MS: minimum 95 cm
95 cmMS
Minimum size for jaú in MS. Counts as the only native fish in the recreational bag limit.
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.375/2020 (amends Decreto nº 15.166/2019), art. 9º - Semadesc/Imasul
catalog
Pimelodidae · predator
jaú
Zungaro jahu
FreshwaterIUCN global: NT · near threatened
The giant of the Pantanal and Paraná pools. Over 100 kg, lives on the bottom of rapids and requires heavy tackle.
Also called: jaú, jaú-do-pantanal, jaú-do-paraná
- common size
- 80–130 cm
- maximum
- 160 cm
- common weight
- 15–50 kg
- record/max.
- 100.0 kg
- depth
- 4–25 m
- ideal water
- 24–30 °C
overview
who is the jaú
The largest catfish of the Pantanal and upper Paraná. It lives in very deep pools below rapids and waterfalls, in holes and rocky stretches, and comes out at night to hunt large fish. The pull is brute force: the jaú holds the bottom and tries to get back to its hole. It grows slowly and takes years to reproduce, so it suffers badly from fishing. In MS it may only be kept between 95 and 130 cm; in MT it is on the zero-transport list and in PR keeping is banned. With a large specimen, the right thing is to release it.
fun facts
- Large jaús can live for decades in the same pool.
- In older laws it appears as Paulicea luetkeni or Zungaro zungaro; the jaú of the Plata is Zungaro jahu.
how to recognize it
identification
Very thick, heavy body, broad, flat head, huge mouth. Relatively short barbels. Thick dark-brown to greyish skin, with dark marbled patches in juveniles and more uniform in adults. The redtail catfish has a red tail. The pintado has a spade-shaped head and spots. The barbado is silver, with ribbon-like barbels.
how jaú 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
Pools of the Paraguay River and large Pantanal tributaries, Paraná River (free-flowing stretches and below dams), Grande, Paranaíba and Paranapanema; Uruguay River.
Habitat: Very deep pools below rapids and waterfalls, crevices, rocky stretches and the base of dams.
native to the basins
Paraguay (Pantanal)ParanáUruguay
states
Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, São Paulo, Paraná, Goiás, Minas Gerais
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Aug–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Dry season (July to October): low river and fish trapped in pools. In high water it is hard to locate.
best time of day
Nighttime. Night fishing, from dusk until dawn. By day, only with bait held still on the pool bottom.
what affects the jaú
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 strong cold snap reduces activity; it returns as the water warms.
atmospheric pressure
Muggy nights before a cold front tend to produce.
moon
Dark moon tends to be better.
rain
Little effect on the bottom.
water level
Low water keeps the jaú in known pools.
noise
Anchor upstream of the pool, without noise on the hull.
wind
Almost no effect.
depth
Pool bottom, 6 to 25 m.
how to fish
- rod
- 6' to 7', heavy action, 40 to 80 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- large round baitcasting reel size 400 to 500 or 8000 to 10000 spinning reel
- line
- braided line 80 to 100 lb
- leader
- monofilament 150 lb or wire leader 90 to 120 lb, 60 cm
- hook
- reinforced 10/0 to 14/0 or circle hook; sinker of 100 to 300 g depending on the current
natural baits
- whole live or dead fish (piau, curimbatá, where permitted)
- muçum
- minhocuçu ball
accessories
- luva
- large pliers
- fighting belt
- knife for cutting line
tip from an angler
Bait on the pool bottom and drag set firm. In the first seconds, hold tight: if the jaú gets into its hole, the fight is over.
ready-made kit
pantanal drifting and bank fishing (catfish)
Fishing for surubim catfish, cachara and jau catfish in the Pantanal and rivers of the Paraguay basin, with natural bait, drifting downriver by boat or staying still at the bank and in the pool.
guidetrolling (rodada) and steep-bank fishing in the pantanal
How to rig your gear, choose bait, feel the bottom, decide between anchoring and trolling, the best times, and respect for fishing guides and riverside communities.
rules for the jaú
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: Slow growth and late maturity make the species vulnerable to fishing.
MS: maximum 130 cm
130 cmMS
Above 130 cm catching is banned in MS.
