PEACOCK BASS FISHING:

From daylight to dark-thirty…explosive action…lure rippin’…drag screamin’…gear grindin’…hook bendin’…line bustin’ (sorry, but it will happen) Peacock Fishin’!

They viciously attack and often destroy lures. The strikes they produce on subsurface baits can be bone jarring. Their surface strikes can leave you trembling and sometimes incapable of responding to the second and sometimes third startling explosion. The runs that a Peacock can produce at hookup, all the while pulling drag from a ‘locked down’ baitcaster, are heart stopping. Don’t even consider trying to horse this fish when it is still green. They can become violent with one, two or more powerful runs left… to tame even the veteran angler. They will destroy your tackle and shatter your nerves. How can such a beautiful sport fish have such a ‘big bad attitude’?

“Don’t let this ‘Fancy Dan’ appearance fool you,” says author, writer and National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame angler Spence Petros, a leading authority on peacock bass fishing. “The peacock bass is much more aggressive than its North American counterpart, often pursuing lures or prey larger than itself. Peacocks routinely break lines, shatter rods and destroy tackle that would subdue the toughest largemouth. The peacock bass has evolved as a world class gamefish, one that has learned to flourish in an environment that possesses vast schools of vicious piranhas, giant Amazon catfish the size of Volkswagens, 12-foot long armor scaled pirarucus, alligators and an assortment of other unsavory characters that possess fangs, stingers, toxins and never-ending appetites.”

Whether you call them by their Brazilian names of “tucunare azul or paca”, their Spanish names of “pavon azul or pinta lapa” or the name most American anglers are familiar with … Peacock Bass… this exciting sportfish has developed an ever-increasing following of anglers since the mid-80’s.

Few gamefish species evoke the kind of passion and almost obsessive following as that of the peacock bass. Although referred to as a bass, the peacock is actually not a member of the bass family at all. It is just one of the 1,600 plus members of the family of tropical fish called Cichlids.

The body profile resembles that of the largemouth bass and they have a ravenous appetite much like a largemouth. They are aggressive and produce awe inspiring strikes. But that’s about where the similarities stop.

One striking difference, immediately apparent to the first-time peacock bass angler, is that this fish is much more vividly colored than the largemouth bass. Depending on the watershed and the subspecies of peacock bass, you will find them adorned in varying shades of green, blue, orange and gold. Their fiery red eyes will have you believing that the fish has you pinpointed clearly in its vision. A circular black spot (the trademark of the peacock), dramatically rimmed in gold, on the tail fin is similar to that found on the land dwelling Peacock.

Peacock Bass exhibit three qualities that make them an ideal angling target: they are territorial; they mouth brood and they have ravenous appetites. Because they are so territorial, it is believed that a fairly high percentage of strikes will occur just because your lure or fly has violated their territory. Because peacock bass parents protect their young, after birthing them, for a period of time, they will assault a lure or fly because it is a threat to their offspring.

The fry will actually scurry into the mouths of protective parents when a threat is present. Their ravenous appetites can best be exemplified by the vivid mental image of 12 to 14 inch long baitfish actually beaching themselves on sandbars to escape the onslaught of peacock bass on the feed.

The diet of the peacock bass is comprised primarily of other fish. As with the largemouth, they are able to devour very large prey. Because of their speed and strength they are able to feed on most species of fish found in the Amazon watershed.

The Amazon Voyager, Cutter and Explorer guides are not just employees, but more like family. Many are related as they were all born and raised on the Amazon or its tributaries, often from the vary areas you will be fishing while on board one of these facilities. They are intimately familiar with the areas you will fish. Many of our guides were once employed by commercial fishermen or the aquarium fish marketers. Because of their knowledge of this watershed and their ability to understand changing conditions and fish behavior, they soon were sought after by fishing operations eager to have them teach American anglers about the ways of the Peacock Bass.

The Amazon Voyager, Cutter and Explorer Fishing Adventures will take place both on the main river- targeting prime structures such as islands, sandbars and points, as well as in hidden backwater lagoons and bays off of the main river. Many of these hidden lagoons are well kept "secrets" of the individual guides who take pride in putting their clients on their "secret lagoons" often times where the giants are found.

The guides are well-trained with a minimum of over five years of experience with American anglers and some have as many as ten years experience. Some were considered the prized guides by these early operations. Our guides understand that they too are responsible for making your fishing adventure a memorable experience. They are prepared to assist in any way to help you realize your dream of exciting, fast action, explosive Peacock Bass Fishing.

There are numerous techniques used to catch Peacock Bass. Probably the most common and the one most often utilized is the surface "ripper style" bait like the big Lure Jensen Woodchopper. Subsurface baits would include the long flashy jerk baits, jumbo spinnerbaits, spoons and jigs just to mention a few. You'll have to work these magnum lures aggressively to tempt these fish into striking while fishing various kinds of structure such as points, islands, humps, fallen trees, stumps, rock piles and sandbars. It takes stout tackle. Check out our suggested tackle section for our detailed tackle recommendations. The new fishing boats are stable 171/2' aluminum bass boats with raised casting decks, powerful outboard motors, trolling motors, radios and emergency kits.