catalog Prochilodontidae · detritivore

streaked prochilod

Prochilodus lineatus

Freshwater

The fish of the piracema. Forms huge schools, leaps up waterfalls and feeds golden dorado and pintado. Hard to hook.

Also called: curimbatá, curimba, papa-terra, grumatã, corimbatá

forecast for streaked prochilod where found

Scientific illustration of Streaked prochilod

common size: 30–50 cm
maximum: 80 cm
common weight: 1–3 kg
record/max.: 7.2 kg
depth: 0.5–8 m
ideal water: 22–29 °C

overview

who is the streaked prochilod

A mud and bottom-organic eater, the curimbatá is the base of the food chain in Plata rivers. It forms enormous schools and is the most visible migrant of the piracema (spawning closure): its leaps at the Emas waterfalls in Pirassununga are famous. Golden dorado and pintado follow these schools. Because it eats mud, it rarely takes the hook: sport fishing uses dough, bread and a small hook, on chum or at pay lakes. Once hooked, it makes strong runs. Catching it by lambada (snagging with a treble hook) is banned in MS. It has fatty, widely eaten flesh and is a key species for commercial fishing.

fun facts

The word piracema is strongly tied to curimbatá: it is the fish most often seen climbing waterfalls.
By stirring the mud, it recycles organic matter and keeps the river productive.

how to recognize it

identification

Tall, sturdy body, silver with a bluish back and scales with dark edges forming fine lines on the flank. Fleshy suction-cup mouth with lips full of tiny teeth. Dorsal and caudal fins with dark spots in bands. No other fish on the list has this suction-cup mouth.

how streaked prochilod 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

where found

open on the large map

All of the Plata basin: Pantanal, upper Paraná and tributaries (Tietê, Mogi-Guaçu, Pardo, Grande, Paranapanema) and Uruguay River. Very common in reservoirs.

Habitat: Muddy bottom of backwaters, side lagoons, bays and reservoirs; rapids and waterfalls during migration.

native to the basins

ParanáParaguay (Pantanal)Uruguay

states

São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul

famous destinations

Aquidauana River — Aquidauana Paraná River — Três Lagoas (Jupiá)Furnas Lake — Capitólio Paranapanema River — Rosana Chavantes Reservoir — Carlópolis Itupararanga Reservoir — Ibiúna Paranaíba River — Ipiaçu Manso Lake — Chapada dos Guimarães

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Oct–Nov

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Peak concentration at the start of the piracema (October to December), when it runs up the rivers. Outside that period, it produces on chum and at pay lakes in warm months.

best time of day

Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Feeds by day stirring the bottom; schools move more early and late in the afternoon.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the streaked prochilod
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Cold keeps the school still in pools.

atmospheric pressure

Little effect.

moon

Little known effect.

rain

The first heavy spring rains trigger the migration.

water level

Rising water after rain pulls the school upstream.

noise

Tolerant, but the school sinks when a motor is nearby.

wind

Little effect.

depth

Bottom, 1 to 6 m.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Natural bait on the bottom Natural bait with float Fishing pond Caniço (cane pole)

rod: 6' to 7', medium action, 10 to 20 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 2500 to 3000
line: monofilament 0.30 to 0.35 mm
leader: optional
hook: small, #2 to 1/0, short shank

natural baits

flour dough and cornmeal
bread
feed dough
minhoca

accessories

feeder sinker with dough
bran chum

tip from an angler

Soft dough on the feeder, small hooks hidden in the dough. Wait for the float to move or the rod to bend and set the hook slowly: the mouth is weak.

guide

from hook to pot: killing, cleaning, preserving and preparing

The path of the fish you are going to eat: checking whether you may keep it, quick and humane killing, bleeding, ice, transport within the law, cleaning, tilapia fillet and kitchen care.

what the law says

rules for the streaked prochilod

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

MS: minimum 38 cm

38 cmMS

Minimum size for curimbatá in MS.

Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.375/2020 (amends Decreto nº 15.166/2019), art. 9º - Semadesc/Imasul

MS: trade banned (except Paraná and captive-bred)

trade bannedMSParaguay (Pantanal)

In MS it is banned to sell curimbatá, except fish raised in captivity and fish caught in the Paraná River basin.

Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 5º, single paragraph - Semadesc/Imasul

MS: lambada fishing banned

lambada banned for recreational anglersMS

In recreational fishing in MS, lambada (snagging fish in schools with a treble hook), widely practiced against curimbatá, is not allowed.

Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 4º - Semadesc/Imasul

MT: minimum 38 cm

38 cmMTParaguay (Pantanal)

Minimum size in the Paraguay basin in MT.

Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, art. 28 and Annex I (Paraguay Basin) - Sema-MT

Paraná basin: minimum 38 cm

38 cmSPPRMGGOParaná

Federal minimum size for curimbatá in the Paraná basin. In MG, IEF Portaria 111/2003 sets 30 cm, but in the Paraná basin the stricter rule applies.

Source: Instrução Normativa Ibama nº 26/2009 (fishing rules for the Paraná River basin), Annex

Minimum size: 38 cm

MSParaguay (Pantanal)Paraná

Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 9º (as amended by Decreto nº 15.375/2020)

Minimum size: 38 cm

MTParaguay (Pantanal)

Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, Annex I, Paraguay basin (as amended by Lei nº 9.895/2013). Several of these species are under Zero Transport: the measure applies to catch and release and to on-site consumption

Minimum size: 38 cm

SPPRMGGOMSDFParaná

Source: IN IBAMA nº 26/2009, Annex (Paraná River basin; stricter state rules prevail)

Minimum size: 38 cm (max. 70 cm)

PRParanáSoutheast Atlantic

Source: Portaria IAT nº 650/2025, Annex I (interior basins of PR, except Iguazu and coastal)

Minimum size: 30 cm

Source: Portaria IEF-MG nº 111/2003 (IEF table)

piracema closures in the basins where the species lives

Spawning closure (piracema) in the Paraná River basin

01/11 to 28/02SPPRMGGOMSDF

Allowed: Recreational fishing only for non-native species and hybrids (peacock bass, tilapia, black bass, carp, croaker, etc.; piauçu remains prohibited), with handline, simple pole, or rod with spinning or baitcasting reel, up to 10 kg + 1 fish. In rivers, from shore only; in reservoirs, from a boat or from shore. Prohibited: floodplain lakes, aquatic-animal bait, within 1,500 m of dams and waterfalls, and within 500 m of confluences. Tournaments only in reservoirs and only with non-native species.

Source: IN IBAMA nº 25/2009

Spawning closure (piracema) in Minas Gerais (state rule)

01/11 to 28/02MG

Allowed: Only exotic or hybrid species, 3 kg + 1 fish per day, with handline, rod, simple pole, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Nets prohibited. Keep the minimum distances from dams and reservoirs.

Source: Portarias IEF nº 154/2011 (São Francisco), 155/2011 (East) and 156/2011 (Grande/Paranaíba)

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.

Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, arts. 8º to 11

Spawning closure (piracema) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul

05/11 to 28/02MS

Allowed: Subsistence fishing by riverside residents and authorized scientific fishing. Decree 15.166/2019 (art. 11, §5) allows catch and release only in February and only in the channels of the Paraguay and Paraná rivers. For the rest of the period, not even catch and release is allowed. Check the Imasul portaria for each season.

Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 11; IN IBAMA nº 201/2008

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.

Source: IN Interministerial MAPA/MMA nº 10/2017; Resolução Cepesca-MT nº 1/2026; Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, arts. 19-A and 27 (Leis 12.434/2024 and 13.159/2025)

Spawning closure (piracema) in the Uruguay River basin

01/10 to 31/01RSSC

Allowed: Recreational fishing from shore, or from a boat without motor. Only handline or rod, line and hook, one gear per angler, up to 5 kg. Prohibited in floodplain lakes, within 1,500 m of dams, within 500 m of confluences, and in stretches listed in the rule (e.g., Turvo River).

Source: IN IBAMA nº 193/2008

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.

Fragile mouth: remove the hook carefully and release quickly.

in the kitchen

Fatty, tasty flesh with many bones; excellent grilled over coals, in thin fried steaks or smoked.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.01862, b = 2.98; FishBase). 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.