Fish

Gurijuba sea catfish

Gurijuba (bagre de estuario)

Sciades parkeri

SaltwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

10–40 lb.

Depth

15–70 ft.

Best time

Moving tides, day or night.

Found in

3 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Big sea catfish with a yellowish-gray to brown body, a bony shield on top of the head, a strong spine in the dorsal and pectoral fins, and three pairs of whiskers.
Typical size: 10–40 lb.
Maximum size: Over 6 ft and about 110 lb.
Diet: Fish, shrimp and crabs.
Behavior: Lives on muddy bottoms in murky estuary water; feeds by smell.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Amazon Mouth (Belém, Marajó & Amapá), The Guianas and North & Northeast Brazil. Muddy coastal waters, estuaries and lower rivers from Guyana to the mouth of the Amazon.
Habitat: Muddy coastal waters, estuaries and lower rivers from Guyana to the mouth of the Amazon.
Depth: 15–70 ft.
Fishing depth: On the bottom in 15–50 ft.
Best season: All year.
Best time: Moving tides, day or night.
Best tides: Moving tide; the Amazon estuary has very strong currents.
Best weather / conditions: Calm days; the estuary gets rough fast.

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: Muddy coastal waters, estuaries and lower rivers from Guyana to the mouth of the Amazon.
Rig up: Heavy conventional rod and reel. 100 lb mono.
Pick your bait: Cut fish, shrimp and crab. Lures: Rarely.
Fish it: Anchor up-current of a channel edge and fish heavy cut bait on the bottom.
Time it: Moving tides, day or night. Moving tide; the Amazon estuary has very strong currents.

Fishing techniques: Anchor up-current of a channel edge and fish heavy cut bait on the bottom.
BigJoe's tip: Use heavy weights: the estuary current is strong and the water is very muddy.
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: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Firm white meat, popular in Pará; good in stews and fried.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Venomous, serrated dorsal and pectoral spines cause painful wounds — use gloves and pliers.
Regulations: Listed as vulnerable (IUCN); Brazil sets rules for its fishery — check local rules and release big fish. 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: Overfished for its meat and its valuable swim bladder; listed as vulnerable.

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Sources & photo credits