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.375/2020 (amends Decreto nº 15.166/2019), art. 9º - Semadesc/Imasul
Zero transport in MT: jaú (genus Zungaro) on the banned list
transport, storage and trade banned until Dec 31, 2028MT
Art. 19-B bans for 5 years (since Jan 1, 2024) transporting, storing and trading jaú (genus Zungaro) caught in rivers of MT. Recreational anglers may only keep up to 2 kg or 1 fish for consumption on site (within 500 m of the river), and art. 19-C excludes the species from art. 19-B: in practice, for this species, catch and release only. The law provides for an evaluation after 3 years (2027) that may revise the list. List checked in the consolidated text published by Sema-MT on May 29, 2026; Law 13.159/2025 did not change the list.
Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, arts. 19-B and 19-C (added by Lei nº 12.434/2024) - Sema-MT
PR: catch and release only
possession, keeping and transport bannedPR
In PR the jaú is among the species with possession, keeping and transport banned in inland waters.
Paraná basin: minimum 90 cm
90 cmSPMGGOParaná
Federal minimum size for jaú in the Paraná basin (the rule uses the name Zungaro zungaro).
Source: Instrução Normativa Ibama nº 26/2009 (fishing rules for the Paraná River basin), Annex
Mato Grosso: Zero Transport for 12 species
MTParaguay (Pantanal)AmazonTocantins-Araguaia
Transport, storage and sale are fully prohibited for 5 years from Jan 1, 2024 for: cachara, caparari, dorado, jaú, matrinchã (Brycon spp.), pintado/surubim (Pseudoplatystoma spp.), piraíba, piraputanga, pirarara, arapaima (pirarucu), trairão and peacock bass (tucunaré, Cichla spp.). For recreational anglers: catch and release only. These 12 species may not even be eaten on site, since the 2 kg or 1 fish limit excludes the art. 19-B list. The law cites jaú as Zungaro zungaro; we also include the Pantanal jaú (Z. jahu) out of caution. The list may still change: § 2 (exotic and predatory species), § 3 (review through study) and the 3-year assessment planned for 2027. A TJMT news report of Jun 2, 2026 confirms the 12 prohibited species. The STF denied a preliminary injunction in the ADIs against the law in 2024; we found no merits ruling.
Paraná: jaú, pintado, cachara, dorado and piracanjuba catch and release only
PRParanáSoutheast Atlantic
Possession, killing and transport of these species are prohibited in Paraná's inland waters (Paraná and Atlantic Southeast basins, except the Iguaçu River and the coast). Catch and release only, with immediate release at the same spot.
Minimum size: 95 cm (max. 130 cm)
MSParaguay (Pantanal)Paraná
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 9º (as amended by Decreto nº 15.375/2020)
Minimum size: 95 cm
MTParaguay (Pantanal)
Minimum size: 90 cm
SPPRMGGOMSDFParaná
Source: IN IBAMA nº 26/2009, Annex (Paraná River basin; stricter state rules prevail)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Don't lift it by the mouth: support the whole body, keep it in the water and release it only when it swims on its own. It may take minutes to recover.
in the kitchen
Fatty, strong flesh; large fish can taste strong. Keep fish only within the MS window.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.014697, b = 3.1; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana pela forma da subfamília); coeficiente a ajustado ao porte máximo registrado). 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 — Zungaro jahu (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 Zungaro jahu (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2024. DOI verified on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Zungaro jahu (avaliação global: Quase Ameaçada, NT, 21/12/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Alves, C. B. M.; Silva, L. G. M.; Godinho, A. L. (2007). Radiotelemetry of a female jaú, Zungaro jahu (Ihering, 1898) (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae), passed upstream of Funil Dam, rio Grande, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology 5(2): 229–232.
- scientific Ota, R. R.; Deprá, G. C.; Graça, W. J.; Pavanelli, C. S. (2018). Peixes da planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná e áreas adjacentes: revised, annotated and updated. Neotropical Ichthyology 16(2): e170094.Annotated list of species of the upper Paraná River, indicating native and non-native ones. Open access; species name checked in the text.
- scientific Lundberg, J. G.; Littmann, M. W. (2003). Pimelodidae (long-whiskered catfishes). 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. 432–446.Printed book chapter; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites the chapter for the species.
