Brightly colored tropical birds flushed from the impenetrable jungle growth as we approached them. Looking like something from prehistoric time, large iguanas perched in overhanging branches, warming themselves in the tropical sun.
We tossed lures toward aquatic vegetation growing in black water as we eased along the shoreline. One lure did not move far before a butterfly peacock bass snatched it and raced for deeper water.
Native to the Amazon, Orinoco and Rio Negro basins of South America, peacock bass range as far north as Panama, but we never left the United States. People who live or work in South Florida routinely catch peacock bass within a short walk from their homes or offices on their lunch-hour adventures.
Florida first stocked peacock bass in 1984 to trim populations of other exotic fish, such as tilapia and cichlids. Since then, these highly aggressive predators have reproduced, grown and thrived. Now, the hard-fighting fish populate many South Florida waters.
The state record butterfly peacock bass weighed 9.11 pounds and measured 235/16 inches long. It came from Broward County in October 2021.
“Part of the appeal of fishing in South Florida is the opportunity to catch species that anglers can’t catch in other parts of the country,” says Barron Moody, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist. “In urban South Florida, people can catch butterfly peacock bass and largemouth bass together, often right in people’s own neighborhoods.”
Not a bass, but a member of the Cichlidae family, peacocks look similar to largemouths but with much brighter golden coloration highlighted by three vertical black bars.
“There’s not much difference in targeting peacock bass versus largemouths,” says Brett Isackson, a guide from Fort Lauderdale. “It’s common to catch a largemouth on one cast and a peacock on the next cast, using the same baits. Sometimes, peacocks hang around thick cover or under trees, but they really love to stay out in the sun.”
While a largemouth might swallow anything 24 hours a day, peacocks typically prefer to eat fish during daylight hours. Much more aggressive than largemouths, peacocks fight harder and enjoy fast-moving baits that resemble fish. Fly anglers catch peacocks on various minnow imitations in natural baitfish colors.
South Florida anglers can find many small lakes, ponds and canals holding big peacocks. The colorful fish range from Boynton Beach south and west across the Everglades to Naples. Some of the best fishing occurs in the Osborne-Ida Chain of Lakes and associated canals near Boynton Beach.
More than 300 miles of urban canals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties also offer great peacock action.
Anglers catch peacock bass year-round in South Florida, but these tropical fish like it hot. The best fishing normally occurs during the spawn in April and September.
To book a trip with Brett Isackson, call 888-629-2277 or visit Bassonline.com.