Bass Mekanik Posted June 21, 2007 Posted June 21, 2007 I love the rain we have been having the past few weeks. Florida Water Management has those spillways open almost all the time now and the water is flowing through the canals. Well today I hit up a local spot I haven't fished since I was a young boy. I started to catch bait 2-4" Bluegill and Mayan Chiclids because I wanted to catch a freshie Tarpon or Snook. I filled my bucket with about 12 bait and toss one out. Once it hits the water a decent 3lb bass takes it and runs. I land him and while im reviving him I see two Snook just crusing by. One was around 27" and the other was 38-40" The bigger one has to be the second biggest snook I have ever encountered. Well I put on a nice 3" mayan and let him drift with the current under the bridge I was fishing. When it was somewhere under the middle of the bridge I hear that tell tale snook POP!!! I wait 3 seconds and come tight. The snook was on for all of 2 seconds when I get cutoff and see the two snook dart out from under the bridge and fly down the canal. My 20lb flouro leader was shreded and frayed. Many people say you need atleast 30lb flouro leader for snook but when the water is as clear as it was today I needed to go lighter. Depressed and ticked I tie on another leader and continue to fish. The little bass and peacocks would destroy my baits each time the hit the water and then they would just float around for a while and die. To remedy this problem I caught a 5-6" bluegill that was bigger than my palm and tossed him out. Once he hit the water a BIG peacock comes out of nowhere like a freight train and just inhales him. I give it a couple seconds and get tight. This fish pulled like no other peacock I have caught before. Well after 5 minutes I finnally get it close enough to lip and land him. I put him on the scale, took a picture, and released him to go get fatter and eliminate all the non-native fish. He went 4lbs 8oz on my scale not my biggest but definatly the best fighter. I will be back there again to catch those elusive snook one day. Please excuse me for making this one big paragraph but im tired and need a shower. Heres the pics. Quote
Super User T-rig Posted June 21, 2007 Super User Posted June 21, 2007 What's your shoe size? A size 6? Just kidding man! Great looking fish, congrats! Quote
bpm2000 Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 those are cool lookin fish, wish we werent so cold up here! Quote
Super User Jimzee Posted June 22, 2007 Super User Posted June 22, 2007 Love to look at those peacocks, nice rod too. Quote
Bass Mekanik Posted June 22, 2007 Author Posted June 22, 2007 I hate not having somebody pass by and take a picture of the fish and me. > The shoe is there just for size reference and its a size 12. The rod is nice but I shouldn't be using it for peacock fishing. I need something with more backbone when using live bait, the M power just doesnt cut it. So I will have to get myself a St. Croix Tidemaster or a Simano Teramar in MH and also have that as a new Inshore rod. Quote
OBX-BASS Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 thats a nice fish man...i have fished for peacocks once while visiting my grandparents in FL....i miss fishin for em cus it was sooo much fun!!! im hoping to make it back down there again to fish for them again!!! Quote
Fisherman Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 Nice Peacock! I'm on a Peacock drought for a few weeks now.. :'( I'm needing my fix... Quote
SouthMiamiBassMan Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 Awesome fish! Live Bluegills & Mayans are the way to go down here! That's the best method that will always guaranty the "BIG" fish. I caught my PB bass (31+ inches) 2 weeks ago on a 5in Mayan. I'I need to catch one those peacock bad boys though. PS. Even though the Mayans are a tougher looking fish, the Bluegills seem to stay alive longer for me after getting tagged by a bigger fish. Which do you prefer to use? Quote
Fisherman Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 I'm curious as I have never fished with live bait (freshwater). What are you using to catch the baitfish? Are you netting or fishing for them? Quote
Bass Mekanik Posted June 22, 2007 Author Posted June 22, 2007 To catch bait fish I use a very small gold hook tipped with little bread balls. I think its illegal to use a cast net in freshwater but I could be wrong. The bait fish can range from 1.5"-6" (Bluegill, Spotted Tilapia, or Mayan Cichlids) To catch them the hook needs to be positioned right in their mouth for a hookup. I can fill my bucket with a dozen in a couple minutes. I find that bluegill's are heartier than mayans and they are my "secret" bait for brackish water spillway Snook(use ones the size of your palm). The mayans will float after one hit from any fish but bluegills still gimp around and swim a little. I would say that the 3-4" bluegills are the best all around bait for peacocks/bass. Bigger bait doesn't always mean bigger fish. More lively bait equals bigger fish. I rig the bait on Mustad live bait hooks in size 1 I think. Hook them around the anal fin for them to swim on the bottom or near the drosal to stay near the top or under a float. I find that I get better hookups with the anal fin rigging but both rigs get hit about the same. I haven't used a bobber/popping cork in a while and usually freeline them, but a big popping cork would probaly be good for when the Tarpon are crusing around. Quote
Fisherman Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 Thanks for the quick response Bass Mekanik. I will definately have to test out live bait for the beloved Peacocks.. I actually caught a Tilapia on an Xrap and as I was bringing it in, a hefty 7+ (an assumption, but I've seen plenty 5-6# and it looked bigger than that) Peacock bit half of it off. Ended up with my Xrap and a Tilapia head. It was a few years ago but will never forget it; I've seen this countless times in saltwater but never in a freshwater environment. Thanks again for the tips... Quote
FivePoundBluegill Posted June 22, 2007 Posted June 22, 2007 I wish we had Peacock bass here in california. I would love to catch one of those. Quote
PeterF Posted June 23, 2007 Posted June 23, 2007 Nice P's. I'll be hitting a lake in Cutler Ridge a week from this Sunday for Peacocks. After looking at your pics, I can't wait to get out there (it's going to be a long week) . Once again good job. Quote
Bass Mekanik Posted June 23, 2007 Author Posted June 23, 2007 I'm going to have to make the trek to Miami one of these days and try my luck at the peacocks down there. Believe it or not I have been fishing for peacocks for years and have yet to leave Broward to do so. I've seen pictures of recent catches on the Florida Sportsman Forum of peacocks in the 8-10lbs caught down in Miami. A few of them could have been new records but noone wants to kill a fish just for s stupid record. The biggest I have seen around here were in Weston in some private lakes but I am not allowed to fish in that city anymore. > Quote
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