MS: minimum 85 cm
85 cmMS
Minimum size for pintado 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
spotted sorubim
Pseudoplatystoma corruscans
Freshwaternational list: VU · vulnerable
The great leather catfish of the Pantanal, the Paraná and the São Francisco. Nocturnal, heavy and with long runs. Vulnerable on the national list.
Also called: pintado, surubim, surubim-pintado
- common size
- 70–110 cm
- maximum
- 180 cm
- common weight
- 6–25 kg
- record/max.
- 100.0 kg
- depth
- 1.5–15 m
- ideal water
- 24–30 °C
overview
who is the spotted sorubim
One of the largest leather catfish in the Center-South, over 1.5 m. A nocturnal predator: by day it stays in deep pools and at night moves to the shallows and bay mouths after tuviras, muçuns and curimbatás. It is a migrant and depends on free-flowing rivers to breed. Drifting with tuvira in the Pantanal, it is the most sought-after fish. The fight is heavy and long, and the fish heads for submerged timber. It is listed nationally as Vulnerable and has strict rules: transport banned in MT, keeping banned in PR and a size window in MS. Check the state rule before keeping any fish.
fun facts
- Crossed with the cachara in fish farming: the hybrid is sold as "ponto e vírgula".
- Large specimens are almost always females, which is why MS has a maximum size window.
- It uses its barbels to find prey in the dark and in murky water.
how to recognize it
identification
Very long, flat head shaped like a spade. Blue-grey back, white belly sharply set off. Flank with many round black spots and some narrow pale vertical bands edged in black. The cachara has broad dark bands that join into a net and few spots. The "ponto e vírgula" is a farmed hybrid with a mixed pattern.
how spotted sorubim 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
Pantanal (Paraguay, Cuiabá, São Lourenço, Miranda, Taquari, Aquidauana), upper Paraná (Paraná, Grande, Paranaíba, Tietê, Paranapanema) and São Francisco (Três Marias, Pirapora, Januária, middle river in Bahia).
Habitat: Deep pools and river channel by day; at night, bank edges, bay and corixo mouths, sandy beaches and backwaters.
native to the basins
Paraguay (Pantanal)ParanáSão FranciscoUruguay
states
Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Goiás, São Paulo, Paraná, Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Aug–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Falling water and dry season (April to October) concentrate the pintado in pools and bay mouths. August to October is the peak in the Pantanal. During high water it spreads over the flooded fields.
best time of day
Night and twilight. Feeds at night and around dawn and dusk. The best time runs from sunset until about 2 a.m. and at first light. By day it only bites on the bottom of the pool.
what affects the spotted sorubim
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) in the Pantanal stops the pintado for 2 to 3 days. Keep at it once the water warms back up.
atmospheric pressure
Falling pressure before a cold front usually means a good night of fishing; after the front, slow.
moon
Dark nights (new and waning moon) produce more along the shore. On full-moon nights it stays deeper.
rain
Light night rain doesn't matter. Thunderstorm with lightning: get off the river.
water level
A draining river is the best time: water flowing out of the fields carries tuviras and small fish to the mouths.
noise
Boat anchored, motor off and lantern pointed into the boat.
wind
Little effect on the bottom.
depth
Pool of 5 to 15 m by day; shoreline 1.5 to 4 m at night.
how to fish
- rod
- 6' to 7', medium-fast action, 20 to 50 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- high-profile or round baitcasting reel size 300 to 400, or 5000 to 6000 spinning reel
- line
- braided line 50 to 80 lb or monofilament 0.50 to 0.60 mm
- leader
- monofilament 80 to 100 lb or wire leader 45 to 60 lb, 40 to 60 cm
- hook
- 6/0 to 10/0 maruseigo or circle hook; sliding olive sinker 30 to 80 g
lures
- mid-water lure 12 to 15 cm at night and before dawn
- jig head with 4 to 6 in. shad
natural baits
- tuvira
- muçum
- minhocuçu
- lambari
- curimbatá piece (where permitted)
accessories
- large pliers
- heavy boga-grip
- headlamp
- luva
tip from an angler
While drifting, the bait should brush the bottom. When you feel the pull, give it 2 to 3 seconds of line, then set the hook firmly and long.
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.
guidebasic sonar: how to read the fishfinder
Understand how sonar sees underwater, what each mark on the screen means, and how to adjust the unit to find bottom, structure and fish.
guidebaitcasting reel: setting up and casting without backlash
How the brakes work, how to set spool tension, how to use your thumb, and what to do when backlash appears.
guidehow to read a rod: action, power and line rating
What the numbers and letters engraved on the rod mean, and how to match rod, line, lure and reel for each kind of fishing.
rules for the spotted sorubim
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: It was already on the previous list (Portaria MMA 148/2022). Fishing follows the rules of Interministerial Portaria no. 15/2024, kept during the plan's review (art. 11 of Portaria GM/MMA no. 1.666/2026). States such as PR ban possession. Confirm with MMA/Ibama and the state agency before keeping any fish.
MS: maximum 125 cm
125 cmMS
Above 125 cm catching is banned in MS: release large breeders.
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.375/2020 (amends Decreto nº 15.166/2019), art. 9º - Semadesc/Imasul
Zero transport in MT: pintado/sorubim 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 pintado/sorubim 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 pintado is among the species with possession, keeping and transport banned in inland waters. Release immediately at the same spot.
