Up the river deep in the Everglades!

[geo g]

Tuesday 3/29/22

Miami River north as far as you can go.

First light to 1:00 pm

Blue bird skies, not one cloud!

Temp 80*
wind N15
W/T 78*

 

Met up with Matt and we headed for the Miami River deep in the Everglades.  It was a perfect morning with little wind, and cool temps.  The water was dead still, so I started with a Zara spook and had several followers.  Suddenly as the bait walked, a huge explosion, and the spook and a beautiful peacock were a yard above the water.  It was a great fight with several long runs, and several more jumps.  For their size there is nothing like a peacock bite.  It was a male with a huge knot on its head and about 4.5 pounds.  You know almost immediately it is not a large mouth but something special.

 

The top water bite didn’t last long and soon I was throwing Flukes and swim baits, and getting an array of fish from Oscars, Shell Crackers, Mayans, mud fish, gar, and black bass.  The bass were all in the 1 pound size with the biggest just under 2.  
 

My partner was having simular results.  As he caught a big mud fish, his fish was attached by a big gator that rushed the boat.  Within inches of his fish he jerked it out of the water and on the deck.  I’m sure this gator had done that before to other fisherman.

 

This part of the Everglades is quiet, loaded with wildlife, and 7 miles from the closest road.  We saw all types of birds, with raptors, egrets, song birds, at least 100 gators of various size.  With hardwood islands surrounding these wetlands, we heard bobcats calling to each other, otters, and snakes.  It is mother natures playground.

 

Several weeks ago there were python hunters walking these hardwood hammocks looking for big snakes.  So a little bit of the Amazon is present too!  I guess it goes with the peacocks, and Oscars.
 

A wonderful day in South Florida!

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by geo g

[Mike L]

Great Report!

One of these days I’m gonna get down there. I’ve never hooked up with a Peacock and being only 3 hrs from where you were just makes me salivate even more!

 

 

Mike

[SC53]

Having been born and grown up in so Florida, Plantation to be exact, this is what I remember the most. We would fish some days and not see another person. 
I lived there from 59-84 before peacocks were abundant. They were mostly in Miami area. But I’ve been down a few times in the past and caught them in the canals in west Broward county where Plantation is. 

[geo g]

5 hours ago, SC53 said:

Having been born and grown up in so Florida, Plantation to be exact, this is what I remember the most. We would fish some days and not see another person. 
I lived there from 59-84 before peacocks were abundant. They were mostly in Miami area. But I’ve been down a few times in the past and caught them in the canals in west Broward county where Plantation is. 

 

 

Lots of snakeheads in those Plantation canals the last few years.  I have caught them back to back especially there in Plantation.

[Bird]

Nice report and right up my alley....... thanks for sharing.

[TnRiver46]

Sounds awesome!

[geo g]

Peacock bite is excellant right now with Zara spook, and prop baits.  Explosive action on top water.  The outside edge of weed lines.

[KHNC]

what kind of numbers of bass are you catching this time of year? I always heard its better in early spring and tough in summer due to water getting really high. 

[geo g]

Water is still low and numbers of peas and black bass are good.  You could catch 200 Oscar’s if you wanted too.  Crazy throwing small beetle spins for Oscar’s.