Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum
The cachara is one of Brazil's most-targeted large catfish, native to the Amazon and Paraná basins. Anglers pursue it for its size — rod-and-reel fish regularly top 10 kg — and its willingness to eat large lures and live bait.
It anchors the freshwater sport fishery in central and western Brazil, and its hybrid with the pintado (cachapinta) is widely raised in pay-lakes along rivers like the Mogi-Guaçu.
Scientific Name: Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum
Also known as cachara, barred sorubim, cachapinta (hybrid form)
- Long, flattened head with a wide, shovel-like snout and very long barbels — classic large pimelodid catfish shape.
- Body pattern is a network of dark bars and reticulations on a pale grey or yellowish background, distinguishing it from the spotted pintado (P. corruscans).
- Typical sport-caught fish run 60–90 cm; rod-and-reel record from Rio Camaiú, Brazil is 12.5 kg (27 lb 9 oz) at over 100 cm.
- Maximum size approaches 120 cm and roughly 20 kg by non-rod methods — a large, heavy-bodied fish in hand.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to Brazil; found in both the Amazon basin and the Río de la Plata basin, including the Paraná River system.
- Occupies large, warm lowland rivers and their connected floodplain lakes, backwaters, and channels.
- Also present in the Mogi-Guaçu River corridor and surrounding pay-lake fisheries in São Paulo state, partly through stocking of hybrids.
- Non-native hybrids (cachara × Leiarius marmoratus) have been recorded in the Upper Paraná basin, likely escaping from sport-fishing tanks.
Key Locations
- Rio Camaiú — site of the Brazilian rod-and-reel record catch; a known cachara fishery.
- Mogi-Guaçu River (São Paulo state) — active sport-fishing corridor with both wild fish and pay-lake operations targeting cachara and cachapinta hybrids.
- Paraná River mainstem and its major tributaries in Mato Grosso do Sul — core native range with large wild fish.
- Amazon basin tributaries in Mato Grosso and Pará — part of the species' native range where large fish are still encountered.
Specific Spots
- Deep river channels and scour holes adjacent to sandbars — cachara hold in depth during the day and move shallower to feed at night.
- Submerged timber, root tangles, and undercut banks give them cover to wait for prey moving through current seams.
- Confluences where tributaries meet main-stem rivers concentrate baitfish and draw cachara to feed at the mixing zone.
- Floodplain lakes connected to the main river during high water; fish push into these to feed and retreat to the channel as water drops.
Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum?
Live or cut fish bait is the most consistent producer, rigged on a large circle hook and fished on the bottom near structure or in the current seam. Large swimbaits and soft-plastic paddle-tails (15–25 cm) in silver, white, or natural baitfish colors work well at night when cachara are actively hunting.
When is the best time to fish for Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum?
Dry season (roughly May–September) concentrates fish in main channels and deep holes as floodplain lakes recede, generally the most consistent time to target them. Early wet season (October–December) sees fish dispersing into flooded margins and floodplain lakes to feed heavily before and during spawning.
How do you catch Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum?
Most anglers fish from anchored or drifting boats at night, presenting live or cut fish bait on the bottom near channel edges, submerged timber, or river confluences. Daytime fishing with heavy jigs or large swimbaits worked slowly through deep holes also produces fish, particularly during the cooler dry-season months.
What do Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum eat?
Primarily fish-eaters, they hunt smaller fish including characins (tetras, piranhas, curimatã) and other baitfish. Large swimbaits, live fish rigs, and cut bait all work because they match this forage directly. Will also take crustaceans and whatever moves through their territory at night.
Where do Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum live?
Native to Brazil; found in both the Amazon basin and the Río de la Plata basin, including the Paraná River system. Occupies large, warm lowland rivers and their connected floodplain lakes, backwaters, and channels.
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