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How to Catch Trophy Peacock Bass
Selecting and booking the right peacock bass trip is the first step toward catching a trophy fish. But, even though an outfitter may bring you to the perfect spot at the perfect time, you still have to go out and catch the elusive critters yourself. Therefore, we offer you a compendium of tackle, tactics and techniques designed to get them to bite and to help you win the fight. Hopefully, armed with a wisely booked trip and a fine tuned arsenal of tackle, this peacock primer is all you'll need to bring that 15 or 20 or even 25 pounder to the boat. peacock bass fishing peacock bass tips peacock bass techniques peacock bass tackle peacock bas
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The Fish
peacock bass fishing peacock bass tips peacock bass techniques peacock bass tackle peacock bass
No other sport fish in the world approaches the peacock bass' reputation
for ferocious, awe inspiring strikes and sheer tackle busting power.
The peacock behaves like an aggressive largemouth bass on steroids with
a really bad attitude. When a peacock decides to strike a surface
lure, it hits with such power, noise and impact that you have a hard time
believing it's real. It can literally startle an unsuspecting angler
into reflexively flinching and trying to drag the bait away. Subsurface
strikes can be no less impressive, feeling as though your bait somehow
got hooked onto an underwater freight train. The peacock's violent
behavior and amazing displays of sheer strength seem impossible for a fish
twice its size. It seems to expend more energy than it can possibly
contain for the first minute or two of its encounter with an angler.
You'd think that a fish that fights this hard would tire very fast, but
fishermen quickly learn that even as it comes to the boat, there's usually
another hook-straightening burst of power or line-peeling run remaining.
Peacock bass are Cichlids, members of the most highly evolved group of fishes in the world. Hundreds of species exist in both the old and the new world and represent some of the most diverse fish in the underwater domain. Many, such as oscars from South America and the mbuna from Africa, are among the most popular home aquarium fishes, while other species such as tilapia, are farmed to provide food for our tables. Feeding almost entirely on other fish, peacock bass have evolved into one of the most efficient predators in the genus. Their speed, strength, size and ferocity enable them to make a meal of almost every other species of fish in the Amazon. Like the largemouth bass, their huge, bucket-mouth can engulf surprisingly large prey, making almost anything smaller than them a good candidate for dinner. Three recognized species are found in the Amazon
Cichla temensis, called "tucunare azul or paca" in Brazil and "pavon azul or pinta lapa" in Spanish speaking countries, are very sensitive to water temperature and are therefore essentially restricted to the equatorial tropics of Amazonia. Specimens of this species of peacock bass, have been caught as large as 27 pounds by anglers. Reports of commercially caught fish of over 35 pounds have come from the market in Manaus. There are surely plenty of new records still swimming in the vast, relatively unexplored waters of the Amazon. Tucunare coloring and appearance is widely varied through its range and specimens from the same waters can often appear to be members of different species. All specimens have the trademark tail spot for which they are named, as well as black markings on the gill plates. Body color can vary from a dark brownish green through deep yellow to almost silver. Three black, vertical bars of varying size and intensity mark their sides and blood red runs along their bellies and colors their lower fins. A common color variant, called "paca" displays dotted, horizontal white lines overlaying the pattern on their sides. (It is said that specimens with this color variation are even stronger and more tenacious than their brethren.) A second color variation has black connected splotches on the back and a horizontal black blotch along the belly. In some clear water fisheries, peacock's fins are streaked with an unearthly electric blue. It's hard to believe that a predatory fish as fierce as a peacock can also be so beautiful.
Cichla Ocellaris, the butterfly peacock, has a much wider
range than it's larger cousin. These peacocks (called mariposa) are
differentiated by three black rosettes marking their sides instead of the
black bars of temensis. Butterflies are not only found throughout
Amazonia, but have been successfully transplanted to Central America, southern
Florida, Mexico and Hawaii. Although rarely exceeding 7 or 8 pounds,
they are terrific fighters, readily strike the same baits and are every
bit as aggressive as as their larger cousins. A third species,
Cichla
Nigrolineatus, (or royal peacock) is found in faster moving waters
and rarely exceeds 3 or 4 pounds.
The Amazon basin, located mostly in Northern Brazil, but extending into parts of Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Surinam, is essentially a gigantic, shallow bowl ranging no more than 500 feet above sea level. This low-lying region is almost completely surrounded; by higher ground to the south, the mighty Andes to the west and bluffs, plains and mountainous regions to the north. Water flows into the basin from all three directions, and then east, to the Atlantic ocean. The huge, uninterrupted jungle canopy returns tremendous amounts of water to the air through transpiration (release of water vapor through plant pores), creating its own internal weather systems. The mountain barriers serve to trap additional moisture from trade winds and high altitude clouds, adding even more water to the vast rainforest ecosystem. The result is rain. Lots and lots of rain. Daily downpours occur during rainy seasons extending for more than half a year throughout Amazonia. Rivers can rise and fall as much as forty feet during the course of a normal year as a result of the Amazon basin's prodigious production of rain
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Amazon Seasons - The Amazon river system is bisected by the equator. The earth's axial tilt and coriolis forces are reversed on opposite sides of the equator. In temperate zones, while one hemisphere is enjoying it's summer season, the other is in the midst of winter. In the equatorial tropics, temperatures don't vary greatly and seasons are more clearly differentiated by rainfall amounts. North of the equator, the dry season corresponds most closely with the north temperate zone's winter and the reverse holds true in the south. The result is that parts of the Amazon are in the midst of their rainy season, while other areas are in the dry, low-water part of their cycle. The timing of seasonal cycles varies additionally with the river system's distance from the equator. The entire Amazon basin goes through a complex series of seasonal and regional water level changes, allowing anglers to pursue peacock bass in the Amazon for almost six months of the year.
Every aspect of the trophy peacock bass fishery is governed by this cycle of moisture. At the start of the rainy season, the rivers rise and begin to overflow their banks and the waters spread into low-lying regions of jungle. These cyclically flooded areas, called varzea in Brazil, gradually form a vast floodplain surrounding the river channel. As the waters rise, the baitfish head off into the jungle to feed on the rich forage available there. The peacocks follow right behind them, the entire population of the rivers leaving for greener pastures. The water level can rise as much as forty feet above dry season levels. Even if anglers could tolerate the torrential rains and the discomforts associated with them, finding the fish in the middle of the flooded jungle is next to impossible. Furthermore, if you managed to hook-up, picture the difficulty of threading a fishing line (with a big, extremely uncooperative fish on the end) through a thicket of trunks and leaves and branches. The rainy season is not the time to go peacock bass fishing.
