Had To Look This One Up

[SirSnookalot]

Went out specifically targeting peacocks, did manage to catch one.  I kept getting tapped like a pea on a bed, finally I hooked it and had never seen this fish before.  Called a Black Acaria.

[gulfcaptain]

Nice colored male.

[BassinLou]

Went out specifically targeting peacocks, did manage to catch one.  I kept getting tapped like a pea on a bed, finally I hooked it and had never seen this fish before.  Called a Black Acaria.

 

That's a decent size. They get alot bigger than that. They can be aggressive when your bait approaches their nests. 

[bocaLMBhunter]

its actually a spotted tilapia, i use the smaller ones and free line them for peacock bass. i would highly suggest trying this!!

[SirSnookalot]

Something about bass, peacocks, snook and tarpon that I just have to fish artificial for them.   I'm a bit concerned about this cold snap in regards to the peacocks in the Delray area.

[bocaLMBhunter]

i enjoy artificial as well, but there is something about a 40" plus snook thumping a live mullet, pilchard etc, as well as seeing a peacock come at a fresh tilapia at 100mph!! 

[SirSnookalot]

i enjoy artificial as well, but there is something about a 40" plus snook thumping a live mullet, pilchard etc, as well as seeing a peacock come at a fresh tilapia at 100mph!! 

I profoundly disagree.  I see and know many people that use nothing but live bait for snook, for the most part they are meat hunters looking for a slot.  These fishermen are using either a conventional or heavy spinning outfit with a 30- 40# rod seen heavier ones too using 40# line and 80# leader.  It's pretty much just hoisting them in, the average snook is no where near 40".  Slot hunters fish snook only in season, I've used bait myself a handful of times, never really waited too long to hook one, don't see a whole lot of sport to that kind of fishing.  I fish snook 12 months of the year, try catching one on the incoming tide in Jan. or Feb on artificial, it isn't easy.  Using med or mh spinning gear 15-20# line or a fly rod and hooking that 40", now you are into something with no guarantee of landing it.

 

Peacocks are fun, even more so on light or ml spinning as the majority of them around here seldom top 5#, although I don't pay much attention to weight.  Fishing for fish with live bait that I'm going to release, especially given the average size of a peacock would un-define sport fishing for me.  Peacocks aren't much different than bass claims, a 5 pounder shrinks up a bit once it's put on the scale.

[bocaLMBhunter]

When i live bait for snook i usually use my calcutta 400 on a stout falcon rod with 50lb braid and a 50lb flouro leader.  We do alot of spillway fishing and near bridges, so its necessary for heavier tackle, and we are not targeting slot fish, dont care about eating a slot. Ive also fished plenty of artificials on  light tackle from small 1000 size reels up to 5000 size, catching them on the flats in everglades national park to fresh water lakes. I enjoy all of it. 

 

I enjoy fishing live bait for peacocks. Its not like were going to the tackle shop and picking up shiners, going out to find bait spots is not simple especially when looking for a specific bait. The big fish come out to play when there favorite bait fish is around. 

[BassinLou]

Something about bass, peacocks, snook and tarpon that I just have to fish artificial for them.   I'm a bit concerned about this cold snap in regards to the peacocks in the Delray area.

 

I wouldn't sweat this cold snap Snook. The cold snap of 09 that killed off alot of the exotics was a cold snap that basically lasted for 1 month. It's cool lately but not cold cold. We should be ok. 

[SirSnookalot]

I caught this one in 09 during all that cold, within a few days I saw the canals loaded with floaters.  Haven't had a good peacock spot since.  I could walk to this canal from my home in a few minutes.