Pousada Sonho Meu

Best months

Jan, Feb, Mar, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

Water

Freshwater

Pousada Sonho Meu is located in the rural neighborhood of Santa Maria da Lagoa, in Ilha Solteira - SP, on the banks of the Ilha Solteira reservoir, on the Paraná River. A heads-up: there are other establishments with similar names in different cities (Panorama-SP, Corumbá-MS, Caseara-TO) — don't confuse them. Fishing here is done by boat, leaving directly from the lodge's marina toward bays, submerged brush piles (paliteiros), and channels of the reservoir.

What you can fish and when

• •Blue peacock bass and yellow peacock bass (tucunaré-azul e tucunaré-amarelo) — high season from September to March, when the water is warmer and the fish gets aggressive at the surface and mid-depth.
• •Piapara — best from May to August, still-fishing with chumming (ceva).
• •Dourado — also favored from May to August, in channel and rapids stretches.
• •Corvina — present in the reservoir, without a precisely marked season in the sources consulted.

It's worth remembering the piracema period (spawning ban), generally between November and February, when native species like piapara and dourado have catch restrictions — peacock bass, being an introduced species, is usually kept under catch-and-release rules. Confirm the current rules before planning your trip, as spawning ban dates are set by official ordinance and may change from year to year.

Techniques and lures that work

• •Peacock bass (tucunaré): topwater lures and mid-depth baits (stickbaits, lipped plugs) worked near branches and submerged brush piles, best in the early morning hours and late afternoon.
• •Piapara: still-fishing, with sour/fermented corn chumming (ceva) at the spot, light line and light sinker.
• •Bring your own bait and gear — there is no confirmation, from the sources consulted, of a fully stocked tackle shop on site.

Facilities and prices

The lodge offers ground-floor rooms with air conditioning, its own area to maneuver boat trailers, and a marina with fuel supply. According to the official website, lodging rates run around R$ 400 to R$ 700 per night, and a boat with a local pilot costs R$ 500 to R$ 900 per day (fuel may be an extra cost — confirm when booking). There is no confirmation of an on-site restaurant; meals are usually prepared in the barbecue area or brought from outside.

How to get there

Access is via Ilha Solteira - SP, heading to the Santa Maria da Lagoa neighborhood; the final stretch to the lodge is usually a dirt road. The nearest airport with regular flights is in Araçatuba (about 120 km away).

What you can catch

• Tucunaré-azul
• Tucunaré-amarelo
• Corvina
• Piapara
• Dourado

Sources

• Site oficial - Pousada Sonho Meu
• Rancho Pousada Sonho Meu - Panorama, SP (estabelecimento homônimo, não é este local)
• globo.com
• wikipedia.org
• youtube.com
• facebook.com
• fishtv.com
• www.gov.br
• Pesca de Tucunaré - Pousada Serena
• Pousada do Sol | Pesca e Descanso no Rio Paraná - Paulicéia/SP