When to Fish - As the rains come to an end in the areas feeding
a river, water levels begin to drop, first in the headwaters and then further
downstream. The waters recede from the flooded jungles and once again
become confined in the lagoons and river channels. The baitfish,
and of course their consumers, the peacock bass, return as well.
During the early part of the dry season, the peacocks feed voraciously
on the fattened and concentrated baitfish. This is prime time for
peacock anglers. After a month of heavy feeding, they begin to spawn.
Unlike largemouth bass, who become aggressive and pugnacious when on the
spawning beds, peacocks simply gather their young and retreat from fishermen
presenting lures. Fishing gets slow for a while after the spawn,
then sometimes picks up again when the peacocks send their babies off and
begin to fatten up again in preparation for the onset of the rainy season.
The optimal time to fish for peacocks is the pre-spawn period, those four
weeks or so after the rivers drop and before the fish get on the spawning
beds.
Luckily for fishermen, different rivers reach low
water levels at different times. Even within a single river, the
spawn works its way downstream over several weeks. Anglers can fish
in the Amazon from July through November in the south and December through
March in the north and, with adequate mobility, be able to access good
fishing throughout.
The rivers of Amazonia are typically described in
three different categories. The soil and geological characteristics of
the river's drainage basin typically are the primary determining factors
of the water type of the river. Although rivers in the same region
of Amazonia are quite often of the same water type, it is not uncommon
for neighboring rivers draining into the same system to be of entirely
different categories.
Black Water - The rivers of northwestern Amazonia
are unique in many respects. Most of them are extremely acidic and
very low in biomass. Fed by tributaries draining the austere soils
of regions bordering Columbia and Venezuela, the Rio Negro is the center
of the Amazon's blackwater fishery. The water literally appears black
because of staining by dissolved tannins. Tannin is the same pigmented
chemical that gives tea its color. In fact, if you look at a cupful
of Rio Negro water, it would look very much like a cup of weak tea.
When viewed in the gigantic quantities present in this massive river, it
simply appears black. Surprisingly, however, visibility is good in
these waters. That means that fish are strongly visually stimulated.
The look and color of lures becomes important in these conditions.
The tributaries of the Rio Negro provide access to the world's biggest
peacock bass. Black water fisheries are found mostly north of the
equator and therefore typically experience their dry season during the
Northern hemisphere's winter, December through March. These rivers
are strikingly beautiful with their austere surroundings and white sand
beaches, set off by richly colored, tannin stained water. The low
biomass in these rivers means lower numbers of microscopic animals, lower
numbers of baitfish, and consequently lower numbers of peacock bass.
But they're big! The world's record 27-pound peacock bass came from
blackwater as does the great preponderance of 20-pound plus fish.
Anglers fishing in these rivers can typically expect to catch fewer than
20 fish per day but they have a very good chance for a huge trophy fish.
Blackwater peacocks are readily caught on topwater
lures. Subsurface lures such as Redfins and Rapalas and rapidly fished
jigs are also very productive. Fish can be found and caught in the
lagoons and cuts adjoining these rivers. The lagoons are often quite
large with a variety of structure, depths and configurations, offering
a wide range of productive possibilities for fishermen.
Blue Water - Blue water is really better described
as simply clear and colorless. These rivers often empty into muddy
or stained waters and can often be isolated tributaries in an otherwise
different system. Blue water rivers occur both above and below the
equator and so can be fished from July to November in the south and December
through March in the north. Various tributaries of both the Rio Branco
and the Rio Madeira provide great fishing in some of the lushest and most
beautiful surroundings in Amazonia.
During the dry season, when these rivers are at
their lowest, the water can become absolutely crystal clear. Visibility
becomes extremely good in these waters. The strong impact of visual
stimulation on the fish makes these rivers very productive with a wide
variety of lures. The big surface lures provide exciting fishing
with a high preponderance of lunkers. The entire range of subsurface
lures is also productive in this fishery. But these rivers are truly
fantastic for the rapidly fished jig. Fish are readily caught here
in lagoons as well as in the river itself and it's tributaries. A
day's worth of probing the structure filled lagoons or fast water near
rocky structure can produce 40 or 50, up to 100 fish per day for a busy
angler. The right combination of colors on these jigs becomes very
important in these conditions. A little bit of experimentation for
the first day or two will allow anglers who bring or tie a variety of patterns,
to find the optimal combination and to have an absolute blast in this type
of fishery.
White (Muddy) Water - The term white water
conjures up visions of fast, wild rivers with treacherous rapids.
Nothing could be farther from the truth in Amazonia. A better description
for these slow moving, languid rivers might be muddy or cloudy water.
True white water systems, such as the Rio Solimoes are fed by sources from
the mountainous Andes west of the Amazon basin. As the waters cascade
from the heights they churn through eroding fissures and loess fields,
picking up suspended particles throughout their descent. Upon reaching
the low lying Amazon basin, these particle laden waters form the white
water rivers of Amazonia.
The Rio Solimoes flows into Manaus, Brazil, where
it meets the Rio Negro to form the main body of the Amazon River.
The black water of the Rio Negro flows next to the white water of the Solimoes
for several miles before mixing. (This amazing sight, strikingly
visible from the air, is called the meeting of the waters.) Although
peacocks are present in true white water, such as the Solimoes, it doesn't
generally lend itself to high concentrations or very big fish and is rarely
exploited.
Cloudy, silty or muddy rivers in other systems,
such as the Matupiri and the Caures, however, are often very productive
and readily yield good numbers and plenty of large fish. The low
visibility in these rivers makes topwaters the most productive lures.
Subsurface lures will still produce, but not nearly as effectively as elsewhere
and the usually super-productive jig, hardly raises a strike. Color
is not a major issue in cloudy water, but sound certainly is. Lures
with rattles or noise-making commotion are the angler's best tools in these
rivers. Fishing is most productive in lagoons and sometimes at the
mouths of streams, inlets and tributaries.
We've all heard the expression that "5% of the fishermen catch 95% of
the fish", and for the most part, it's valid. Why? The first
part of the answer lies in knowledge. Fishermen have experimented
and evolved specialized fishing techniques for as long as humans have known
how to use a bent bone and a length of sinew. Each species has its
own characteristics, ways of feeding and places it frequents. Trout
techniques usually don't work for largemouth bass and bass techniques will
probably never catch carp. It's important that anglers learn as much
as they can about the specific fish they are pursuing and the ways other
fishermen have developed to catch them. Don't hesitate to improve
on tried and true methods and don't hesitate to try new things, but save
yourself the unproductive chore of trying to start from scratch.
Use what people have already learned.
The second part of the answer is based on numbers. Fishing success
depends on the interaction of a variety of different probabilities and
numerical factors. The more time your lure is in the water and in
front of fish, the more likely you are to catch them. The more productive
a lure used for a specific circumstance, the greater the probability of
a hookup. The greater the number of effective techniques you use,
the more likely you are to entice a strike. All of these factors
interact with each other multiplying (or dividing) your chances for success.
Optimizing the numerical factors lets you win at the "numbers game"
The information and guidelines offered here are
designed to give you the resources to be part of the 5% catching the fish.
They are the result of a decade of peacock bass fishing experience and
endless experimentation and tweaking. They are by no means the only
ways to succeed nor are they meant to negate methods others have used to
find success. But they do work and they will give you the knowledge
base to begin succeeding with peacock bass in Amazonia.
Conventional Tackle for Peacock Bass
Caster or Spinner? - Yeah, I know that baitcasting rigs and spinning
tackle were both invented to catch species of fish other than peacocks.
As little as ten years ago, almost no one had even heard of the peacock
bass. Even so, it seems to me that the peacock bass was invented
to tax the limits of conventional tackle. One of the first questions
I am asked by beginner peacock anglers is, "Which is better for peacocks,
spinners or baitcasters?" The answer is both. Each type can
perform satisfactorily alone, but a mix is even better. The key is
each angler's personal comfort and skill level with a specific type of
tackle. Casting accuracy becomes quite important for successfully
catching peacocks in the tight cover they often frequent.
Of course, if you are only comfortable with a spinner,
you don't need to worry about suddenly learning to use a baitcaster, stick
with what you know best. If you've been a caster all your life, there
probably isn't anything you can't do well with your favorite tackle.
But if you're comfortable and, most importantly, skillful with both, you
can truly tailor your tackle to your pattern and presentation.
Peacock bass fishing is tough on tackle. In
spite of all the extreme sounding superlatives and adjectives used to describe
their vaunted strength and power, no one is exaggerating. They
are truly, uncannily strong and they commonly break rods and ruin reels
and straighten hooks. No angler should travel thousands of miles
without bringing at least a backup rig or two. I like to take along
a mix of tackle types, allowing me to take advantage of the best aspects
of each.
So, if you're comfortable with both types of gear,
bring both. If you are able to bring four rigs, take a light and
a heavy spinner and a light and a heavy baitcaster. If you bring
only two, take a heavy rig of one type and a lighter rig of the other.
Mix them up. This will let you select the right rig for the specific
lure you're using and the circumstances you're fishing in. It's hard
to argue with the fact that a baitcaster will enable you to cast accurately,
with a lower trajectory than that of a spinner. It's just as hard
to argue that a spinner won't make easier work of a pattern requiring repeated
casts with rapid retrieves. Don't argue. Use them both to optimize
your fishing comfort and effectiveness.
All of the tackle, techniques and tactics described
here are focused on catching Cichla temensis, the largest of the
peacock species. These fish average 5 or 6 pounds and commonly exceed
20 pounds in weight. They are recognized "tackle busters" and even
a medium sized fish can make short work of conventional hooks, lines, rods
and reels.
Rods and Reels - My selections for a well rounded arsenal, with the flexibility to effectively fish any type of peacock water are as follows; (All of this tackle is available in pack rod configurations form both G. Loomis and Fenwick, so that you can transport your rods in your bags and not have to worry about traveling by air with long rod tubes.)
Medium
Baitcasting Rig - I like a stiff, seven foot rod with a very supple,
fast action tip. A line rating of 8-17 pounds and a lure capacity
of 1/4-5/8 ounce is fine. Mount a lightweight (under 10 oz.), fast
retrieve (5.0:1 or better) casting reel with a line capacity rating of
120 yards of 12-14 pound test. String it all with 20 pound test
monofilament or, preferably, braided line (I know, we're exceeding the
rod and reel rating, but you're setting your drag carefully). This
gives you a light but tough rig, perfect for fishing smaller surface lures
and slower moving subsurface lures, but with enough power to lead big fish
away from cover.
Light
Spinning Outfit - Choose a six to seven foot fast action rod with a
line rating of 6-12 pound test and a lure capacity of 1/8-1/2 ounce.
Select a lightweight (under 10 oz.), fast retrieve (6.0:1 or better) spinning
reel with a line capacity of 120 yards of 8 pound test. Load this
outfit with 20 pound test braided line (20 pound test mono just won't work
as well on this rig) and you can cast 1/2 oz. jigs and spoons a mile and
reel them in all day long.
Heavy
Baitcasting Rig - This outfit is designed to let you sling huge surface
baits with ease and accuracy. Use a 7 foot (or longer) moderate/fast
action rod with a line rating of 10 to 30 pounds and a lure capacity of
1/2-2 1/2 ounce. A hefty casting reel (10 to 13 oz.) with the fastest
possible retrieve (6.0:1 or better) and a line capacity rating of 200 yards
of 12-14 pound test will match up nicely. Load this rig with 25 to
30 pound test mono or braided and you're ready to probe tight cover, sticks
and logs with big woodchoppers or rapalas.
Heavy
Spinning Outfit - This combination will also handle the heavy baits
and is very useful for long distance casting to feeding fish. A 7
foot moderate/fast action rod with a line rating of 10 to 30 pounds and
a lure capacity of 3/8-2 1/4 ounce, coupled with a beefy spinning reel
(11 to 13 oz.) with a line capacity of 165 yards of 12 pound test, makes
a balanced package. 25 to 30 pound test mono or braided line (used
with a stiff mono or wire leader to prevent line from wrapping the lure
when casting) gives a fast, long distance delivery system for woodchoppers
and other big baits. The fast retrieves necessary for peacocks are
not quite as tiring with this rig.
