Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Peacock Bass Fishing in Miami?


FishinFreaks

Recommended Posts

Wondering if anyone knows of any information on Peacock Bass fishing in the canals in Miami. Or if anyone knows of someone who might know the area and be willing to share some help with a couple guys who might have a day or two to fish down there (I'm one of them!!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't think Peacocks were in Miami. I thought they were down in South America. I spent a good amount of time down there for work, but never had the time to fish. Nearly took a deep sea charter one time, but that got canceled because of a Hurricane.

If they are there, I would love to be clued in as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are definitely down there in the channels in Miami. You can find several guides for them if you Gooogle "peacock bass miami florida" but I'm having a hard time finding fishing reports or technique type information.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have seen them Peacock fishing in Florida on one or two TV shows. The peacocks they caught were small, mostly 2-4 lbs. They were in a regular bass boat, pretty much throwing spinnerbaits, cranks, topwaters, and jigs around dock pilings, walls at the edge of the channel, under anchored boats, etc. Looked a lot like dock fishing for largemouths around here.

Not sure if this helps or not, but it's all I know about it. Have fun on your trip and report back on how it goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are a lot of fish in those channels. Minnesotans think we have problems with exotics in Minny. Florida has enough problems with exotics to cover North America. Pythons and Oscars as dominant prey species in the Everglades, tons of cichlids and tropicals that escape aquarium farm ponds. Hydrilla and water hyacinth, climbing ferns and funky trees.

If those peacocks escape those canals there are a few lakes that could be in trouble.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have been to and fished the canals in Miami/Dade County on a number of occasions. Quick history...the canal systems were getting overrun with exotics....oscars and other other central/south American cichilids. In 1984 Florida decided to stock two species of peacock bass for which these "other" exotics were their natural food. Originally they stocked butterfly peacocks and speckled peacocks....not many of the speckled (which are the ones that get up to nearly 30 lbs) and the only one they persisted with were butterfly peacocks which get up to about 10 lbs in Florida (Florida actually holds most of the line class records for butterfly peacocks). They have done a great job decreasing the other exotics and allowing largemouth bass to reestablish themselves in the canals....although I don't know who would choose to catch largemouth over peacocks.....peacocks fight way harder than largemouth. Occasionally you will get some baby tarpon and snook in the canals also.

As far as tackle...I usually go with 20 lbs powerpro with 6 to 8 feet of flurocarbon leader. Terminal gear: these guys just do not hit plastics....uh uh, no way. They hit well on topwaters and minnow jerkbaits....these need to be worked very fast. Anything in white is good for topwater.....jerkbaits are good in a bone color.

As far as places.....there is a large lagoon across the freeway from the Miami airport which has good fishing as well as the most of the canal systems radiating from there...without a boat access can be the tough part. There is an area called the Cutler Canal system which is good for bigger peacocks. If you google search than name you should find the map....there is a large park in the middle of the area you can fish from. Also peacocks are bank huggers.

There is no danger of the peacocks spreading any farther than they are because they are extremely temperature sensitive....they cannot survive in water under 60 degrees. These canal systems are warmer than surrounding waters and the fish and self limited because of this.

Here's some pics from the area:

Peacock3.5.jpg

BriPeack3.jpg

BriPeack3-1.jpg

SteveBigP.jpg

Peacock5.jpg

2BigPeacock.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have only eaten them once....and they are quite tasty. C&R is strongly recommended...I think the limit is 2 with some size restriction....you'd have to look it up.

The little devils have also been stocked into several lakes in Hawaii.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey DocEsox, great and hopefully helpful info!! I'll be looking at those canal locations. Thanks a lot!

I've been trying to send you a PM, DocEsox, but it isn't working for me. Could you e-mail me: [email protected]. I'd like to ask you a couple more questions. Thanks a lot.

Aaron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leavin on a jet plane in the morning! Whoo-hoo. I'll hopefully post some pics once we're home on the 20th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: DocEsox
The little devils have also been stocked into several lakes in Hawaii.

This is true, I was there about 8-9 years ago and fished in the basin of the mountains in Kauai for them, we used some kind of live bait, we couldnt get them to hit anything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.