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Fishing in Peru

55 species across 68 spots

Peru offers fishing across 68 spots with 55 species in freshwater, marine, freshwater, brackish waters. Suitable for beginner to expert anglers.

Best months: November-february, May-september, March-may, May-october

Top Spots

Madre de Dios River5 species

The upper stretches near Puerto Maldonado host diverse Corydoras, with Two-tone Cory thriving among leaf litter and submerged roots.

Madre de Dios River (Puerto Maldonado)3 species

Warm, slow‑moving tributaries in the Amazonian lowlands host abundant Characidium populations; easy access from the town.

Upper Amazon near Iquitos2 species

Upper Amazon floodplain channels around Iquitos host dense schools of Cyphocharax spilotus during the rainy peak.

55

Species

68

Spots

Species

55

Laimosemion leticia

Laimosemion leticia

Very Common

freshwater

Amazonian Floodplain near IquitosRío Madre de DiosLake Tarapoto
Characidium bimaculatum

Characidium bimaculatum

Characidium bimaculatum

Very Common

freshwater

Rio Madre de Dios (Upper)
Triportheus rotundatus

Triportheus rotundatus

Triportheus rotundatus

Very Common

freshwater

Upper Amazon (Rio Solimões)
Characidium marshi

Characidium marshi

Characidium marshi

Very Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River, Puerto MaldonadoUcayali River, Loreto
Emerald cichlid

Emerald cichlid

Hypselecara temporalis

Very Common

freshwater

Amazon River (Iquitos Region)
Cyphocharax spilotus

Cyphocharax spilotus

Cyphocharax spilotus

Very Common

freshwater

Upper Amazon near Iquitos
Characidium boehlkei

Characidium boehlkei

Characidium boehlkei

Very Common

freshwater

Ucayali River, Peru
Characidium duplicatum

Characidium duplicatum

Characidium duplicatum

Very Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River (Puerto Maldonado)
Cyphocharax ivo

Cyphocharax ivo

Cyphocharax ivo

Very Common

freshwater

Ucayali River – Near Pucallpa
Eastern Pacific bonito

Eastern Pacific bonito

Sarda chiliensis

Common

marine

Lobos de Afuera Islands
Two-tone cory

Two-tone cory

Corydoras bicolor

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios RiverTambopata River
Astroblepus floridaensis

Astroblepus floridaensis

Astroblepus floridaensis

Common

freshwater

Río Ucayali Upper ReachRío Amazonas (Iquitos tributary)
Carruco sargo

Carruco sargo

Genyatremus pacifici

Common

marine

MáncoraPunta Sal
Neon tetra

Neon tetra

Paracheirodon innesi

Common

freshwater

Tambopata River (Puerto Maldonado)
Pyrrhulina obermulleri

Pyrrhulina obermulleri

Pyrrhulina obermulleri

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios Basin, Upper AmazonLake Yavari (Amazonas–Loreto border)
Curimata ocellata

Curimata ocellata

Curimata ocellata

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River – Puerto MaldonadoUpper Amazon River - Iquitos Region
Hemiancistrus subviridis

Hemiancistrus subviridis

Hemiancistrus subviridis

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios RiverUpper Ucayali RiverAmazon River (Iquitos region)
Hoedeman's Hypopygus

Hoedeman's Hypopygus

Hypopygus hoedemani

Common

freshwater

Marañón RiverUpper Amazon (Iquitos)
Sturisoma tenuirostre

Sturisoma tenuirostre

Sturisoma tenuirostre

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River (Near Puerto Maldonado)Ucayali River (Upper Section)
Giant blenny

Giant blenny

Scartichthys gigas

Common

marine

Punta Hermosa Surf Zone
Franciscodoras marmoratus

Franciscodoras marmoratus

Franciscodoras marmoratus

Common

freshwater

Upper Amazon near Iquitos
Crenicichla labrina

Crenicichla labrina

Crenicichla labrina

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River, PeruUpper Amazon near Iquitos, Peru
Characidium phoxocephalum

Characidium phoxocephalum

Characidium phoxocephalum

Common

freshwater

Manu National Park – Upper Madre StreamsRio Madre de Dios
Dorado

Dorado

Salminus brasiliensis

Common

freshwater

Amazon River (Iquitos)Lake Titicaca Tributaries
Hyphessobrycon ericae

Hyphessobrycon ericae

Hyphessobrycon ericae

Common

freshwater

Iquitos Floodplain (Amazon)Marañón River
Rineloricaria eigenmanni

Rineloricaria eigenmanni

Rineloricaria eigenmanni

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios RiverUcayali River
Characidium stigmosum

