FISHING AT THE BOQUEIRÃO DAM IN PARAÍBA
Many anglers who are fans of tucunarés have probably heard of the existence of large pinima tucunarés in the northeast of Brazil.
In fact, the Northeast is home to the largest pinima in Brazil, as the record-breaking pinima tucunaré was also caught in the Northeast, more precisely at the Castanhão reservoir in Ceará, weighing almost 12 kilos.
The Boqueirão reservoir, located in Paraíba, has also been standing out as a dam with enormous potential for catching large pinima, as specimens of this species weighing more than 11 lbs have already been caught.
The good news is that the Epitácio Pessoa Dam, better known as the Boqueirão Dam, is not so far from the capital Recife, making it possible for those staying in the region to enjoy incredible fishing for pinnipeds.
A curious fact is that the Boqueirão reservoir is also one of the reservoirs that benefited from the transposition of the São Francisco River, whose waters reach the reservoir via the bed of the Paraíba River.
Where the Barragem de Boqueirão is Located
Located in the rural area of the municipality of Boqueirão, Paraíba, the Epitácio Pessoa dam is an average distance of 205 km from the city of Recife, therefore, approximately 2 and a half hours of travel towards the backlands of Paraíba, passing through the Pernambuco hinterland, such as the city of Caruaru.
It is a viable option for fishing for peacock bass for those staying near Recife, Caruaru and even João Pessoa or Campina Grande. It is worth mentioning that the Boqueirão dam is also 50 km from Campina Grande, Paraíba.
Location link: https://goo.gl/maps/iQPEcq2VhC4sBSPYA
Fishing in a rural setting
The Boqueirão Dam is located in a completely rural setting, with some farms and ranches along its banks.
The area around the dam is composed of scattered trees, shrubs, low-lying vegetation, with fruit trees and water-loving trees.
The amount of typical backlands vegetation, such as cacti, also draws our attention. In addition, the dam has a number of small islands, large rocks and boulders around it, making the landscape even more beautiful.
It is a very pleasant environment that transmits tranquility during fishing, with very clean water and the presence of animals all around it.
Its landscape is full of submerged structures and branches that can be seen by all those who seek the best spots to catch pinima and yellow peacock bass.
The dam also offers infrastructure to serve those who want to venture into its waters, with some restaurants and farm hotels near its banks that offer delicious home-cooked food. We recommend trying the boneless trahira or grilled tilapia for lunch during a break from fishing.
Fish Species and Sizes
In this fishery, the main focus is indeed on the Tucunarés Pinimas, whose average size varies between 1.5 and 2.5 kilos, and can exceed the 3 kilo mark and 60 cm in length. It is known that specimens weighing more than 5 kilos have been caught in this dam.
The presence of Pinima Tucunarés in this dam is still recent, having been introduced approximately 5 years ago, so the place points to great future potential for catching large Pinimas in the region.
In addition to the pinimas, it is also possible to capture the yellow peacock bass (Cichla ocellaris), with average sizes between 800 grams and 1.8 kilos, with the possibility of capturing specimens weighing more than 2 kilos and measuring approximately 45 cm in length.
Fishing at the Boqueirão Dam
The dam also has other species of fish such as traíras, tilapias, tambaquis and freshwater croakers.
To do this fishing trip, we always take the boat and trailer hooked up to the car from Recife, accessing the dam through a private property with prior authorization from the owners. Therefore, the fishing is done 100% on board, without the possibility of wading.
The pinniped tucunarés are located with the guidance of the guide and the positioning of the boat in strategic places, so that the casts are directed at structures such as branches, rocky outcrops, vegetation, weeds, drop offs and other types of structure.
It's a very insistent fishery, with several consecutive casts around various points of the reservoir with the aid of a remote-controlled electric motor to position the boat at strategic points.
Seasonality of Fishing at the Dam
To ensure the best results, we recommend that you go fishing during the summer and warmer months, when there is less rainfall. The most suitable months for a good result in these destinations are September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April and May.
Fishing Equipment Used
Fly Fishing:
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Rods numbered between #7 and 8#, 8' to 9' long;
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Floating or intermediate lines;
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Fluorocarbon leaders of 40 and 50 pounds, which can be one-piece (without knots);
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Small flies such as streamers and clousers, as well as poppers and divers.
Baitcasting or spinning equipment (reel or spinning reels):
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Rods between 5' and 6' long of 17 to 20 lbs;
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Low profile reels with multifilament line;
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Reels between 2000 and 3000 with multifilament line;
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Multifilament lines between 20 and 25 lbs;
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40-pound fluorocarbon leader;
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Artificial lures no longer than 12 cm;
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Mid-water lures (brava, inna, curisco), poppers (vulcan, dojô) and sticks;
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Rubber frogs, shads, salamanders and other types of soft bait for rays.