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Roberto do Carmo, 53-Year-Old Fisherman, Fought for 45 Minutes to Catch a 2.5-Meter Amazonian Pirarucu from the Marinheiro River in Cardoso, SP, an Invasive Species That Yielded Over 100 Kilograms of Fillet Sold at Forty Reais per Kilo, Setting a New Personal Record Captured in Images.
On November 28, fisherman Roberto do Carmo, 53, hooked a pirarucu measuring 2.5 meters and weighing 160 kilograms in the Marinheiro River in Cardoso, São Paulo’s interior, a tributary of the Rio Grande that separates the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The feat occurred at one of the favorite spots of professional fishermen in the region.
The catch yielded over 100 kilograms of fillet, and the images circulated on social media, showcasing the Amazonian fish considered an invasive species in the region. The incident reinforced Roberto’s reputation, who has been living off fishing for decades and has specialized in catching this freshwater giant.
Giant Fish in River Dividing São Paulo and Minas
Roberto do Carmo has been fishing for 30 years and was on the Marinheiro River in Cardoso when he felt a weight much heavier than normal at the end of the line.
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The tributary flows into the Rio Grande, a watercourse that separates São Paulo from Minas Gerais and has been increasingly reporting the presence of large Amazonian fish.
When he pulled the fish out of the water, he needed help from colleagues to lift the animal into the boat. “Look at the size of this fish, its mouth alone is over a foot wide,” he commented, amazed by the wide-open head of the pirarucu, which measures 2.5 meters from snout to tail and dominates the scene in the photos taken by the riverbank.
Amazonian Species Becomes Invasive and Threatens Native Fish
The pirarucu is a typical fish of the Amazon and is among the largest freshwater fish in Brazil and the world. However, in the Rio Grande region, it is classified as an invasive species.
It is considered a fish that poses a risk to native aquatic fauna, and therefore, its fishing is allowed, without the same restrictions applied to other species.
Professional fisherman Roberto says he caught his first pirarucus six years ago, and since then, he has removed over 100 of these fish from the waters separating São Paulo and Minas.
The previous record for the region was also his, with a specimen weighing 115 kilograms, now surpassed by the 160-kilogram fish caught at the end of November.
45-Minute Struggle with Thin Line and Small Boat
On the day of the record capture, Roberto cast his line into an eddy near the Cardoso bridge, close to the confluence of the Marinheiro River with the Rio Grande.
He was using two rods, and the pirarucu ended up hooking onto the setup that had the thinner line, which increased the risk of breaking.
Fearing that the gear wouldn’t withstand the weight, the fisherman decided to tire the fish out before trying to get it closer.
It was a 45-minute continuous struggle, during which the pirarucu exhausted the fisherman and tested the limit of the line, until the animal began to lose strength. When he finally managed to see the size of the fish, Roberto realized it wouldn’t fit in the boat.
The solution was to tow the fish to the shore, where the group was able to secure the animal more safely.
A larger boat was needed to transport the huge fish, which practically took up all the available space on board, emphasizing the extraordinary size of that specimen caught in inland São Paulo.
King of the Pirarucu Gains Even More Fame on the Internet
Roberto runs a YouTube channel where he presents himself as the “King of the Pirarucu” and captures fishing trips in the Rio Grande and its tributaries.
Images of the new trophy were posted on the channel and later shared on other social media, expanding the reach of the story of the giant fish caught in Cardoso.
In the photos, the fisherman appears next to the pirarucu, seeming small next to the stretched-out animal.
The large reddish scales catch attention and reinforce the “monster fish” aspect, very different from the more common species seen by fishermen in the region.
The pirarucu is among the largest freshwater fish in Brazil and the world. In the Amazon itself, records of specimens measuring 3 meters in length and weighing 200 kilograms are considered very rare, making the fish caught by Roberto large even by the standards of the region where the species originates.
Family Lives from Fishing and Turns Giant into Income
The fisherman from São Paulo and his family live from professional fishing, so the big pirarucu did not remain just in memory and photos.
After weighing, the fish was cleaned and turned into over 100 kilograms of fillet, a quantity sufficient to supply several regular customers in the Cardoso area.
Roberto says he sold the fillet at 40 reais per kilo, a price he considers reasonable for the local market. “I sold it for 40 reais a kilo, a good price here for the region, so everyone could buy,” says the fisherman, pleased to see the result of the catch turn into income and food for residents and merchants.
And you, would you dare to fish or eat a pirarucu of this size if it appeared in the river where you usually fish or stroll?
Parabéns Roberto Pirarucu . Vc mereceu pelo seu esforço e dedicação. Espero que tenha mais sorte e aumente e aumente o seu recorde.