best lures and tackle for peacock bass fishing in Florida

Butterfly Peacock Bass top habitats for summer and fall fishing are found in Florida lakes and the many lagoons of South America. While the lagoons are not true lakes, as the dry season continues, the lagoons become isolated resulting in many small lakes being created until the next rainy season.

Best Peacock Bass Lures

These are very hungry fish that will strike at a variety of flashy diving, shallow running, surface plugs, jigs, large streamer flies and fly-rod poppers. While they will go after some frogs and even the odd salamander, they are best caught using baitfish, lures that look like baitfish and flies with the same appearance.

  • Shallow Plugs

Shallow running floating and diving plugs are perfect for lagoon conditions in Florida and work just as well on the many rivers in the Amazon basin. Try using large walking, popping and buzzing models. Large plugs with fore and aft propellers create a lot of commotion and if placed inside their territory will almost guarantee a strike.

 

The use of lipless rattling crank baits are a favorite among Butterfly Peacock Bass anglers for lakes and lagoons in South America. These will also work elsewhere in the world where Peacocks can be found.

  • Color: Choose based on water clarity, though if you play the lure close enough and in their territory they should strike.

The use of a sonar device in Florida lakes can be a useful tool when water clarity is not very good.

 

These devices are not as effective in South America due to the amount of debris in the water. Often a good guide in these waters will more than make up for a lack of a sonar device.

Reel

Your reel needs strong gears in order to take the tough fight put up by the peacock bass. It also needs to be strong enough to handle the large surface lures. A smooth drag is also very important as well according to some anglers, and this certainly provides a challenge when you’re talking Butterfly Peacock Bass reaching over 30 pounds in South America.

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Drag

Make sure you loosen your drag in preparation for a strike as these fish strike hard and are savage. Setting the drag too high and you’ll probably end up getting your line snapped on your first strike, if you’re lucky enough to have a lunker on the line.

 

In Florida Peacock bass rarely exceed 12 pounds so line test strength should be at least 20 pounds for these waters. This should be sufficient as most peacocks in Florida are in the 3 to 5 lb range, with many being caught at just 2 or 3 pounds.

 

In South America have on at least 30 pounds because fish weighing 20lbs or more are not uncommon. If you happen to be in an area known for lunker Peacocks, make sure you have 50 pound test line. It’s also a good idea of have a large spool and lots of extra thread when fishing the Amazon. Having a backup rod and reel is also important.