Paraná basin: minimum 90 cm
90 cmSPMGGOParaná
Federal minimum size for sorubim/pintado in the Paraná basin. The stricter state rule prevails.
Source: Instrução Normativa Ibama nº 26/2009 (fishing rules for the Paraná River basin), Annex
MG (São Francisco): minimum 80 cm
80 cmMGSão Francisco
Minimum size for sorubim in MG. In the Minas rivers of the Paraná basin, the stricter federal minimum of 90 cm applies.
Source: Portaria IEF-MG nº 111/2003 (minimum catch sizes in MG) - IEF/Semad-MG
Fishing subject to the Recovery Plan
sustainable use with management
Vulnerable species on the national list. Portaria MMA 355/2023 recognized the pintado as suitable for fishing, provided it follows the Recovery Plan and the current management rules.
Source: Portaria MMA nº 355/2023
Pintado (VU): catching only within the recovery plan
Paraguay (Pantanal)ParanáSão FranciscoUruguayconfirm with the agency
Pintado (spotted sorubim, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) has been Vulnerable since Portaria MMA 148/2022 and remains VU on the 2026 list. Use is allowed only under the recovery plan (Portaria MMA 355/2023) and PI MPA/MMA 15/2024, which sets closed seasons and minimum sizes by basin: upper Paraguay 85 cm, Paraná 90 cm, São Francisco 80 cm, Uruguay 80 cm. Because the species was already on the list, the 180-day deadline of Portaria 1.666/2026 (art. 12) does NOT apply to it: art. 11 applies, keeping the plan and rules in force during the review. As of Oct 2026, the plan was still published on the MMA website. Stricter state restrictions: MT (transport prohibited until Dec 31, 2028), PR (catch and release only) and GO (threatened species may not be caught, IN Semad 17/2026). Watch for a possible revision of the plan.
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.
Mato Grosso: fishing for threatened species absolutely prohibited
MTconfirm with the agency
Section 10 of art. 19-A of Law 9.096/2009 absolutely prohibits fishing for any species that is, or comes to be, on official lists of threatened or overexploited species. This covers pintado (VU) and, from about Oct 25, 2026, tambaqui.
Source: Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, art. 19-A, §10 (Lei nº 12.434/2024)
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.
Goiás: threatened species excluded from catching
GO
IN Semad 17/2026 excludes threatened species on the national list from catching; the list updates automatically with each new MMA list. In Goiás, pintado, piracanjuba, matrinchã B. gouldingi and, after about Oct 25, 2026, new species on the list may not be killed.
Rio Grande do Sul: dorado, pintado and piracanjuba on the state threatened list
RSUruguaySouth Atlanticconfirm with the agency
State Decree 51.797/2014 declares as threatened in RS: dorado (EN in the Patos Lagoon basin, VU in the Uruguay basin), pintado (EN) and piracanjuba (CR). The decree itself does not set catching rules: confirm with Sema-RS whether there is a retention restriction. Good practice is to release.
Minimum size: 85 cm
Paraguay (Pantanal)
Minimum size: 90 cm
Paraná
Minimum size: 80 cm
São Francisco
Minimum size: 80 cm
Uruguay
Minimum size: 85 cm (max. 125 cm)
MSParaguay (Pantanal)Paraná
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 9º (as amended by Decreto nº 15.375/2020)
Minimum size: 85 cm
MTParaguay (Pantanal)
Minimum size: 90 cm
SPPRMGGOMSDFParaná
Source: IN IBAMA nº 26/2009, Annex (Paraná River basin; stricter state rules prevail)
Minimum size: 80 cm
MG
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 São Francisco River basin (rivers and reservoirs)
01/11 to 28/02MGBAPEALSEGODF
Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore with handline, rod, spinning or baitcasting reel, up to 5 kg + 1 fish. Prohibited within 1,000 m of dams, waterfalls and rapids, and within 500 m of confluences. Floodplain lakes have a longer closed season (see next item).
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 50/2007
São Francisco: floodplain lakes
01/11 to 30/04MGBAPEALSEGODF
Allowed: No fishing in the floodplain lakes during the period.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 50/2007
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.
Heavy fish: don't lift it by the mouth vertically. Support the body with both hands, keep it in the water as much as possible and release it facing into the current. Watch out for the pectoral spines.
in the kitchen
White, firm, boneless flesh; moqueca, grilled steaks and stew. Keep fish only within the size window and where permitted.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00776, b = 3.08; 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 — Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (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)The species is listed as VU (checked in the text published in the DOU of April 28, 2026, section 1, p. 96).
- official Portaria MMA nº 148, de 7 de junho de 2022 — atualização da Lista Nacional de Espécies Ameaçadas de ExtinçãoPrevious national list, cited in this species' conservation history.
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2024. DOI verified on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (avaliação global: Quase Ameaçada, NT, 21/12/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Buitrago-Suárez, U. A.; Burr, B. M. (2007). Taxonomy of the catfish genus Pseudoplatystoma Bleeker (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) with recognition of eight species. Zootaxa 1512: 1–38.Includes P. corruscans, P. reticulatum, P. tigrinum and P. punctifer, among others.
- 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 species of the upper Paraná River, indicating native and non-native ones. Open access; species name checked in the text.
