Sardinata

We do not appear to have a large population of this fish on the Agua Boa, at least there are not many of them around at the times we fish, but it is found all over Northern Brazil and the waters around the Matto Grosso. There are good populations on many of the Rivers in Venezuela especially the Caura River.  The fish belongs to the family Clupeidae which includes all the herrings and sardines etc. It has been described as a golden freshwater tarpon. It's correct scientific name is Pellona castelnaeana but is called by many names in the various countries in South America where it occurs, sardinata (Venezuela), apapa (Brazil), sardinhao, sardinhao grande, dourado, yellow apapa, and some refer to it by the vulgar name cagona (this name I believe comes from its habit of expelling excrement from the anus when it is caught).

When first taken out of the water the fish is remarkably beautiful, with golden almost holographic scales and with a dark blue back. It is an elongated fish typical of the herring family with a small head and with a lower jaw that juts out, just like its big brother the tarpon.

It has a forked tail fin which has black markings and a dorsal fin centrally placed on its body and held upright.  It grows to about 24 inches and prefers fast running water and clear water lakes. They feed in the main on small fish and are sometimes found in the company of an allied species P. flavipinnis the white apapa which is a silvery color. This species is slightly smaller than its golden cousin with longer fins. Both fish are not considered very good eating because of the number of fine bones they both posses.