Federal minimum size (20 cm) in the Southeast and South
20 cm (TL)ESRJSPPRSCRSSoutheast CoastSouth Coast
Fishing for, keeping on board or landing parati under 20 cm total length is prohibited on the coast of ES, RJ, SP, PR, SC and RS.
fishing forecast
white mullet
Mugil curema · Mugilidae · omnivore
EstuarySea
The small mullet of the estuaries. Fun on light tackle and one of the best live baits for snook and weakfish.
Also called: parati, saúna, saúba
- common size
- 20–30 cm
- maximum
- 45 cm
- common weight
- 0.1–0.4 kg
- record/max.
- 0.9 kg
- depth
- 0.3–10 m
- ideal water
- 22–28 °C
fishing forecast
the right time
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.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
0—
index Score from 0 to 100 for the fishing conditions of each hour. It reads weather, sun, moon, tide and the species' habits. It doesn't promise fish: it tells you when the water is on your side. 0–24 poor · 25–44 fair · 45–64 good · 65–84 very good · 85–100 excellent.
today
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confidence —
confidence How much you can trust the weather forecast for the day. It drops with distance and when the models disagree. It is not the chance of catching fish.
models and trend Up to 16 days, three global weather models (the European ECMWF, the American GFS and a high-resolution blend) read hour by hour; when they disagree, the light band on the chart widens. Beyond that it's a trend: 31 runs of the American GEFS model. Confirm when it's 1 week out.
window Consecutive hours with the index near the day's peak and no danger alert. It is the time to have the bait in the water.
hour by hour
tap or drag on the chart to read each hour · on a keyboard, arrow keyssee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
next 7 days
chart: bar height = day's index · line = variation between models · striped = trend · fainter = less confidencechoose the day
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.
4-week calendar
the fishing month at a glance
plan a trip
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.
the species
everything about the white mullet
overview
who is the white mullet
The parati is the small estuary mullet, found along the whole coast. It lives in schools by mangrove edges, channels, sheltered beaches and river mouths, sifting mud and algae. It rarely exceeds 40 cm, but it is abundant all year and fun on light tackle, with dough, bread and chum. It is also one of the best live baits for snook, weakfish and bluefish: a 10 to 15 cm parati under a float is a trophy bait. It spawns at sea in the warm months, and juveniles enter the estuaries in large numbers. Tasty meat, good fried or grilled over embers.
fun facts
- Used as live bait for almost every estuary predator.
- Unlike the mullet, it spawns in the warm months.
how to recognize it
identification
Small mullet with a round body and flattened head, greenish back and silvery flanks, almost without stripes. It has a golden spot on the gill cover, a dark spot at the base of the pectoral fin, and the second dorsal and anal fins covered in scales. Anal fin with 9 soft rays. Difference from the mullet: the mullet is larger, has 6 to 7 clear dark stripes and an anal fin with 8 rays.
distribution
open on the large map where found
The whole coast, from Amapá to Rio Grande do Sul, in estuaries, coastal lagoons and sheltered beaches.
Habitat: Mangrove edges, tidal channels, river mouths, sheltered beaches, marinas and piers.
coast
North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastal
states
Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Nov–May
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Present in estuaries all year. In the South and Southeast it bites best from late summer to autumn, when the year's young have grown; in winter it disappears from parts of the southern estuaries.
best time of day
Daytime. Active by day, with more bites early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
what affects the white mullet
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
Strong cold empties the shallow southern estuaries; on sunny days after the front it returns to the shore.
atmospheric pressure
Not very sensitive; stable weather makes it easier to keep the chum in place.
moon
Small effect; moon tides move more schools in the channels.
rain
Tolerates dirty water; heavy rain only bothers through the current and debris on the line.
water level
A high river pushes the schools toward the estuary mouth.
noise
The schools near the shore flee shade and noise; fish a bit farther away.
wind
Wind makes the light float hard to manage; look for calm backwaters.
tide
On the rising tide it enters the mangrove edge and the creeks to feed on mud; on the falling tide it leaves for the channels. At slack water it stops moving around, and chum holds the school better.
depth
Shallow: 0.3 to 2 m along the shore; up to 5 m in channels.
how to fish
- rod
- light rod or pole 1.8 to 2.7 m
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 1000 to 2500
- line
- monofilament 0.20 to 0.25 mm
- leader
- monofilament 0.20 mm, 40 cm
- hook
- short-shank hook no. 10 to 14
lures
- small fly imitating algae
natural baits
- bread dough
- bread crumb
- chopped shrimp
- small sardine fillet
accessories
- bread chum
- small float
- landing net or cast net (where allowed) for live bait
- aerated livebait tank
tip from an angler
For live bait, keep the parati in an aerated bucket and hook it through the back or lips, without touching the spine.
guide
surf and rocky shore rigs
Paternoster, 2-to-3-hook rig, pyramid sinker, feeder float for mullet and a rig for pompano, with practical measurements and the shock leader that prevents accidents.
guidebeach fishing for beginners
Where to cast the line, how to use the tide, which rod and rig are enough to start, sand baits, sea rules, and how to fish without risking the waves.
rules for the white mullet
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: Not on the national list of threatened species.
Minimum size: 20 cm
ESRJSPPRSCRSSoutheast CoastSouth Coast
Source: IN MMA nº 53/2005 (coast from ES to RS; total length)
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.
Scales come off easily: wet hands and immediate release.
in the kitchen
Fried whole, scaled and grilled over embers, or stewed. Very good smoked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01175, b = 2.95; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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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 — Mugil curema (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)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).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Mugil curema (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Mugil curema (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 21/12/2018)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Menezes, N. A.; Nirchio, M.; Oliveira, C.; Siccha-Ramirez, R. (2015). Taxonomic review of the species of Mugil (Teleostei: Perciformes: Mugilidae) from the Atlantic South Caribbean and South America, with integration of morphological, cytogenetic and molecular data. Zootaxa 3918(1): 1–38.
- scientific Carpenter, K. E. (org.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 2: Bony fishes part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Roma: FAO.Chapter Mugilidae (Harrison, I. J.).
similar species
how we calculate
where 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: