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Illustration of Jatuarana
fishing forecast

jatuarana

Brycon melanopterus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the jatuarana

how to recognize it

A spindle-shaped, silvery body, typical of bryconids, with a dark tail, as the Spanish name sábalo cola negra indicates. Reaches 38 cm, about twice the size of the piabano (Brycon pesu), which is 19 cm. To tell it apart from the piabano, which looks similar and shares the same region, size is the safest guide.

Also called: jatuarana, matrinchão, sábalo, sábalo cola negra

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Rivers of the Amazon basin, from midwater to the bottom, with migrations within rivers.

Amazon basin, also present in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

native to the basins

Amazon

rules for the jatuarana

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.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
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)

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

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 = 0.01259, b = 3.04; 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 jatuarana

The jatuarana belongs to the family Bryconidae and reaches 38 cm and 4.4 kg. It has a spindle-shaped body, typical of Brycon. It lives in the Amazon basin and in rivers of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, in fresh water, from midwater to the bottom. It is potamodromous, meaning it migrates within rivers and does not depend on the sea. It has commercial and aquarium use and rarely shows up on the line of anglers using rods.

Family: Bryconidae · omnivore

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Brycon melanopterus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Brycon melanopterusNames by country and language.
  3. 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.