Practice and Test your Gear - If this tackle is new for you and you haven't had experience casting some of the huge baits used for peacock bass, then it's very important that you take some time to make sure that your gear is well balanced and feels right for you. Take the hooks off a few lures and get used to handling big, 2-1/2 oz. baits. (A word of caution here for spin fishermen; Spinning tackle can tumble lures and tangle line in the hooks of big baits. If you haven't the experience or skill with this gear necessary to overcome this characteristic, stick with the baitcaster for big lures.) Practice in your back yard or a local pond with the rods, reels, line and lures you plan to use for peacocks. Developing accuracy and a sense of range with your gear while you're still at home, improves your ability to quickly become effective in the rivers and lagoons of Amazonia. Make sure everything is working properly before you leave. There are no tackle shops in the jungle.
Braided or Mono? - Fishermen love a spirited tussle with each
other almost as much as they enjoy fighting fish. The latest bone
of contention seems to be over the relative benefits of braided line versus
monofilament. Once again, each side has its advantages. Mono
has enough stretch to make it very forgiving and able to absorb sudden
shocks. It can be easily tied into an entire repertoire of knots.
It doesn't tangle or backlash as easily and it costs a fraction as much
as braided. It won't part as readily when touched against rocks or
structure.
Braided lines are much thinner, limber and more
flexible for their relative strength. They don't get stale or take
spool sets. The lack of stretch gives you a "no doubt about it" hookset.
If you can tie a "palomar", you can get almost 100% knot strength.
The thinner line lets you get a lot more onto a spool and it lets you cast
significantly further without more effort.
Although it took me a while to get used to it, I've
come to prefer braided lines (and the various hybrids of braided and mono,
such as Fireline) for peacock bass fishing. It holds up well to the
rigors of jungle river fishing and gives me improved casting ease and greater
overall sensitivity. However, both mono or braided will catch fish
equally well. If you are not used to braided, stick with the mono.
This is a just another case of an unresolvable fisherman's debate over
an unresolvable issue. Have fun arguing with your fishing buddies
and use whatever line you're most comfortable with.
An effective selection of peacock bass lures includes a wide variety
of top-water and subsurface lures. Although many have a long history
of successful use for black bass, striper and musky, they are often used
in a very different manner for peacock bass. Most also require an
upgrade to the hooks and split rings to ensure their survival during a
peacock bass' onslaught.
Topwater
Lures- The violent, explosive topwater strikes of peacock bass have
made them the subject of books, magazine articles and television shows.
Their well deserved reputation as exciting, powerful fighters is based
largely on their awesome topwater prowess. Although peacocks are
readily caught in good numbers on subsurface lures, almost every angler
selects the topwater option when the fish are inclined to cooperate.
A good selection of topwater lures is a must for anglers seeking to experience
the peacock's legendary strike. Effective topwater lures can be divided
into two categories based on their type and the way they're used.
Propeller Types - Probably the most famous
peacock bass lure is the Luhr Jensen "Woodchopper". It bears a well
deserved reputation. Guides love them, fisherman depend on them and
peacocks absolutely smash them. Propeller lures create a roostertail
behind them as the angler rips them rhythmically through the water.
Typically, the lures perform best when ripped rapidly ahead for two feet
or so by a sweep of the rod tip and then promptly ripped again when the
angler cranks up the resultant slack. The surface disturbance created
is reminiscent of fleeing baitfish and feeding peacocks. For one
of the most competitive creatures in the water, this must sound like a
dinner bell. It certainly attracts peacocks and stimulates violent
strikes. The "Woodchopper" works beautifully with the heavy baitcaster
and the heavy spinner
Several other propeller lures are just as effective
and have their own special advantages. The Amazon Ripper is a similar
bait with subtle differences. It has two rear props and only two
sets of treble hooks, omitting the front set found on the Woodchopper.
The Ripper's weight is canted more to the rear making it easier to use
when a lot of line is weighing it down in front, as in the case of trolling
or extremely long casts. The lack of a front treble hook makes it
less likely to grab the line when used with braided line or with spinning
tackle, reducing the frequency of tangles. The ripper works great
when trolling and when used with the heavy spinner.
Both lures described above are the 6-3/4 inch, 2
oz. sizes. If you're fishing for big peacocks in Brazil, Columbia
or Venezuela, these are the sizes you need. Cichla temensis
(or Tucunare), found in the Amazon basin, are commonly caught well into
the twenty pound class. These huge fish are most effectively caught
on the large size lures. Smaller versions of these lures are also
available and can be effective for the smaller species (Cichla occellaris
or butterfly peacocks and Cichla Nigrofasciatus or royal peacock) more
commonly pursued in Panama, Peru, Florida and Hawaii. Although either
size can catch any size fish, be careful not to stock up on smaller versions
if your target is really trophy size Cichla temensis. You'll wind
up spending a lot of time with smaller fish instead of "trophy peacocks".
Although small lures can often catch big fish, statistically, the old adage
"big lures catch big fish" holds true much more often for this type of
surface lure.
When you need to downside (fatigue, change of pace,
fishing conditions), two good options are available. The "Peacock
Special" although only 3/4 oz., creates almost as much of a ruckus as the
bigger lures, but will work well with the medium baitcaster or even the
light spinner. It's great for sore arms and tired hands after you've
been slinging the big baits for awhile. This lure gets a lot of strikes
and fishes much bigger than it really is. This is the lure that caught
the 27 pound world record. A word of caution is, however, in order
when using this lure. It comes with smaller hooks in proportion to
its smaller size and doesn't lend itself readily to a hook upgrade.
It is perfectly balanced from the factory and larger hooks tend to cause
it to ride lower in the water and diminish its performance. Although
the factory hooks are reasonably strong, their smaller gap makes a solid
hookset more difficult in the peacock's bony mouth and the finer wire enables
the hooks to rip out more readily when caught in the fleshier parts of
the mouth. Use a lighter drag setting to offset this difficulty but
be prepared to lose some of the big fish that this lure attracts.
The "Jerkin' Sam" is similarly sized to the "Peacock
Special" and works very well with lighter tackle, however it doesn't generate
as large a roostertail and is a generally quieter lure. It is often
very productive early in the day and in very clear waters, situations in
which the other prop baits are not always at their best. Be aware
that, like the "Amazon Ripper", it lacks a set of nose hooks. Because
peacocks often strike at the "head" of a bait, some strikes may be missed.
Nonetheless, it should be part of your tackle mix to provide extra versatility.
The larger prop baits come with strong hooks from
the factory and don't need to be changed. "Woodchoppers" sometimes
come with a prop on the nose which should be removed to provide better
performance. Because they rely on sound and physical disturbance
of the water to attract strikes, these baits are all very sensitive to
proper "tuning". Anglers should make sure that each lure moves properly
and creates the proper surface disturbance. Adjusting the props and
the alignment of hooks will help to make your lures work as effectively
as possible. Take a few moments with each lure before putting it to work,
after each strike, and after hanging it up on structure, to make sure it's
working properly.
Walking Sticks - I have tremendous fun with
the Heddon "Zara Spook". It's an absolutely great topwater lure for
peacock bass. I especially enjoy using it in the early mornings and
late afternoons. Not necessarily because the fish like it better
at that 
time,
but because it seems to fit the mood of the angler and the feel of the
surroundings. Just after sunup, when the water is perfectly still
and the birds haven't started screaming yet, the quiet snick, snick, snick
of a "Zara Spook" walking its way across the surface seems to belong in
the languid lagoons. It makes the sight of a huge "vee" accelerating
towards your bait doubly exciting. You can palpably anticipate the
instant of the strike. Even if the lure had no hooks on it, you couldn't
help but relish this kind of moment.
Walking stick type lures add another dimension to
topwater fishing for peacocks. Unlike most other lures used for these
speed triggered assassins, these baits are most effective when fished slow,
in the "walk the dog" motion. They will often get reactions from
peacocks when all other surface presentations are being ignored.
The medium/light baitcaster is the perfect rig for this lure and the light
spinner also works very well. Using this lighter, more sensitive
tackle, the walking motion is easily imparted by a combination of rhythmic
crankings of the reel and oscillations of the rod tip. Because of
their small size and casting ease, these lures lend themselves to use in
tight structure.
Strikes often occur immediately when the lure lands
close to fallen wood, logs, sticks, bushes or trees. After landing,
draw the line tight and begin walking the lure back to the boat.
Watch for swirls and disturbances behind the lure. When peacocks
are turned on they'll violently strike lures, including these topwaters,
with reckless abandon. But when they're less aggressive and reluctant
to strike, a walking stick lure will often get their interest without triggering
a strike. They will swirl behind the lure, slap at it with their
body or even mouth it tentatively. This is the anglers cue to make
the presentation more interesting to the fish. Speed it up a bit
without losing the walking motion. Make it appear frightened and
fleeing, increasing the peacock's interest. You'll usually get another,
stronger reaction, perhaps even a tentative strike. If you don't
hook up, raise the lure's action up another notch, creating an even faster,
more erratic motion. Sometimes this cat and mouse game will go on
for three or four rounds before a peacock decides to just totally crush
the lure, or, loses interest and swims away. This level of anticipation
is guaranteed to raise the angler's blood pressure, pulse rate and the
hackles on the back of his or her neck.
Topwater Lure Colors - Peacock bass are funny
about colors, especially in regard to topwaters. Often, peacocks
seem to react more to the noise and motion of a surface lure than any other
factor. A properly presented and tuned lure is generally the most
important factor in consistently eliciting strikes. Sometimes, however,
selecting the right color can make important differences. If it's
bright out, use a light-colored lure. Dark shades are generally more
productive in low light conditions. I have no qualms about using
wildly colored topwaters. Peacocks seem to be perfectly happy to
attack the silliest and most outrageously patterned lures you can imagine.
When using the big propeller lures on tannin-stained (black water) rivers,
a Black (below)/Orange (above) combination is very productive. In
clear waters, try a perch pattern and on muddy rivers, a bright green or
clown pattern. If I can point to a single favorite color, it would
be red or orange below and green above. It looks a little bit like
a peacock bass to me, maybe to them also.
For walking stick lures, a bullfrog pattern is very
effective early in the day, while an Orange/Green Natural works well the
rest of the time. The Florida bass pattern works very well with the
"Super Spook". Rattling versions add usefulness on muddy rivers.
Take a range of colors and types with you to optimize your chances under
any conditions.
Subsurface
Lures- As much as I love the topwater action provided by peacock bass,
I am quick to change to subsurface lures as soon as conditions warrant.
The tremendous physical power with which peacocks strike subsurface lures
makes up for the topwater angler's loss of visual and auditory excitement.
Underwater strikes can be intense enough to make you feel like your arm
is being ripped off and initial runs can be startling in their intensity.
Minnow and Jerk Baits - Redfins, Bombers,
Rapalas and their ilk are the utility lures of peacock bass fishing.
They can be productive just about anywhere and under any conditions.
The Cotton Cordell "Redfin", in silver or gold is a productive floating
minnow imitation. Fished fairly slowly around structure so that it
remains near the surface, it is an effective attractor for fish relating
to cover. Once it reaches open water, it can be fished more rapidly
and jerked deeper with the retrieve. "Bombers" and "Rapalas" provide
variations in size and depth for flexibility and variety.
Crank Baits and Deep Divers - Magnum and
regular size "Rattletraps, deep running Rapalas and crankbaits are effective
when fishing the scalloped crevices of sandy beaches in the crooks of river
bends and the base of rocky river structures. Deep, bluff banks and
ridged points in lagoons lend themselves to effective probing with these
deeper running subsurface lures. Keep several in your tackle bag
to utilize in the right circumstances.
Jigs - Probably the single most
effective subsurface lure (and my favorite) for clear water is a darter
style, half ounce jig tied with contrasting colored bucktail streamers.
This jig, however, is simply not jigged. Because it is fished so
rapidly, it not only never hits the bottom, it rarely drops more than 3
feet below the surface. The conventional tackle angler uses this
jig as though it were a streamer fly, ripping it rapidly through the water
a yard at a time. The relatively light, half ounce weight, allows
the fisherman to keep the jig moving and off the bottom while the ripping
motion causes the bucktail to pulsate with each rip. This lure works
best with a light spinner and braided line. The light rig will allow
you to cast it very accurately in cover and very far in open water.
