Bass Mekanik

I agree with Wayne on this its the wear at the lure eye that you have to check. The loop knot I tie has never broke and I have caught countless snook, jacks, bass, peacocks and the occasional tarpon. I usually use 20-30lb leader for tossing topwaters b/c the loop knot doesn't seem to work as well with light lines. Just my $0.02

Loop knot gives best action IMHO.

Fresh: 7' M Shimano Compre w/ an old Stradic 2000FE on it. 10lb Ande Backcountry or 6lb YoZuri Ulra Soft. Salt: 7'6 12-25 Crowder rod w/ a Soron STX60 12lb Big Game or 30lb suffix braid.

Nice peacock I haven't caught one up here in Broward since that nasty cold snap. I think i'm going to have to start traveling south to get on that peacock bite. Freshie snook and tarpon have been on fire in my area though.

I went bank hopping today and didn't come across any but I was mainly targeting largemouth as they seem to be in spawn mode. Tomorrow I'll be checking some more areas but I did see a fair amount of other cichlids that made it through the cold(Mayans, Jags, and Tilapia). Needs to heat up a little more for them to hit the shallows and get out from the depths.

Sounds tempting. What was the bait situation looking like?

Like all others have said Trilene XL is great but I also have found that Ande Back Country in 8lb and 10lb is really limp and has descent abrasion resistance.

Very nice peacock you got there. I haven't fished for them in a while but think I will give it a shot next weekend. The fall mullet run is in full force and I have been getting my snook on so no time for the freshies. My biggest peacock was a little over 6 pounds and that one you got there is at least a 3 pounder. Keep it up 8-)

If they are Tilapia in the 1# and up range I use a #2 gold aberdeen hook and a bread ball about the size of a gumball from those quarter machines. I usually chum with some bread for a little to get them in a feeding frenzy and just toss out the ball and wait for the bite. Usually catch some monster bluegill and some bug Mayan cichlids also with this setup. Hope this helps but I would never eat anything from any Florida freshwater too much fertilizer and chemical runoff in our waters just my $.02

Raul is right about those 3+ pounders biting off more then they can chew. I saw this 4+lber making a big commotion and snagged it to see what was up. It ended up having a HUGE mayan cichlid in its mouth with the spines flared out so the bass couldn't swallow it. If I wasn't the nice guy I am this fish would have easily died. I pulled the mayan out and revived the bass for a while before she swam away. Shows bass are very opportunistic hunters.

I'm going to hit some spots after the cold front this week. I hope I don't see many floaters. They usually bite really good after the little fronts recently.

Personally, I have seen bass spawn in almost every month except July and August. December-January seem to be the peak for them down here but I saw one pair about a month ago on a spawn bed. You just have to put your time in on the lake and watch for little males guarding a bed. There is a big momma only a few feet away lurking in the shadows.

Here are links to some of my old posts with peacock pictures. Enjoy. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1179841087/10 http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1182463083/9#9 http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1172337086/61#61 http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1174427941/0#0 http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1219257014/0#0

Count me in.

When the bite is tough, I like a 1/4oz white bucktail jig since every fish in the world hits that. But lately the peacock bite in my area has been pretty consistant. Husky Jerks and X-raps are the norm during the day and topwaters in the morning. Recently I came across a new favorite lure for peacocks that works great after the cold fronts. Get yourself a MirrOminnow and learn how to use it. After our last cold front, I tossed that for 30 minutes and caught over 20 peacocks the biggest being 4lbs. I really don't want to hijack your thread but I had a pretty crazy day of peacock fishing today. Was at my sport and caught a couple nice peacocks when I see something blowing up the water in the middle of the lake. I payed no attention since it was out of casting distance and continued fishing. Well after a few minutes I see something flailing at the surface of the water about 20 yards away. I cast out my plug and snagged what turned out to be a 4.5lb largemouth with a mayan cichlid the size of a DVD stuck in its mouth. Being the nice guy I am, I quickly got the fish out of the choking bass' mouth and revived him for a good 5 minutes before he swam away. Shows bass will eat anything they can fit in their mouths and even things that don't.