Skip to content
fishing forecast

guyanan croaker

Pachypops fourcroi · Sciaenidae · predator

Freshwateressential profile

A freshwater croaker of the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the rivers of the Guianas. It is an important food fish and sometimes turns up on the line.

Also called: pescada-cabeça-dura, corvina, pescada, curbinata, Guyanan croaker

Scientific illustration of Guyanan croaker
maximum
25 cm
location

Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.

period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the guyanan croaker

overview

who is the guyanan croaker

A fish of the family Sciaenidae, the croakers, freshwater. Reaches 25 cm. It occurs in the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the rivers of the Guianas, with records also in Argentina and Uruguay. It lives from the bottom to midwater, mostly in streams, where it can be found well above large waterfalls, and also in estuaries. It feeds on fish and may form small schools. It is an important food fish, used in commercial fishing and aquaculture.

Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the guyanan croaker; in the meantime, see the similar species.

fun facts

  • It may form small schools and is found even above large waterfalls.
how to recognize it

identification

A freshwater croaker, with an elongated, sturdy body, typical of the family Sciaenidae. It lives mostly in streams and above large waterfalls, while the pescada-preta, which occurs in the same basins, is more common in estuaries. The pescada-do-piauí also lives in the Amazon, so the stretch of river where the fish was caught is the main clue.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the rivers of the Guianas, with records also in Argentina and Uruguay. In Brazil it also occurs in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin.

Habitat: Streams and rivers, including stretches above large waterfalls, and also estuaries.

native to the basins

AmazonTocantins-Araguaia
what the law says

rules for the guyanan croaker

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 Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.

piracema closures in the basins where the species lives

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 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

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.

It is not dangerous to anglers, but it has spines on the dorsal fin: hold it by the body, with a wet hand, and return the fish to the water right after capture.

in the kitchen

It is an important food fish, used in commercial fishing and aquaculture.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00575, b = 3.13; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

—

sources and references

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: Pachypops fourcroi (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 Pachypops fourcroiNames 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.
don't confuse

similar species