Use it to probe among fallen timber in lagoons, casting parallel to trunks
and branches and retrieving it quickly, right through where the fish find
cover. Cast it over sand banks and saddles at lagoon mouths and inlets,
ripping it rapidly from deep water to shallow and back again. Probe
fast water, rocks and eddies in the river itself. In all of these
applications, peacocks will readily pound these baits. The faster
you retrieve them, the harder they hit them. They are among the most
effective of clear water lures. Unfortunately, they are almost ineffective
in cloudy or muddy water. The bucktail jig is primarily a sight lure.
If the fish don't see them well, they just won't hit them.
I prefer a Kalin's "Ultimate Darter" half ounce jig head. It's equipped
with a big, extra strong, wide gap 4/0 hook for solid hooksets in the peacock's
bony mouth. The long, tabbed shank allows anglers to easily tie their
own bucktail patterns on behind the head. A very effective configuration
(dubbed "Garret's Red Baron" by my friend and master angler, Jim Butters,
in honor of its inventor, Garrett VeneKlasen), includes a red underbelly,
a red, extended tail and a yellow or white upper portion. Similar
patterns using black below and red, yellow or chartreuse above or yellow
below and white, pink or chartreuse above are also very effective.
Tying on a rattle can improve the jig's performance in slightly cloudy
or stained water. Click here for complete tying instructions for
"Garrett's Red Baron".
Spoons - provide an effective tool for a
variety of fishing situations. Unlike the jig, the Johnson's "Silver
Minnow" can be very effective when fished slowly in thick structure.
Its weedless configuration helps to minimize hang-ups on logs and branches,
while its natural action and flash attracts strikes even when falling or
bouncing from stick to stick. Spoons are useful for probing deep
crevices between sand rills on beaches in the rivers and for attracting
cruising fish on shallow flats in the rear and in the mouths of lagoons.
Sizes from 1/4 to 1-1/8 ounce can be used with any tackle combination.
Other effective types include "Daredevles", "Krocodile's", large "Tony
Aceta" spoons and "Pixies" in various colors and patterns (although silver
always works well).
Fun but Ineffective - The moment I suggest
that a lure might be ineffective in a certain situation, I assure myself
of hearing about dozen's of exceptions. Every lure will have its
army of proponents who will swear by its efficacy in any or all circumstances
and who would readily gamble their survival on its ability to catch fish.
I realize that an angler who is confident and comfortable with a lure and
uses it effectively and often, will generally be successful. I grew
up with the Arbogast "Hula Popper" filling just that role for me in a lifetime
of bass fishing. I just plain love that lure. I fished
the heck out of it for most of my life. In spite of that, I have
yet to catch a single peacock on it. And believe me, I've tried!
I've tried big spinnerbaits, bottom bouncing jigs,
creepy crawlers, jitterbugs and flatfish with no luck. Soft plastic
baits don't survive the piranhas long enough for me to find out if they
work. Needlefish, J-Plugs, Pop-R's and Mepp's all fail to produce
with any regularity. Peacock bass fishing, like most types of fishing,
is ultimately a function of numbers and these fish react mostly to noise,
speed and certain types of motion.. The more time a productive lure
spends in productive water, the greater the probability of generating a
strike. Everybody has a favorite lure and should definitely give
it a try. But don't get carried away. Each angler can quickly
determine how much time he or she wants to commit to a particular lure
by the response it gets from its audience, the fish.
Lagoons - The rivers of Amazonia are lined with lagoons of all shapes, sizes, depths and configurations. In most rivers and under most conditions, the great majority of peacocks are caught in lagoons. The interiors of lagoons provide sheltered grazing and breeding areas for forage fish that make up the majority of the peacock's diet while offering a wide range of structure and cover for hunting peacocks. The mouths of lagoons are often particularly attractive to fish because of their transitional nature, interfacing the flowing water of the river with the still waters of the lagoon.
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Dense cover means that hooked fish have quick access to fairly impenetrable hiding places. Peacocks are so strong that if they can hang a lure on a branch, they can exert enough power to straighten the hooks right out. The angler's best strategy is to try to lead a hooked fish perpendicular to structure, then arc it into open water by holding the rod parallel to the water and moving the wrists in the direction you want the fish to go. The pressure on the fish caused by the bend in the rod is then most easily relieved by the fish when it moves toward your wrists, hopefully away from the cover. Sometimes you just can't stop them. If you're still hooked up, the best course of action is to let the line go slack and then to move the boat directly over the cover. You will often spook the fish out from underneath and into open water. If none of this works and its a real monster, look imploringly at your guide and maybe he'll go in and get it for you. Heavy structure holds large numbers of fish but can often be reluctant to give them up.
Shallow Water - Fish don't always hold in the shallows and when there, they can be somewhat skittish. But when they're cruising for a meal individually or in groups of two or three, it can be very exciting. Its almost like fishing for bonefish on the salt flats. A spoon cast beyond the fish and perpendicular to their line of travel can be retrieved in front of them, quickly enough to keep it off the bottom. When it's spotted, the hair raising sight of several big, hungry peacocks racing for your lure will thrill even the most jaded angler. Hang on and wait for the winner to get there. Often the take will be violent enough to set the hook. If it's not, wait until you feel the line go tight and then lean back and set it yourself. Usually, shallows are not laden with structure, so a properly adjusted drag and a patient fisherman will most often harvest a scrappy peacock.
Points - I love points. Every time I find myself approaching a point of land that extends into the water, I can sense my own level of anticipation rising, because peacocks seem to love points also. Usually a point will create an underwater ridge visible to the angler, with deeper water on either side. Have a rod with a surface lure and another loaded with a subsurface bait ready as you approach the point. Wait until you are close enough to cast ten feet or so past and perpendicular to the ridge, into the deeper water, and then work the surface lure over the top of the ridge. Be ready. Most points of this type will hold fish. If the surface lure doesn't produce, use a subsurface bait and probe the deeper water on both sides, casting toward shore and parallel to the ridge.
Feeding peacocks - During the course of a fishing day, anglers will often see signs of feeding peacocks. These are great opportunities, especially for big fish. Baitfish fleeing, skipping across the surface, or large disturbances in open water are good indicators. It isn't always due to feeding peacocks, but don't pass up the opportunity to cast a big surface lure into the fray. Drop it right in behind the baitfish, in the peacock's path. If you place it well, it will usually be taken immediately. Set the hook and hang on.
