Visiting South Florida, where to fish?

[elowejr51]

I will be in South Florida around Ft Lauderdale & Miami the last week of this month. I have never fished in Florida before and would appreciate any tips on tackle and the best locations to go. We will have 3 full days to fish! Super excited, I know one day we want to try to catch some peacock bass and another want to focus on the massive largemouths that I always hear about being down there. We will be shore fishing unless a place recommended has boat rentals. Thanks for any help! 

[Poolshark]

For the peacocks, shiners on the smaller side are the best best. If you are set on using artificials, I like the small floating rapalas, the small skitter props and even the 1/8 ounce rattle traps. I think the peacocks are fun to catch on spinning gear. 7 ft med fast is a good choice. 

 

You can catch them from most residential canals or small lakes. Look for underwater drop offs, docks, bridges, culverts or anytime type of wall dipping into the water. Cast and retrieve quickly from the shore towards your self. 

 

For the largemouth, you’ll catch them in the same places. My favorite bait is the 4 to 5 inch senko. In Junebug for dark water, Watermelon for clear water. I also like the t rigged worm of almost any type. Same colors. Flukes are good too. You can use the same rod, but I personally use a 7 ft mhf with braid/Floro leader. On the canals down there I like to fish the intersections for largemouth. 

 

use google earth and you will find no shortage of places you can fish the banks. Pretty much all fresh bodies of water will have both types of bass in them. The peacocks are more active in warm weather. 

 

The canals in the glades start to fill up with bass during the winter. You wouldn’t need a boat to fish them. But you can rent John boats at holiday park. I’ve had many 30+ bass days out there in the winter. 

 

Good luck 

[elowejr51]

Thank you Poolshark for the tips! 

[soflabasser]

I read the PM you sent me last night about fishing for peacock bass and snook. You can do well fishing from the shore for these fish anywhere in the areas you mentioned. You do not have to hire a guide since they are plenty of places you can fish from the shore and have a very good chance at catching snook and peacock bass, even in the same day. For peacock bass use propbaits, poppers, jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, lipped crankbaits, and bucktail jigs. You can use live bait if you want but you can do just as good with lures. You can use the same lures for snook if you want and some well known saltwater snook lures such as DOA lures, flukes, and flairhawk jigs. The flairhawk jigs are good in areas with heavy current such as inlets which are also good areas to catch several species of saltwater fish. Mullet, pinfish, and grunts are good choices for live bait for saltwater snook and shiners are good for freshwater snook. Make sure to use at least a 30-60 pound mono leader for snook since they have a sharp gill plate that can easily cut line, especially the big snook. Good luck and have fun fishing!

[Ayden John Paul Davis]

Any chance i can be pointed in a general direction? There is water down here everywhere... trying to put myself snd a 12 year old on fish. Thanks!!