More Dead Peacocks!!

[South FLA]

Was out this morning taking some cast around my neighborhood canal and saw floating peacock bass  :-[, thought most if not all were wiped last Winter, but apparently not. The nail in the coffin maybe this front coming through on Sunday, temps in the mid 30's predicted in most of Palm Beach County with highs in the mid 50's for 3 days, not good for tropical Peacocks!!

Water temperature was in the mid 50s, and they start stressing out and dying when temps dip below 60!!

[GLADES]

I was just looking at the thread started by Krzkev and thinking that they might be killed by this cold front.

It looks like the cold has already done some damage.

I guess we can hope a few survive and the lakes can repopulate. Do the peacocks survive in Miami because of the aquifer fed lakes? It should be nearly as cold there.

[I.rar]

terrible. 

i was out today and had a school of em follow a 3.5" soft swimbait up onto the drop off. a couple nipped at it , but none committed. strange to see em come from the deep though.

[Dan:]

So it's bad when the invasive peacocks die, but according to some FLA members it's good when invasive snakeheads die?

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Yep

The peacocks were introduced.  They helped a lot of the fishery as intended.  The snakeheads were not introduced and they are basically eating their way through the southern Florida canal systems.  If they make it into Lake Okeechobee, it could well be game over as far as bass fishing is concerned down here.

[Dan:]

Who introduced them? Why would they introduce a non-native predator?

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

Yep

The peacocks were introduced. They helped a lot of the fishery as intended. The snakeheads were not introduced and they are basically eating their way through the southern Florida canal systems. If they make it into Lake Okeechobee, it could well be game over as far as bass fishing is concerned down here.

Did you know that they conducted a test and they found no largemouth bass in the bellys of sneakheads, and 2 peacocks in there bellys, but they killed some bass and peacocks and like 52 of the bass had sneakheads in their stomachs and like 25 of the peacocks had sneakheads in their stomachs

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

Was out this morning taking some cast around my neighborhood canal and saw floating peacock bass :-[, thought most if not all were wiped last Winter, but apparently not. The nail in the coffin maybe this front coming through on Sunday, temps in the mid 30's predicted in most of Palm Beach County with highs in the mid 50's for 3 days, not good for tropical Peacocks!!

Water temperature was in the mid 50s, and they start stressing out and dying when temps dip below 60!!

Freaking lucky floridians  ;D lol

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Yep

The peacocks were introduced. They helped a lot of the fishery as intended. The snakeheads were not introduced and they are basically eating their way through the southern Florida canal systems. If they make it into Lake Okeechobee, it could well be game over as far as bass fishing is concerned down here.

Did you know that they conducted a test and they found no largemouth bass in the bellys of sneakheads, and 2 peacocks in there bellys, but they killed some bass and peacocks and like 52 of the bass had sneakheads in their stomachs and like 25 of the peacocks had sneakheads in their stomachs

I can't comment on a test I've never seen or read.

I can tell you that the areas where the snakeheads have taken over, the bass are all but gone.  Whether or not the snakeheads eat them, I don't know.  I wouldn't be surprised if they do though.  Hell, I hope the Largemouth and the Peacocks are eating them.

[Krzkev]

The Peacock bass were stocked by the State of Florida, mainly to control the invasive spotted tilapia.  The also have a very high sport value to inhance the already diverse Florida fishing pallette.  The snakeheads that are in Florida are different then the northern version, we have the bullseye snakeheads down here.  I read that they were introduced to secluded canal systems by the asian fish traders so they can harvest and sell theminstead of ordering them from the middle east.  Much more cost effective by attempting to ruin our waters perminantly.  Therefore Peacock GOOD, Snakehead BAD.....

[Dan:]

That's what I don't get. Introducing non-native species is a huge risk no matter WHO does the stocking.

[bilgerat]

Cross contamination is a fact of life in this age of global shipping. Hell, it's been going on for centuries as long as man has been sailing the oceans in search of new lands, bringing with them their native plants and animals.

Aren't LMB considered an invasive species in Japan ?

[SoFlaBassAddict]

That's what I don't get. Introducing non-native species is a huge risk no matter WHO does the stocking.

Thats one of the good reasons for the Peacocks.  They are controlled by the cold weather.  They really can't survive out of the tri-county area.  Once the water hits 60, they start to die off.  It's been a year since the last really cold weather, and they still haven't returned to the northern edges of their range.

[rboat]

I read a report years ago by the state of Florida on all of the studies that were done on the peacock bass and how it would or could affect the So. Fl fisheries. It could survive without damaging any native species and could not spread north due to temps were it may affect other fish. They did their homework first, before the stocking program. Although I have never caught one, I have heard they fight better than most freshwater gamefish. So they improved a fishery in so.Fl. Snakeheads were just dumped in by stupid people and took over. I have read that snakeheads consume eggs and fry of other gamefish and can eliminate a population quickly.

[piscicidal]

My golf course ponds used to be loaded with monster peacock and largemouth. Now they have no peacock, a few largemouth and monster snakeheads. I blame our cold weather the past two seasons on the peacock situation and the snakeheads on the largemouth situation.

Snakeheads are so aggressive and voracious and they're competing with the LM for the same food sources.  I think there is little doubt their presence has had a negative effect on the LM bass population.

[evrgladesbasser]

Yep

The peacocks were introduced. They helped a lot of the fishery as intended. The snakeheads were not introduced and they are basically eating their way through the southern Florida canal systems. If they make it into Lake Okeechobee, it could well be game over as far as bass fishing is concerned down here.

Did you know that they conducted a test and they found no largemouth bass in the bellys of sneakheads, and 2 peacocks in there bellys, but they killed some bass and peacocks and like 52 of the bass had sneakheads in their stomachs and like 25 of the peacocks had sneakheads in their stomachs

I'd like to see this "test" you talk about. I have yet to encounter a snakehead, but another member on here said he was catching them at Markham Park. This means they have a straight shot to my stomping grounds in the glades.

It's hard enough catching bass over 4lbs out there, the last thing those bass need are the competition, much less a predator.

Most bass I catch are 1-3lbs, and I've seen the size of the snakeheads being caught. The bass won't stand a chance against them.

[Dan:]

From what I've read, the bullseye snakeheads have a narrow water temperature tolerance as well, unlike the northern snakehead that we have up here that can survive ice out.

The reason why I'm so antagonistic about the FLA snakehead "problem" is that I know with the snakehead situation we have up here there was a lot of talk about the sky falling when they were first discovered and everyone said all of the same things that you all are saying BUT nothing of the like has happened so far.

[SirSnookalot]

I've never seen or caught a snakehead, so I can't comment.  I have caught scores of pea's and they are great fun, excellent game fish.

[piscicidal]

I caught two snakehead Saturday morning flippin my golf course pond for bass.  One was 34" and one was a 38" beast.  On my flippin rig, I have the drag cranked down with 65lb power pro, and the 38" was stripping drag off the reel like a saltwater fish. They are amazing fighters....not as strong as a jack, but their speed rivals some of the saltwater species.

[South FLA]

From what I've read, the bullseye snakeheads have a narrow water temperature tolerance as well, unlike the northern snakehead that we have up here that can survive ice out.

The reason why I'm so antagonistic about the FLA snakehead "problem" is that I know with the snakehead situation we have up here there was a lot of talk about the sky falling when they were first discovered and everyone said all of the same things that you all are saying BUT nothing of the like has happened so far.

!Read these articles!

http://myfwc.com/docs/WildlifeHabitats/Nonnative_FW_Snakehead.pdf

http://www.floridawildlifemagazine.com/pdfs/may08-peacockBass.pdf

[evrgladesbasser]

I caught two snakehead Saturday morning flippin my golf course pond for bass. One was 34" and one was a 38" beast. On my flippin rig, I have the drag cranked down with 65lb power pro, and the 38" was stripping drag off the reel like a saltwater fish. They are amazing fighters....not as strong as a jack, but their speed rivals some of the saltwater species.

From FWC website:

"Age and Growth: Largest collected in Florida by FWC was 31.5 inches and weighed 9.2 pounds; reports of this species commonly growing to more than four feet and weights of 66 pounds erroneous; largest likely to get about 15 pounds."

According to this you have the new state record

[piscicidal]

From FWC website:

"Age and Growth: Largest collected in Florida by FWC was 31.5 inches and weighed 9.2 pounds; reports of this species commonly growing to more than four feet and weights of 66 pounds erroneous; largest likely to get about 15 pounds."

According to this you have the new state record

There is something wrong with those parameters... there's no way a 31.5" bullseye snakehead weighs 9lbs.  Below is a picture of a 30" snakehead that I caught...it was less than 5lbs.

The 38 incher I caught might have been nine lbs. I wonder if they'll certify the catch, if I bring it in in two pieces... 

[Catching]

Sorry this thread was high jacked and nothing but snakehead talk now, but I had to add a comment on the size and weight. When we have our Round Ups we do check the weight as well. 38 inch snakes are around 12 pounds we had two in the last one, I have caught over 20 myself 34-36 inches all weighing in at 8.5 to 9.5, 30-34 usually around 7 pounds.

If they are not eating the bass they are eating everything else. I have found turtles, crayfish, clams, frogs, lizards, numerous fish species, and birds.

They also have the lowest mercury level of any of the predators out there; I believe that is because they are not pure fish eaters, if it is moving they will eat it.

I have cleaned and examined the stomach contents of about 500 snakeheads so this should make me some kind of expert on them 

BTW the peacock bass were introduced in Dade county then anglers moved them everywhere else. I wonder if the guys that moved them feel sorry about sending all them peacock bass to their deaths.

[Dan:]

From what I've read, the bullseye snakeheads have a narrow water temperature tolerance as well, unlike the northern snakehead that we have up here that can survive ice out.

The reason why I'm so antagonistic about the FLA snakehead "problem" is that I know with the snakehead situation we have up here there was a lot of talk about the sky falling when they were first discovered and everyone said all of the same things that you all are saying BUT nothing of the like has happened so far.

!Read these articles!

http://myfwc.com/docs/WildlifeHabitats/Nonnative_FW_Snakehead.pdf

http://www.floridawildlifemagazine.com/pdfs/may08-peacockBass.pdf

That first article echoes exactly what I've been saying about snakeheads all year. The second one just describes how the FWC took a gamble against the law of unintended consequences and happened to make out alright.

[I.rar]

low of 32*f tonight. winds are gusting in the high 20's.