Freshwater

Barred sorubim (cachara)

Cachara (surubí atigrado)

Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

5–20 lb.

Depth

6–40 ft.

Best time

Dusk and night.

Found in

5 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Long tiger catfish with a flat shovel head and long whiskers; the gray sides are marked with dark wavy bars and loops (not round spots like the pintado).
Typical size: 5–20 lb.
Maximum size: Over 3 ft and well over 30 lb.
Diet: Fish, shrimp and crabs.
Behavior: Hunts at night along the river bottom and in lagoon mouths; rests in deep holes by day.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Amazon & Pantanal, Paraná & Uruguay Rivers, Paraguay, Argentina & Uruguay Lakes, Bolivia & Peru Lakes & Rivers and Brazil Lakes & Rivers. Rivers and lagoons of the Pantanal, the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, and the Amazon basin in Brazil and Bolivia.
Habitat: Rivers and lagoons of the Pantanal, the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, and the Amazon basin in Brazil and Bolivia.
Depth: 6–40 ft.
Fishing depth: On the bottom in 6–30 ft.
Best season: Dry season; Brazil's piracema closure (about November to February) protects spawning fish.
Best time: Dusk and night.
Best tides: No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.
Best weather / conditions: Stable, falling water.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Rivers and lagoons of the Pantanal, the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, and the Amazon basin in Brazil and Bolivia.
Rig up: 7 ft medium-heavy to heavy baitcasting rod. 80–100 lb mono or wire.
Pick your bait: Live tuvira (knifefish), small fish and crabs. Lures: Sometimes deep crankbaits and jigs near the bottom.
Fish it: Anchor near deep bends and lagoon mouths at dusk and fish live bait on the bottom.
Time it: Dusk and night. No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.

Fishing techniques: Anchor near deep bends and lagoon mouths at dusk and fish live bait on the bottom.
BigJoe's tip: Fish the mouths of lagoons as the water drains out — cachara wait there for bait.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Firm, white, nearly boneless meat; prized fried, grilled or in fish stew (moqueca).

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp pectoral spines — grip it carefully behind the head.
Regulations: Brazilian states (such as Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul) set minimum and maximum sizes and closed seasons; check before you keep one. Every country requires a fishing license (in Brazil, the Licença de Pesca Amadora), each Argentine province and Brazilian state adds its own rules, and most rivers close during the spawning season. Indigenous lands and strict reserves are closed to outside anglers without permits.
Conservation: Heavily fished for markets; follow size limits.

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Sources & photo credits