the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
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hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the vermiculated sailfin catfish
how to recognize it
Elongated, flattened armored catfish covered in bony plates, with a tall, sail-shaped dorsal fin and winding marks along the body, which give it the name vermiculado (wormy). It reaches 70 cm and 1.3 kg. It belongs to the same genus as the bodó (Pterygoplichthys pardalis), which is also in the catalog, and the two look very much alike, so check where it was caught.
Also called: cascudo-vermiculado, plecóstoma rayado, vermiculated sailfin catfish
don't confuse with:
We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.
where found
open on the large mapWhere to look: Várzea lakes (floodplain lakes), swamps and cavas (oxbow lagoons), in water poor in oxygen.
Native to the Madeira River basin, in Bolivia and Brazil. In Mexico and Puerto Rico it is exotic, introduced outside its natural range.
native to the basins
rules for the vermiculated sailfin catfish
Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
piracema and closed seasons
Each bar is the period when fishing is prohibited or restricted. The green line is today. Tap the name to see what is still allowed.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)
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.
Closed season in the rivers of Marajó Island (PA)
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
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
Border rivers MT/RO and MT/PA
Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
estimated weight
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how we calculate
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01778, b = 2.89; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
more about the vermiculated sailfin catfish
The cascudo-vermiculado belongs to the family Loricariidae, with an elongated, flattened body covered in bony plates. It reaches 70 cm and 1.3 kg. It lives in várzea lakes (floodplain lakes), swamps and cavas (oxbow lagoons), in water poor in oxygen, where it depends on surface air for long periods: its enlarged stomach works as an accessory breathing organ. It is native to the Madeira River basin, in Bolivia and Brazil. It has commercial and aquarium use. Outside its natural range, it was introduced to Mexico and Puerto Rico, where it is exotic and considered a potential pest.
Family: Loricariidae · detritivore
fun facts
- It has an enlarged stomach, which works as an accessory breathing organ, and breathes air facultatively.
similar species
sources and references (3)
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Pterygoplichthys disjunctivusNames by country and language.
- 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 not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
how we calculatewhere each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: