Skip to content
EN
PT PortuguêsES EspañolEN English
catalog Erythrinidae · predator

trahira

Hoplias malabaricus

Freshwater

The predator of lagoons and small farm ponds, found in almost all of Brazil. Explosive strike at the surface frog among the water hyacinth.

Also called: traíra, taraíra, traíra-comum

forecast for trahira where found
Scientific illustration of Trahira
common size
25–45 cm
maximum
65 cm
common weight
0.3–2 kg
record/max.
3.8 kg
depth
0.2–3 m
ideal water
22–30 °C
overview

who is the trahira

Ambush predator: it sits still in shallow water among plants and strikes anything that moves: fish, frogs, large insects. Lives in lagoons, small farm ponds, swamps, reservoirs and slack river water, even in water low in oxygen. One of Brazil's most popular fisheries. On the surface, with a frog lure or propeller bait in the middle of the water hyacinth, the strike is explosive. It has strong teeth and cuts thin line. It survives a long time out of water, so handle it calmly and release it well. It is native to almost all basins.

fun facts

  • Breathes well in water low in oxygen and survives hours out of water in a humid environment.
  • The male guards the eggs and the young in the nest.
how to recognize it

identification

Cylindrical body, olive-brown with irregular dark spots and a yellowish belly. Large head, huge mouth with canine teeth. Dark stripes run from the eye. No adipose fin and a rounded tail. The trairão is Amazonian and much bigger. The jundiá has no scales and has barbels.

how trahira 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

Found in almost every basin in Brazil: lagoons, small farm ponds, reservoirs, swamps and slack river water.

Habitat: Shallow, still water with vegetation: water hyacinth, cattails, submerged grass, snags, and the edges of small ponds and reservoirs.

native to the basins

ParanáParaguay (Pantanal)UruguaySão FranciscoSouth AtlanticSoutheast AtlanticEast AtlanticEastern Northeast AtlanticParnaíbaWestern Northeast AtlanticTocantins-AraguaiaAmazon

states

São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Tocantins, Pará, Amazonas, Amapá, Acre, Rondônia, Roraima, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Distrito Federal

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Oct–Mar
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Spring and summer, with warm water. In winter it slows down, especially in the South.

best time of day

0h6h12h18h sunrise ~6amsunset ~6pm

Night and twilight. Most active at dusk, at night and at dawn. During the day it strikes in the shade of the vegetation.

weather, water and behavior

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

cold and cold fronts

Below 18 °C water, the trahira is almost motionless.

atmospheric pressure

Muggy days before rain are usually excellent.

moon

Small effect; warm nights produce more.

rain

Light summer rain stirs up the surface.

water level

A full farm pond with flooded vegetation spreads the fish out; as the level drops, they concentrate.

noise

Walk slowly along the bank; a heavy footstep scares them off.

wind

Strong wind hinders surface lures.

depth

Shallow, 0.2 to 1.5 m.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Surface castingMid-water castingNatural bait with floatCaniço (cane pole)
rod
5'6" to 6', fast action, 10 to 25 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel
low-profile baitcasting reel 100 or spinning reel 2500
line
braid 20 to 30 lb
leader
fluorocarbon 30 to 40 lb or fine wire leader
hook
2/0 to 4/0 offset hooks for weedless lures

lures

  • rubber frog
  • prop bait
  • small zara
  • spinnerbait
  • silicone worm with offset hook

natural baits

  • live lambari
  • minhocuçu
  • piece of fish

accessories

  • long-nose pliers
  • small boga

tip from an angler

Weedless frog over the water hyacinth. When it blows up, wait a second for the trahira to turn the lure, and only then set the hook.

ready-made kit

first fishing trip (cheap beginner kit)

For anyone who's never fished and wants a simple kit for a pay lake, lake, reservoir or calm river, with natural bait.

ready-made kit

surface trahira

Casting in lagoons, marshes, small reservoirs and vegetated reservoir edges, using frogs, sapito, zara and buzzbait.

ready-made kit

peacock bass in reservoirs (southeast and center-west)

Boat fishing in large reservoirs in SP, MG, GO, MS and PR, where blue and yellow peacock bass were introduced. Clear water, pressured fish and plenty of submerged structure.

guide

precision casting

Overhead, sidearm, pitching, flipping and skipping: when to use each, how to aim at structure, and why the first cast to a spot is the one that gets the most bites.

guide

how to work artificial lures

Zara, prop bait, popper, jerkbait, shad, jig, spoon and spinnerbait: the right movement for each and how to adjust the rhythm to water temperature and fish activity.

guide

first fishing trip: from zero to the water's edge

For anyone who has never fished: license, where to go, a cheap kit that works, how to rig a bobber line, how to bait the hook and what to do when the fish bites.
what the law says

rules for the trahira

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: Hoplias malabaricus is a species complex; its taxonomy is under review.

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

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 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.

Source: IN Interministerial MPA/MMA nº 12/2011

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.

Source: IN Interministerial MPA/MMA nº 13/2011

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

Spawning closure (piracema) in the southern basins (RS and SC, outside the Uruguay)

01/11 to 31/01RSSC

Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore, with a single hook, one gear per angler, up to 5 kg.

Source: IN IBAMA nº 197/2008

Spawning closure (piracema) in the Southeast basins

01/11 to 28/02ESMGRJSPPR

Allowed: In rivers, shore fishing only; in reservoirs, from a boat or from shore. Only non-native species, hybrids, and giant river prawn (camarão-gigante-da-malásia), up to 10 kg + 1 fish. Prohibited in floodplain lakes and within 1,000 m of dams.

Source: IN IBAMA nº 195/2008

Spawning closure (piracema) in the East basins

01/11 to 28/02BAESMGSE

Allowed: Same rules as the Southeast basins: only non-native species and hybrids, up to 10 kg + 1 fish; in rivers, shore fishing only.

Source: IN IBAMA nº 196/2008

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 Maranhão basins

01/12 to 30/03MA

Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore with handline or rod, up to 5 kg or 1 fish. Transport only within the municipality. Competitions prohibited.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 85/2003

Closed season in the Ceará basins

01/02 to 30/04CE

Allowed: Recreational fishing with handline or rod is outside the prohibition.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 04/2008

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

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.

Sharp teeth: always use pliers. Don't squeeze the belly. Release it in the vegetation, where it hides.

in the kitchen

White, tasty meat, but full of Y-shaped bones. Fried in deeply scored steaks, or as a boneless fillet.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00891, b = 3.1; 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.

  1. scientific FishBase — Hoplias malabaricus (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
  2. 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).
  3. official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Hoplias malabaricus (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2023. DOI verified on Crossref.
  4. scientific IUCN Red List — Hoplias malabaricus (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 15/04/2019)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
  5. 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.
  6. scientific Oyakawa, O. T. (2003). Erythrinidae (trahiras). 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. 238–240.Printed book chapter; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites the chapter for the species.
  7. 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.
don't confuse

similar species

Illustration of Trairão
Erythrinidae

Trairão

Hoplias aimara

The trairão, the giant trahira of the clear-water rivers of the Brazilian Shield. Brutal surface strikes and teeth that cut through anything.

Freshwater
time of yearbest: Jun–Oct
Illustration of South American catfish
Heptapteridae

South American catfish

Rhamdia quelen

The leather catfish of the rivers of the South and Southeast. Nocturnal, tolerates cold water and bites well on worms on the bottom.

Freshwater
time of yearbest: Oct–Mar