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
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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 surubim-amazônico
how to recognize it
Long, flat head, dark grey back with narrow straight dark vertical bars separated by thin white bands, and dark spots on the lower flank. White belly. The caparari has stripes that curve and form loops. The pintado of the Pantanal and Paraná has only spots, no bars. The cachara is typical of the Pantanal and Paraná.
Also called: surubim, pintado (Araguaia-Tocantins)
don't confuse with:
where found
open on the large mapWhere to look: Shorelines with grass, beaches, lake and igarapé mouths at night; channels and pools by day.
Amazon main channel and tributaries, and the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers, where it is called pintado or sorubim.
native to the basins
states
Amazonas, Pará, Acre, Rondônia, Roraima, Amapá, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Goiás, Maranhão
when to fish
best season
Falling water and dry season, July to October. On the Araguaia, June to October.
best time of day
Night and twilight. Hunts from dusk until dawn; sunset is usually the best time along the shoreline.
what affects the surubim-amazônico
cold and cold fronts
A cold snap (friagem) reduces night hunting.
atmospheric pressure
A pressure drop before rain tends to trigger it.
moon
New moon and dark nights are better along the shoreline.
rain
Little effect.
water level
A falling river concentrates the sorubim at lake mouths and beaches.
noise
Moderate; avoid strong light on the water.
wind
Little effect.
depth
Shallow at night, deep by day.
how to fish
lures
- long-skirted mid-water lure at night
- shad with jig head on the bottom
natural baits
- live tuvira or sarapó
- curimatã or piau cut bait
- minhocuçu
tip from an angler
Live bait on a beach shoreline at dusk is the classic. Give the sorubim time to swallow it before reeling in.
- rod
- 6'0'' to 7'0'', medium-heavy, 20 to 40 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- baitcasting reel 200 to 300 or 5000 spinning reel
- line
- braided line 40 to 50 lb
- leader
- monofilament or fluorocarbon 60 to 80 lb
- hook
- circle hook 6/0 to 8/0; sinker 30 to 80 g
accessories
- alicate
- luvas
- red-light lantern
catch and release
Watch out for the spines. Hold it by the mouth with a glove and support the body; release it at the shore, facing into the current.
rules for the surubim-amazônico
Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Sorubim closed season in Amazonas
fishing, landing, storage, transport and sale banned15/11 to 15/03AM details
In Amazonas the sorubim has a spawning closed season from Nov 15 to Mar 15. The rule uses the old name Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum. Riverine residents may take up to 5 kg a day for subsistence.
Source: Resolução CEMAAM nº 18/2014 (AM)
Closed season in the Madeira (RO)
fishing banned15/11 to 15/03RO details
In the Madeira River basin in Rondônia, the sorubim is on the list of species with fishing banned from Nov 15 to Mar 15.
Minimum size of 80 cm in Amazonas
80 cmAMconfirm with the agency details
Ipaam enforces a minimum size of 80 cm for the sorubim. Confirm the rule with the state agency (Ipaam).
Size window in Tocantins
60 cm (maximum 90 cm)TO details
In Tocantins the pintado/sorubim may only be kept between 60 and 90 cm.
Source: Portaria NATURATINS/GABIN nº 47/2026 (annexes amended by Portaria nº 105/2026)
Zero transport in Mato Grosso
catch and release mandatory; transport, storage and sale bannedMT details
Until Dec 31, 2028, sorubim (the whole genus Pseudoplatystoma) caught in rivers of Mato Grosso may not be transported, stored or sold. Recreational anglers may only practice catch and release.
Source: Lei estadual nº 12.434/2024 (MT), arts. 19-B and 19-C of Lei 9.096/2009
other rules that mention the surubim-amazônico (7)
Amazon basin closed season in Rondônia
15/11 to 15/03RO details
On the Madeira River, the closed season protects pescada, surubim, caparari, pirapitinga and jatuarana. In the Guaporé-Mamoré sub-basin it applies to all species, except those listed in the rule.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Caparari and surubim in Amazonas
15/11 to 15/03AMconfirm with the agency details
State closed season for caparari and surubim in Amazonas, published by Ipaam.
Source: Resolução Cemaam nº 21/2015 (confirmed only by press reports)
Mato Grosso: Zero Transport for 12 species
MT details
Transport, storage and sale are fully prohibited for 5 years from Jan 1, 2024 for: cachara, caparari, dorado, jaú, matrinchã (Brycon spp.), pintado/surubim (Pseudoplatystoma spp.), piraíba, piraputanga, pirarara, arapaima (pirarucu), trairão and peacock bass (tucunaré, Cichla spp.). For recreational anglers: catch and release only. These 12 species may not even be eaten on site, since the 2 kg or 1 fish limit excludes the art. 19-B list. The law cites jaú as Zungaro zungaro; we also include the Pantanal jaú (Z. jahu) out of caution. The list may still change: § 2 (exotic and predatory species), § 3 (review through study) and the 3-year assessment planned for 2027. A TJMT news report of Jun 2, 2026 confirms the 12 prohibited species. The STF denied a preliminary injunction in the ADIs against the law in 2024; we found no merits ruling.
Minimum size: 80 cm
MT details
Minimum size: 60 cm (max. 90 cm)
TO details
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 47/2026, Annex I, as amended by Portaria nº 105/2026
Minimum size: 80 cm
GOTOPAMAMT details
Source: INIs MPA/MMA nº 12/2011 (Araguaia) and 13/2011 (Tocantins), minimum size annexes
Minimum size: 80 cm
Amazon details
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.
Closed season in Goiás (state rule)
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.
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.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Araguaia River basin
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.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Tocantins and Gurupi river basins
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Tocantins (state rule)
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
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 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 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 = 0.00589, b = 3.1; FishBase (estimado pela forma do corpo da família)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
more about the surubim-amazônico
The Amazon sorubim is the most common sorubim in the Amazon and Araguaia-Tocantins. For a long time it was called Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, a name now applied only to fish from the Guianas. It has a long, flat head and a striped body with narrow dark bars alternating with pale bands. It hunts at night along shorelines, beaches, lake mouths and channels, eating fish such as curimatãs, piaus and sarapós. It migrates to spawn at the start of high water. It is one of the most valued leather catfish on the market and a frequent target of sport fishing, with natural bait on the bottom and mid-water lures at night.
Family: Pimelodidae · predator
fun facts
- The 2007 revision split the Amazonian sorubims into several species; the Amazon "fasciatum" became punctifer.
- At night it comes to hunt in water less than half a meter deep on beach shorelines.
in the kitchen
White, firm, boneless flesh: fried steaks, moqueca, stew, grilled over coals.
similar species
sources and references (5)
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 — Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (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 Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2024. DOI verified on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 21/12/2020)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Buitrago-Suárez, U. A.; Burr, B. M. (2007). Taxonomy of the catfish genus Pseudoplatystoma Bleeker (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) with recognition of eight species. Zootaxa 1512: 1–38.Includes P. corruscans, P. reticulatum, P. tigrinum and P. punctifer, among others.
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: