I’ve said and written countless times in the past that every U.S. angler should fish for Florida peacock bass before he or she leaves this world. They may not be native, but they are — in my opinion — the hardest-fighting fish in American freshwater. There are also several perks to a stateside peacock pursuit.
For starters, you don’t need any specialty tackle, and if you fish for smallmouth bass, you likely have everything you need already. Second, though there are some fabulous peacock guides from Miami to the Everglades and beyond, there is so much public access along South Florida’s canal ways that you can be successful on foot.
My buddy, Vinny Conwell, is well plugged into the South Florida exotics scene, and peacocks are high on his priority list. But if you’re looking to make the trip, skip the oppressive summer heat and forget about a winter escape. Here’s why Conwell says it’s hard to beat October.
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Don’t Fall for Winter
Many people, particularly those who live in the northern part of the country, share a misconception about fishing in Florida. It’s largely believed that if you can just get there in the dead of winter, you’re stepping into sun, fun, and angling Shangri-La. That’s what the tourism board wants you to think, at least. But it’s only partially true. Sure, it’ll be warmer, but it’s still winter. Cooler temperatures and less daily sunshine affect the fish, and it’s not uncommon for warm-water-loving species like peacock bass to shut down hard. In fact, according to Conwell, if the water drops much below 68 degrees, peacocks will start to die. However, like all fish, they are triggered to feed in the early stages of a cool down, which is why Conwell says October is one of the best months to chase them.
“I absolutely love October,” he says. “The humidity starts to drop out and the fish really start to get fired up. They actually go through a second spawn in the fall. In my experience, the fish are more plentiful and aggressive during this second spawn. I think it’s because during the spring spawn they’re just waking up as the water temperature rises, but in the fall that water is already warm and to their liking, so they’re meaner than ever.”
Conwell also points out that peacocks nest like largemouth bass, and they tend to do so tight to banks. This makes them easier for anglers on foot to find, and he says if you see one guarding a nest, rest assured there’s a second one close by or “hiding in the shadows.”
Hammer at High Noon
Every angler understands the “magic hours.” These low-light periods early and late in the day produce great action for many species but fall peacock fishing bucks that norm. According to Conwell, nothing is more valuable in this game than a good pair of polarized glasses, because you actually want the sun high in the sky.
“Peacock bass nest very shallow, and they don’t gravitate to structure,” he says. “You want to focus on areas that get a lot of sun throughout the day, and they won’t shut down at midday. The brighter it is the easier it is for you to spot them.”
If you do find a pair that won’t strike right away, Conwell’s advice is to stick with them. The reality is that pressure on the canals and easily accessible freshwater ways in South Florida increases every season, so finding a pair of peacocks that hasn’t been casted to can be a challenge. Unlike bedded largemouth bass that can get lockjaw after some harassment, however, Conwell says peacocks are more tenacious and will be triggered by just a few simple lures.
Get Color Blind
Conwell leans heavily into straightforward hair or soft-plastic jigs for fall peacocks. The truth is you don’t need much more, but most people heading to Florida for a brief trip prefer to see these fish charge and annihilate swimbaits, plugs, and topwaters. Any of those in the 3- to 4-inch range will work, but as for the best colors, it depends on who you ask. I’d always been told that fire orange was a ringer, but according to Conwell, it really doesn’t matter.
“My number one color is pink,” he says. “A lot of my local friends lean on neon pink, too. Then you have guys that swear by green. But this is all personal preference and it’s so rare that the fish get stubborn towards a color. Peacocks are aggressive all the time but especially in fall. As long as you have the right size lure, they don’t normally care about color. They’re just going to attack.”
If you’re new to peacocks and wonder what to take along, a standard outfit you’d use for smallmouth bass will suffice. Conwell likes a 7-foot 3-inch medium-action spinning rod and loads his reel with 15-pound braid. Twenty-five-pound fluorocarbon leader is his preference, though he says at times he wishes he could use heavier gear because the fish are so strong. Lighter tackle, however, is better for delivering the small lures and jigs that score the eats, and as long as your drag is tuned up and you know how to fight deftly, you’ll win every battle.
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