Characidium stigmosum

Characidium stigmosum

Common

freshwater

Rio Ucayali (near Pucallpa)Rio Madre de Dios (headwaters)
Acestrorhynchus falcirostris

Acestrorhynchus falcirostris

Acestrorhynchus falcirostris

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River (Puerto Maldonado)
Cyphocharax aspilos

Cyphocharax aspilos

Cyphocharax aspilos

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River
Trigonectes rogoaguae

Trigonectes rogoaguae

Trigonectes rogoaguae

Common

freshwater

Lake Titicaca (Northern Basin)Upper Amazon Tributary near Iquitos
Curimata aspera

Curimata aspera

Curimata aspera

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River
Creagrutus melasma

Creagrutus melasma

Creagrutus melasma

Common

freshwater

Upper Amazon River near Iquitos
Characidium itarare

Characidium itarare

Characidium itarare

Common

freshwater

Ucayali RiverRío Madre de Dios

Priocharax phasma

Priocharax phasma

Common

freshwater

Tambopata River – Puerto MaldonadoAmazon River – Nanay Tributary (Iquitos)
Astroblepus stuebeli

Astroblepus stuebeli

Astroblepus stuebeli

Common

freshwater

Cordillera Blanca – Laguna 69 outletUpper Marañón RiverLake Titicaca inlet – Puno side
Cyphocharax naegelii

Cyphocharax naegelii

Cyphocharax naegelii

Common

freshwater

Madre de Dios River, near Puerto MaldonadoUpper Amazon Tributary, Loreto Region
Pirambeba

Pirambeba

Serrasalmus humeralis

Occasional

freshwater, brackish

Madre de Dios River (Puerto Maldonado)
Adontosternarchus balaenops

Adontosternarchus balaenops

Adontosternarchus balaenops

Occasional

freshwater

Upper Amazon River (near Iquitos)
Characidium pellucidum

Characidium pellucidum

Characidium pellucidum

Occasional

freshwater

Rio Ucayali (Upper Amazon)
Cyphocharax plumbeus

Cyphocharax plumbeus

Cyphocharax plumbeus

Occasional

freshwater

Marañón River, Cajamarca region
Megaleporinus brinco

Megaleporinus brinco

Megaleporinus brinco

Occasional

freshwater

Madre de Dios River (Near Puerto Maldonado)
Characidium roesseli

Characidium roesseli

Characidium roesseli

Occasional

freshwater

Marañón River (Upper Amazon)
Acestridium martini

Acestridium martini

Acestridium martini

Occasional

freshwater

Upper Ucayali River
Characidium travassosi

Characidium travassosi

Characidium travassosi

Occasional

freshwater

Rio Madre de Dios
Panama croaker

Panama croaker

Ophioscion panamensis

Occasional

marine, brackish

Piura Coast, Northern Peru
Camouflaged catfish

Camouflaged catfish

Bunocephalus amaurus

Occasional

freshwater

Marañón River, Cajamarca
Elachocharax junki

Elachocharax junki

Elachocharax junki

Occasional

freshwater

Upper Madeira RiverIquitos Floodplain Tributaries
Hypomasticus steindachneri

Hypomasticus steindachneri

Hypomasticus steindachneri

Occasional

freshwater

Madre de Dios River (near Iquitos)
Characidium etzeli

Characidium etzeli

Characidium etzeli

Occasional

freshwater

Rio Itaya Tributary
Metynnis fasciatus

Metynnis fasciatus

Metynnis fasciatus

Occasional

freshwater

Upper Rio Madeira, Peru
Characidium vidali

Characidium vidali

Characidium vidali

Occasional

freshwater

Marañón River – Upper Peru
Zungaro dorado

Zungaro dorado

Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii

Occasional

freshwater

Rio Madre de Dios – Puerto Maldonado
Brachyhypopomus cunia

Brachyhypopomus cunia

Brachyhypopomus cunia

Uncommon

freshwater

Lake Titicaca
Sturisomatichthys leightoni

Sturisomatichthys leightoni

Sturisomatichthys leightoni

Rare

freshwater

Amazon Basin, Peru – Río Napo tributary
Iguaçu livebearer

Iguaçu livebearer

Jenynsia diphyes

Rare

freshwater

Madre de Dios River (Peruvian Amazon)Lake Titicaca (Puno Bay)
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