Thanks to some clever scientists, a Brazilian native has taken up residence in the canals of South Florida. For those intrepid enough, and with stout enough tackle, these immigrants offer a spectacular challenge.
The water temperatures and lovely sunny weather have all combined to make peacock bass fishing in South Florida something special.
The Peacock Bass
Despite it’s name, the peacock bass isn’t a bass at all. It is a cichlid, related to discus fish, tilapia, and oscar.
That doesn’t make this fish any less of a monster when on the end of the line. They are known for breaking rods, and hearts, wherever they are fished.
These things take no prisoners when they hit a bait, and will prove to be unlike any “regular” bass fishing you’ve ever done previously.
Check out this clip of a monster peacock hitting a top water bait in the Amazon.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqo1FzinHU0]
How Did The Peacock Bass Get To South Florida?
In 1984, after about a decade of study, scientists intentionally introduced the peacock bass in the Southern region of the state. The intention was for them to prey on other non-native species of cichlid, like the oscar.
They originally introduced two kinds of peacocks, the speckled and the butterfly. The butterfly peacock bass has flourished, and become a prized sport fish.
The speckled peacock bass has not faired so well however, and it is now illegal to possess or kill a speckled peacock bass.
Here’s a quick video of a guy landing a 4 pounder in some canals in South Florida.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXCckNRDE0s]
Worth A Trip To Florida
If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at pulling a peacock bass, no need to go all the way to Brazil. South Florida offers some great peacock bass fishing right here in the states.
However, if you want to take a shot at some monsters, you may want to get a plane ticket and head to the Amazon…
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXCckNRDE0s]
See ya on the water…
I remember when I first started seeing these in my local canals when I was younger. I’ve been fishing my whole life, born and raised in south florida on the eastern edge of the everglades. There used to be nothing but largemouth in the residential canals and ponds until about 10 years ago, around 2000-2001.
All of a sudden, one spawning season; BOOM! Instead of seeing largemouth bedding on the shores, you would see huge 3-5LB peacocks spawning all over the place. It got to the point where they would start eating the baby largemouth and caused the local population to decline in the areas I fished as a young teen.
They are a fun fish, but the standard largemouth bass will always be the best!