Lagoon banks and beaches are often used by peacocks to drive baitfish onto the shore and then pick them off as they flop back into the water. If you see this kind of activity, throw anything onto the bank, and drag it into the water. Peacock's will usually grab the closest object in the melee.
Spawning peacocks - Peacocks become very difficult to catch during the spawn. Luckily they don't all begin at the same time, so a river that is still fishing very well, may also begin to simultaneously have fish on spawning beds. Anglers can often see large fish on beds in shallow, open sections of lagoons. It's work taking a cast at them. Sometimes a reaction can be elicited from fish in the early stages of spawning by slowly swimming a Johnson's spoon or a jig tied with fluorescent yellow rabbit skin (instead of the bucktail), through the bed. Later in the spawn, even this technique stops working and outfitters will then move downriver ahead of the spawn, upriver to an area where the spawn is finished, or on to the next river system.
Open Water - Typically, casting and probing for peacocks in lagoons consists of working one's way along the banks and any other visible structure in a lagoon. In very large lagoons, this leaves a huge amount of untested open water in the middle. Granted, peacocks are usually in much greater concentrations near structure and banks, but oftentimes feeding peacocks are working the deep open water in the middle of large lagoons. In a large lagoon, there may 10 times to 100 times as much open water as there is structure and shoreline, so the task of effectively fishing such a huge but thinly populated area can seem daunting and potentially unproductive. Anglers, however, have an effective tool at their disposal; use the boat and go trolling.
Peacock bass are usually not shy fish. They are not concerned about leaders and lines. They strike ridiculously large lures and they'll attack within inches of a boat. The wake of a relatively quickly cruising boat doesn't seem to faze them either. Using the boat's primary motor, anglers can troll large surface or subsurface lures behind their boat, using their rods to impart the same action to the lure as if they were casting. Trolling at 4 to 5 mph is a bit faster than most anglers may be used to but it works for peacocks. Because of the substantial wake produced, lures should be at least 100 to 150 feet behind the boat. Among the most effective trolled lures are "Woodchoppers" and "Amazon Rippers" on the surface and "Bombers", shallow running "Rapalas" and Johnson's Spoons. Groups of two or three big, hunting peacocks may get on the trail of a pair of trolled surface lures and literally hurl themselves through the air to come crashing down on top of the baits.
Trolling is not for everyone and definitely not for every situation. Some folks would rather just cast for the pure and simple enjoyment of it and most of the time that's the way I feel. Sometimes, however, after a long day that hasn't been very productive, my tired arms and an ungratified addiction for big fish make trolling a very attractive alternative. Very large lagoons that are known to hold large fish make logical targets for trolling and should be tested in this manner after anglers have thoroughly fished their way through the structure. Trolling can produce inordinate proportions of large fish, when used sparingly, at the right time, in the right way. Don't troll your way into a lagoon. Cast your way in and then, if appropriate, troll your way out. If a lagoon is too small or too narrow, don't troll. The wake will cause excessive disturbance, may damage shoreline structure and will probably put the fish down for hours. If a lagoon is too small to troll, but you still can't reach both banks by casting from the middle, then work the shoreline and, every ten or twenty casts, toss a bait out into the open water. This technique has produced surprising results for me from time to time.
Rivers - In most rivers and under most conditions, the great
majority of peacocks are caught in lagoons, with river fishing being relatively
unproductive. Sometimes, however, in certain fisheries, anglers will
have opportunities to successfully pursue peacock bass in the rivers themselves.
River fishing becomes most productive when water levels are extremely low
and lagoons become too shallow and too hot. Fishing the river for
peacocks can add another dimension to the angling experience
Rocks and Structure - Rocks are peacock bass
magnets. They are not common in Amazon rivers. When rock structure
is available, peacocks will consistently select it and congregate tight
to the structure. Starting upstream, anglers can drift their boats
along the periphery of the rocks and cast tight up against the structure.
Surface lures can be retrieved parallel to the structure or maneuvered
through openings and between rocks. Diving Rapalas and Rattletraps
can be run deep around the base of rocks and will work well here.
But for me, jigs are the bait of choice. Bounce them right off a
rock and let drop them in, then start ripping the jig back. Work
them along an edge and probe crevices and overhangs. The speed of
the retrieve is definitely a factor in this lure's effectiveness.
In the clear water where jigs are most effective, peacocks can be seen
flashing out of crevices, stopping dead behind a jig slowing down between
rips, and then slamming it as the angler rips it again. If the jig
doesn't move away quickly enough, anglers can watch the same peacock flash
back into the depths, rejecting the lure.
Other riverine structure, logs, deadfall, and cuts
will often hold peacocks also, especially if they are adjacent to rocks.
Fish this structure just as though it were in a lagoon, making compensation
for the effects of any discernible current. Concentrate your efforts
in transition areas between rocks and other types of structure.
A yellow and red jig lured this fast water peacock out of the rapids. |
Since that experience, I make it a point to probe any fast water I encounter. Peacocks seem to behave differently in fast water. Although they may strike less intensely and make less violent runs, they seem to last longer and run farther in the moving water. The effect of the current adds changes to the character of the fight. Fast water peacocks also seem to be smaller than their slow-water brethren. Although I have enjoyed many more fast water fishing experiences since that first time, I have yet to encounter a fast water peacock larger than ten pounds.
Beaches - Sandy beaches occur on the inside shore of curves and along the edges of shallow stretches of river. The force of the rainy season's high waters cuts scalloped forms into the expanses of white sand. Fisherman can exploit the deep water and the steep edges between the ribs of sand. Redfins, Rapalas, Bomber and spoons will produce in these water-sculpted locations. You can cast a "Woodchopper" perpendicular to the ribs and sometimes get a pleasant surprise.
Streams and inlets - It's worthwhile to keep an eye open for water sources entering the river, no matter how insignificant. Casting well up into the mouths of entering streams will often produce strikes from fish holding right at the point where inflowing water blends with the river. In muddy rivers, this can be marked by a sharply delineated color change, if the inflowing stream is relatively clear. Smaller brooks and streamlets may often hold fish right at the river shoreline.
We've prepared well, we've got the right tackle and lures, we're fishing
in the right spots and using the proper tactics and techniques. We've
done everything to allow us to be winners at the "numbers game" of fishing.
What do we do when the ferocious little monsters actually show up to fight?
