Species › South & Central America › Tambaqui

Freshwater

Tambaqui

Colossoma macropomum · pacu, black pacu, gamitana

Water temp
79–90°F
Peak season
Dec–Apr
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
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Tambaqui (Piaractus sp, Zoo Leipzig 01.jpg)

Photo: Tino Strauss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Tambaqui are the largest scaled fish of the Amazon basin, a tall, dark, laterally compressed serrasalmid with a small eye, a long adipose fin and molar-like teeth built for cracking the nuts and seeds that fall into flooded forest, native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia. During the high-water season they move into the igapó (flooded forest) to gorge on fruit, which is when anglers fish for them with fruit baits, seeds and even fruit-imitating flies dropped under overhanging trees. Heavily farmed and a staple of Amazonian markets, wild fish are strong, deep-bodied fighters that pull like a carp on steroids.

Typical size8–25 lb (3.6–11 kg); 20–32 in
Trophy50 lb+ (23 kg); 60 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareExcellent — rich, fatty ribs are an Amazonian delicacy

Where & when

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Tambaqui feed hardest when rivers flood the forest, roughly December to May in the central Amazon, as fruit and seeds fall into the water; they drop back into channels and lakes in the dry season.

Rio Negro and Anavilhanas archipelago, BrazilFlooded forest and lagoons near ManausMamirauá Reserve, Rio Solimões, BrazilVast várzea floodplain reserve; large wild tambaquiLago Agua Linda, Rio Beni, BoliviaBolivian Amazon lakes and rivers with gamitana

How to catch

Fruit and seed baits under treesIn the flooded forest, anchor beneath fruiting trees and fish a piece of fruit, a palm nut or a ball of dough on a strong 2/0–4/0 hook with little or no weight, letting it sink slowly as a falling fruit would. Tambaqui home in on the splash; strike at a steady pull.
Fruit-imitation fliesCast a heavy, round 'berry' or seed fly with a 7–9 wt rod so it lands with an audible plop near feeding fish beneath overhanging branches, then let it sink. The take is a slow, heavy suck; set hard and keep the fish away from submerged roots.

Gear

Rod7' medium-heavy spin or baitcast; 8–9 wt fly rod
Reel4000 spinning or 8–9 wt fly reel with strong drag
Line30–50 lb braid; 40 lb fluorocarbon leader

Lures

fruit and seed imitation fliesdough and pellet imitationssmall sinking crankbaits (rarely)

Baits

fruit (figs, guava, jauari palm nuts)seeds and nutsdough ballscorn

Regulations

Brazil requires a federal sport fishing license and enforces an annual closed season (piracema) with minimum sizes and transport limits for tambaqui, while Peru, Colombia and Bolivia apply national and protected-area rules. Reserves such as Mamirauá restrict fishing to community-managed programs.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

Is tambaqui the same as pacu?

Tambaqui is the largest species of pacu. 'Pacu' covers several fruit- and seed-eating relatives of the piranha in the family Serrasalmidae, and Colossoma macropomum, the black pacu or tambaqui, is the biggest and most important, reaching over 60 lb in the wild. Smaller pacu species are the ones usually sold in the aquarium trade and occasionally caught in US ponds after being released.

Bite forecast — Tambaqui

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Tambaqui.

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