Luciopimelodus pati
Slender, silvery catfish of the big rivers of the La Plata basin, heavily fished in the Argentine Paraná and the Uruguay River. Takes natural bait on the bottom of deep, murky channels.
Also called: pati, patí, bagre-pati
A leathery catfish of the family Pimelodidae, exceeding 1 m in length. It lives in the main channels of the Paraná, Paraguay and Uruguay rivers, in deep, murky water with moderate current. It is carnivorous and eats mostly fish. In Argentina and Uruguay it is one of the most sought-after catfish for bank and boat anglers, who fish on the bottom with pieces of fish as bait, mainly in the colder months. In Brazil it occurs in the Uruguay River (RS and SC). Like other large La Plata catfish, it is considered a migratory species and depends on free-flowing rivers without dams.
Elongated, slightly compressed body, silvery grey to bluish, white belly, no spots. Small, conical head, long thin barbels, a long adipose fin and a deeply forked tail with pointed lobes. The mandi has spots or stripes and is smaller; the barbado has a flattened head and broad, ribbon-like barbels.
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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.
La Plata basin: Paraná, Paraguay and Uruguay rivers and the Río de la Plata (Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay). In Brazil, the Uruguay River, including the upper stretch between RS and SC.
Habitat: Deep channels of large rivers, with murky water and moderate current; pools, tributary mouths and cut banks.
native to the basins
states
Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina
In the Argentine Paraná and the Uruguay River, pati fishing is best from autumn to late winter (April to September). In Brazil, respect the spawning closure (piracema) of the Uruguay basin.
Night and twilight. Feeds more in late afternoon and at night; in very murky water it also bites by day.
Handles cold well; it is one of the fish that save winter fishing on the La Plata.
A cold front arriving often activates it; the day after the front is weaker.
Dark nights and new-moon nights usually produce more.
Little direct effect; a sudden rise carrying lots of debris and branches hampers bottom fishing.
A stable or falling river is best; a strong flood scatters the fish.
Not very sensitive in deep, murky water.
Little effect on the fish; wind against the current makes boat fishing difficult.
Channel 5 to 15 m; the bait needs to sit still on the bottom.
natural baits
accessories
Sliding sinker, fresh fish bait and patience in the channel. The bite is subtle: wait for the line to run before setting the hook.
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: A migratory species: dams without fish passage and intense fishing reduce stocks.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
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
Watch the stingers on the dorsal and pectoral fins. Hold it with a wet cloth, unhook it with pliers and release it quickly, without leaving the fish out of water.
White, tasty flesh, highly valued in the La Plata region. Grilled, stewed or fried in steaks.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00589, b = 3.1; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana para a família e o formato do corpo); peso máximo calculado por esta relação). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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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.
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