Freshwater

Jaú (gilded catfish of the rapids)

Jaú (bagre sapo, manguruyú)

Zungaro zungaro

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

20–80 lb.

Depth

15–60 ft.

Best time

Late afternoon and night.

Found in

3 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Huge, heavy catfish with a very broad, flat, toad-like head, small eyes, short whiskers and a thick body, mottled brown to dark olive with a paler belly.
Typical size: 20–80 lb.
Maximum size: About 5 ft and well over 100 lb.
Diet: Fish.
Behavior: An ambush hunter that hides in deep holes and among rocks below rapids and waterfalls.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Amazon & Pantanal, Bolivia & Peru Lakes & Rivers and Venezuela & Colombia Rivers. Deep holes, rocky rapids and main channels of big rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. A close relative, the manguruyú (Zungaro jahu), lives in the Paraná–Paraguay basin.
Habitat: Deep holes, rocky rapids and main channels of big rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. A close relative, the manguruyú (Zungaro jahu), lives in the Paraná–Paraguay basin.
Depth: 15–60 ft.
Fishing depth: On the bottom in deep holes below rapids.
Best season: Dry season.
Best time: Late afternoon and night.
Best tides: No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.
Best weather / conditions: Stable low water.

What to tie on and what to throw.

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

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Hooks Sinkers Gloves

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Deep holes, rocky rapids and main channels of big rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. A close relative, the manguruyú (Zungaro jahu), lives in the Paraná–Paraguay basin.
Rig up: Very heavy rod and reel (80 lb class or more). 200 lb mono or cable.
Pick your bait: Whole live or dead fish. Lures: Rarely.
Fish it: Drop a big bait into the deepest hole below a rapid and hold on — the first run goes straight for the rocks.
Time it: Late afternoon and night. No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.

Fishing techniques: Drop a big bait into the deepest hole below a rapid and hold on — the first run goes straight for the rocks.
BigJoe's tip: Use heavy drag from the start — if it reaches the rocks, it's gone.
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: Edible but not prized — strong or bony; many anglers release it.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Fatty meat; some river people eat it, but many avoid it. Most anglers release it.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Very heavy and powerful; the thick pectoral spines can cut deep.
Regulations: Minimum sizes and closed seasons apply; in Argentina, the related manguruyú has special protections in some provinces. 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: Big old fish are slow to replace; release the giants.

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Sources & photo credits