MS: minimum 35 cm
35 cmMS
Minimum size for jurupensém in MS.
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.375/2020 (amends Decreto nº 15.166/2019), art. 9º - Semadesc/Imasul
catalog
Pimelodidae · predator
duckbill catfish
Sorubim lima
Freshwater
The bico-de-pato: a catfish with a flattened snout, a dark stripe on the flank and nocturnal habits. A classic of bank fishing in the Pantanal and the Araguaia.
Also called: jurupensém, jurupecém, bico-de-pato, colhereiro, boca-de-colher, surubim-lima
- common size
- 30–45 cm
- maximum
- 55 cm
- common weight
- 0.3–0.8 kg
- record/max.
- 1.3 kg
- depth
- 1–8 m
- ideal water
- 24–30 °C
overview
who is the duckbill catfish
Medium-sized leather catfish, with the upper jaw much longer than the lower, giving a duck-bill snout. Lives in schools and hunts mostly at night, eating fish and crustaceans near the banks and the bottom. In the Pantanal, growth rings on the pectoral spine form once a year, in the dry season. Young lie motionless head-down among the vegetation, mimicking leaves and twigs. In the upper Paraná it is non-native, arriving after the formation of the Itaipu lake. In recreational fishing it is caught at night with tuvira, lambari and worm.
fun facts
- The young lie head-down among the vegetation, camouflaged as twigs.
- Lima, in the scientific name, comes from the shape of the snout, flattened like a file (lima).
how to recognize it
identification
Elongated, scaleless body, dark grey on the back and white belly, separated by a dark band from snout to tail. Broad, flattened snout, with the upper jaw protruding and tooth plates visible. Long barbels. Forked tail with rounded lobes. The jurupoca has spots on its body and lips of equal shape.
how duckbill catfish 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, Tocantins-Araguaia, Paraguay (Pantanal) and Parnaíba basins. In the upper Paraná it is non-native, present since the formation of Itaipu; in Goiás the rule lists it as allochthonous in the Paranaíba basin.
Habitat: Cutbanks, slack water, bays and beaches; river channel at night.
native to the basins
AmazonTocantins-AraguaiaParaguay (Pantanal)Parnaíba
introduced in
Paraná
states
Amazonas, Pará, Acre, Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Tocantins, Goiás, Maranhão, Piauí, Paraná, São Paulo
famous destinations
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: May–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Falling water and the dry season (May to October in the Pantanal and the Araguaia) concentrate the fish on cutbanks and channels.
best time of day
Nighttime. Active at night; the best time runs from dusk to early morning.
what affects the duckbill catfish
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 front keeps the fish still for two or three days.
atmospheric pressure
Stable pressure helps.
moon
New moon and cloudy nights often produce more.
rain
Light rain doesn't bother it.
water level
A falling river concentrates the school on the cutbanks.
noise
Avoid pointing a flashlight at the water.
wind
Little effect.
depth
Bottom and mid-water, 1 to 6 m.
how to fish
- rod
- 6' to 6'6", medium action, 10 to 20 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- 2500 to 3000 spinning reel or low-profile baitcasting reel
- line
- monofilament 0.30 to 0.35 mm or braided 20 lb
- leader
- monofilament 30 to 40 lb
- hook
- #1/0 to 3/0
natural baits
- tuvira
- lambari
- minhoca
- piece of fish
accessories
- olive sinker
- headlamp
- alicate
tip from an angler
Bait on the bottom, against the cutbank, right after dark. The strike is strong and quick.
rules for the duckbill catfish
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).
MT (Paraguay basin): minimum 35 cm
35 cmMTParaguay (Pantanal)
Minimum size for jurupensém in the Paraguay basin in MT. In MT, anglers may only kill for consumption on site (up to 2 kg or 1 fish, art. 19-C); the rule applies to that kill.
Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, Annex I, Paraguay basin (as amended by Lei nº 9.895/2013) - Sema-MT
GO (Araguaia-Tocantins): between 30 and 35 cm
30 cmGOTocantins-Araguaia
In Goiás the bico-de-pato may only be killed between 30 and 35 cm in the Araguaia-Tocantins basin, and only for consumption on site. In the Paranaíba basin it is listed as allochthonous, with open catch (Annex II).
Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, Annex I (in force May 28, 2026; on-site consumption only, zero transport)
GO (Araguaia-Tocantins): maximum 35 cm
35 cmGOTocantins-Araguaia
Above 35 cm the bico-de-pato must be returned to the water in the Goiás part of the Araguaia-Tocantins.
Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, Annex I (in force May 28, 2026; on-site consumption only, zero transport)
TO: between 25 and 40 cm
25 cmTOTocantins-Araguaia
In Tocantins the jurupensém (bico-de-pato) may only be kept between 25 and 40 cm. In TO anglers may not transport fish until Feb 28, 2029, except 1 native fish; they may consume up to 3 kg on site (Naturatins Ordinance 44/2026).
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 47/2026, Annex I, as amended by Portaria nº 105/2026
TO: maximum 40 cm
40 cmTOTocantins-Araguaia
Above 40 cm the jurupensém must be returned to the water in Tocantins.
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 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 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
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Parnaíba River basin
15/11 to 16/03PIMACE
Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore with handline, rod, spinning or baitcasting reel, up to 5 kg + 1 fish per day. Prohibited within 1,500 m of dams, waterfalls and rapids. Competitions prohibited.
Source: IN MMA nº 40/2005
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 from below, away from the pectoral spines, and release it facing the current.
in the kitchen
White, tasty meat without intramuscular bones; fried in steaks or baked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00468, b = 3.13; FishBase). 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 — Sorubim lima (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 Sorubim lima (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2024. DOI verified on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Sorubim lima (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 07/11/2018)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Littmann, M. W. (2007). Systematic review of the neotropical shovelnose catfish genus Sorubim Cuvier (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae). Zootaxa 1422: 1–29.DOI checked in Crossref.
- scientific Penha, J. M. F.; Mateus, L. A. F.; Barbieri, G. (2004). Age and growth of the duckbill catfish (Sorubim cf. lima) in the Pantanal. Brazilian Journal of Biology 64(1): 125–134.Growth rings formed in the dry season, from July to September, in the Cuiabá River. DOI and abstract checked in Crossref.
- scientific Britski, H. A.; Silimon, K. Z. S.; Lopes, B. S. (2007). Peixes do Pantanal: manual de identificação. 2ª ed. Brasília: Embrapa Informação Tecnológica. 227 p.Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites this work for the species.
- 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 the species of the upper Paraná River, marking native and non-native species. Open access; the species name was checked in the text. The text classifies the species as non-native to the upper Paraná.
