or spinning reel 4000
- line
- braid 30 to 40 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 50 to 60 lb or thin wire, 50 cm
- hook
- reinforced treble hooks 2/0 to 4/0, very sharp
lures
- feather jig 1/2 to 1 oz
- shad with heavy jig head
- heavy spoon 20 to 40 g
- long-skirted mid-water lure
natural baits
- live sardine or piau
- fish fillet
accessories
- long-nose pliers
- boga-grip
- luvas
tip from an angler
Work the lure with the current and set the hook repeatedly: the mouth is bony. When it jumps, lower the rod tip.
rules for the payara
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: 40 cm
TOTocantins-Araguaia
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 47/2026, Annex I, as amended by Portaria nº 105/2026
Minimum size: 50 cm
GOTOPAMAMTTocantins-Araguaia
Source: INIs MPA/MMA nº 12/2011 (Araguaia) and 13/2011 (Tocantins), minimum size annexes
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.
It tires quickly and loses scales. Hold it by the jaw with a boga-grip, keep the payara in the water and release it in the current, facing into the flow, until it swims off on its own.
in the kitchen
White flesh with many fine bones. Little valued; it is a fish to release.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00661, b = 3.15; 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
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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 — Hydrolycus armatus (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 Hydrolycus armatus (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Hydrolycus armatus (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 14/07/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Toledo-Piza, M.; Menezes, N. A.; Santos, G. M. (1999). Revision of the neotropical fish genus Hydrolycus (Ostariophysi: Cynodontinae) with the description of two new species. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 10(3): 255–280.Journal article with no DOI; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase.
- scientific Toledo-Piza, M. (2003). Cynodontidae (cynodontids). In: Reis, R. E.; Kullander, S. O.; Ferraris Jr., C. J. (orgs.). Check List of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, p. 234–237.Printed book chapter; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites the chapter for the species.