Peacocks don't hesitate to leave the water for a display of aerial acrobatics. |
The Hookset - Peacocks have powerful jaws and bony mouths, lined with rows of small raspy teeth. It takes a hard, solid effort to drive a hook into their mouth. Peacocks will close their jaws around a lure, grabbing it and swimming away. Let the line go tight and then put your strength into the hookset, raising your rod tip high. Single hooks with wide gaps such as jigs or Johnson's spoons penetrate more easily than trebles, and usually set solidly with the first effort. Lures with treble hooks are harder to set securely and will often benefit from a second or third effort when the line is good and tight. The best way to assure a good hookset is to constantly sharpen your hooks. Carry a small file or hook sharpener and use it often.
The First Run - The key to surviving the first run is to have a properly set drag. A ten pound peacock will easily break 30 pound test if the drag is set too tight. Anglers should be readily able to strip line off their reels by hand, with less than 1/3 the force necessary to break the line. If the fish is near cover, try to lead the fish to open water by using your body, your arms, your wrists and the arc of the rod to give the fish a direction toward which it can move more easily. (It doesn't always work and peacocks often reach cover in spite of the anglers best efforts.) Once you have a solid hook-up and a fish in open water, let him run. Keep the line tight and your rod tip high and use the rod to tire the fish. They often jump and rattle their gills in an effort to throw the hook. Point your rod at the fish while it's in the air and hope that your hookset holds. A well set drag will get you through the pounding, head shaking histrionics that peacocks perform with their full power at their command.
The Rest of the Fight - Make it through the first run of a big peacock and you've got a great shot at landing a trophy. When they come to a halt, anglers can begin to reclaim line and bring the fish closer. Continue to guide the fish away from structure and toward open water and be prepared for the next run. As you reel in, peacocks will often eyeball their adversary while they recover their strength. They will almost always take off again with renewed strength once they get close to the boat. Don't get complacent. They still have enough strength to straighten hooks and snap the line. Don't "horse" them, let them get tired bending your rod and taking line against the drag. Be patient and work them back toward the boat.
Netting - If you're fishing with a guide, he will almost always
do the netting for you. He knows that it's bad practice to let the
fish see the net or to touch it with the rim before it's securely netted.
Help him. Get a tired fish to lie on the surface and skate it toward
the net using your rod. Leave enough line to move the fish close
to the net, making it easier for the guide to dip the net below the fish,
sweeping it up to assure its capture. It's your trophy after all.
Doubleheaders - Peacock bass are extremely competitve predators. Sometimes several may spot a lure at the same time and race for it. (The smaller, quicker peacocks will often win the race to a lure.) They will frequently try to grab a lure from each other, literally fighting over it. (The bigger fish usually win these battles.) When two anglers are fishing together and one hooks up, it's a good tactic for the second angler to cast a subsurface lure toward the hooked fish. There is very often a competitor following the first fish who may be perfectly happy to settle for the second angler's offering. Sometimes it may even be the big fish that lost the race. Doubleheaders are great fun.
An important caution here is to remember to use both common sense and courtesy. When your partner is playing a fish, he's busy and not thinking about you. It's your responsibility to be careful. Give him space. Don't cast over his line or otherwise interfere with his fish. If your partner hooks up to an obviously large fish, don't cast at all. The last thing anyone would want to do is cost his fishing partner a trophy. Get your line out of the water, stay out of your partners way and offer words of encouragement. You can both enjoy the thrill of a trophy peacock coming to the boat.
Catch and Release - Wow! It's huge and it's amazingly beautiful.
Admire it, but please do it fast. Let the guide hold it for you or
use a Bogagrip and hold it yourself. Get your pictures, weights and
measurements and get the fish back into the water as soon as possible.
A tired peacock has just been stressed to an extreme and it needs your
help to survive the experience. Hold it firmly and safely while it's
in the boat, avoiding contact with its skin and slime coat as much as possible.
Even though it's tired, a big peacock can be surprisingly hard to hold
and a quick jerk of its powerful body can send it crashing to the floor
of the boat. The Bogagrip, a great tool to simultaneously weigh and
hold a fish without damaging it, is the perfect way to prevent injury
to the fish. Peacock's have very sharp, raspy teeth that will
readily scrape the fingerprints off bare skin. They have sharp gill
plates and sensitive gills. They won't relax and cannot be lipped
like a largemouth. Let your guide show you how to hold them to minimize
the stress and damage to these beautiful creatures.
When releasing peacocks, hold on for a moment until you can feel the fish in control of its body. If it's rolling belly up, you'll need to hold it while moving it firmly back and forth letting the water work its gills. You'll know when it's ready to leave by the strong, quick thrusts of its tail. Keep an eye out for nosy dolphins, they'll often try to grab a freshly released peacock before it has fully gathered its wits.
This fantastic fishery can thrill and excite anglers forever if we all cooperate to keep it healthy. As vast as the Amazon is, we must all remember that its resources are still finite. When you get home, take your pictures and measurements and head off to a taxidermist. Ask him to make you a replica. The price is the same as for a skin mount and the resulting trophy lasts longer and usually looks better. And you can feel good knowing that your trophy is still swimming, hunting and reproducing, maybe to thrill another angler in the future. Treat these fisheries like the fragile ecosystems that they are and perhaps we'll all get to take our children fishing here too.
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Guided peacock bass trips are available throughout most of September, October, November, December, January and February. For more information on booking a Peacock Bass fishing adventure, contact: Paul Reiss at (908) 832-2987 E-Mail Paul Reiss, or: Garry Reiss at (908 431-1668 E-Mail Garry Reiss |
Well, all that remains now is to go out and do it. Go fishing
and catch fish. But while you're thinking about lure selection and
structure and water clarity and all the bits and pieces of the numbers
game we call fishing, take a look around you. The Amazon is one of
the most beautiful places in the world with its labrynthine river systems,
endless forest and amazing biodiversity. Relax and enjoy it.
The sheer numbers of birds and exotic plants can keep you occupied and
cataloging for a lifetime. Over 900 species of fish are found in
these rivers. Monkeys and jaguars, parrots and toucans and macaws,
tapirs and capybaras, cayman and dolphin, all live here. Probably
uncountable numbers of insect species. And people whose lifestyles
are so different from ours that it might take a lifetime of study to fully
understand it. Fishing for peacock bass is a fantastic experience.
Just look around you.
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