"Where in Florida exactly can you catch Peacocks?" "Any stretch of fresh water in Dade and Broward counties is a potential peacock hot spot." South Floridas Peacock Bass, Carlos Hidalgo, 1997. The state record, which was a butterfly peacock bass, weighed about 9 pounds, caught in 1996, I think, I can't find the exact date in Mr. Hidalgo's book. His book is a great resouce, on the peacock bass in Florida. I was scheduled to go this past summer, but my contacts in Florida suggested I put it off until another time. They said that Florida has had enough back to back cold winters that the peacock bass populations are way, way down.

I would suggest Puerto Rico. There are (private)inland lakes about a hour outside of San Juan. I was there for the 4th of July and hired a guide. Cost $300 for a full day. Caught a boat load of Peacocks ,Red Devils, Juaguar Fish. Our largest was around 3Lbs but guide had tons of photos of 6Lb to 8Lb Peacock clients had caught. He claimed they had landed several in the 10lb to 13lb range.
Air fare was cheap and since its a US province you dont have to mess with customs or carry pass ports.
a added bonus is stay in Islde De Verde area of San Juan the ladies along the beach are very easy on the eyes!

1988-1991 Ft Davis 549th MP Company

Hey Jersey if your wanting a real fight,go out and fish for big groupers

I wouldn't suggest anyone travel anywhere for 3lbers...

Dude, you sold me and I was not even planning this until now. I know I can convince the wife to go to the Carribean. I only see one guide there on the internet. Was it Capt. Paco M�ndez that you used?

Or come tuna fishing...

The name sounds familar. I know you can pull his site from the internet. Peacock Bass fishing Puerto Rico should find him. Had a great time while we were there. Not expensive and the people were super freindly.

Go to Miami, have dinner at one of the sidewalk restaurants at South Beach and see the sights. Book a trip to the quarry pits west of Miami for Peacocks and Largemouth. Take an offshore trip 2 miles from the beach to blue water for Sailfish and Mahi in the Gulf Stream. Not a bad weekend.



Caught the Largemouth and Peacock off the same rocky point about an hour apart.

Two of us booked a local guide for half day Peacock fishing trip. Caught about 8 Peacocks with four being in the 5 lb. class. Guide said they got up to about 8 lbs. at the lake we went to. It was several hundred acres, big enough to run a ways in a Ranger with a 200HP. They will hit fast moving baits including Traps, spinnerbaits and when conditions right, topwaters. We were there in Feb. and they didn't want to hit on top that day. They fight really hard like smallmouth. The guide had a big one take away his last sexy shad Academy H2O rattle bait that day and it was bigger than any we landed that day.

Here is the guide's name/contact info:

Capt. Roger Gonzalez
786-663-4368

He was fun to fish with and knew his Peacock/largemouth fishing around S. Florida. I would recommend him. He also guides in the canals around Miami, but those Peacock are commonly only in the 1 to 3 lb. range, but may provide more numbers.

Send me a note if you have questions.

Mike

When you are ready for that replica, here is what ours looks like!

I heard TPW crossed a peacock and a largemouth....they are calling it a Largeco....nevermind.....bad joke.

There ya go JD! I'd call and book with that guide right now. Sounds like he's got access to some reclaimed pits.

You'll never see 20+ pound Peacocks in US waters. We simply do not have their preferred climate anywhere. S Fla. is as close as it gets in the US.

5 pounders are HUGE!

indeed

There is a freshwater lake on Oahu full of peacocks and snakeheads. Go tuna or Marlin fishing one day and hit up the peacocks the next!

JD,
Go to Cabo this month. Striped Marlin are insane, they are chasing big schools of sardines this time of year. Can also catch numbers of tuna, mahi mahi, and red snapper (which are spawning up near the rocks. I got a guy who we use that has a 34 ft Cabo for about $700 per day. Plus, you would love the night life, Spring Break!