Peacock bass?

MulletFord

I am going to South Flurda today to run some sea trials on new boats. 

Since none of us live down there, I figured someone may be open to sharing a spot or two where I can try my luck at peacock.... 

Will be in sebastian, hollywood, wrapping up in opa locka.

cortr

Might want to post in Southeast Section, not too may peacock in West Central!!!

alaprova

lake Ida and the canals around it, I've always fished with either live shiners or shad.

One Drop

I used to live down in Ft. Lauderdale  and fished them hard for years, now I'm living in Ormond Beach on the east coast. Go down south in Miami to The Falls Mall off US1 in Kendall.  Right behind the mall is a canal and a spillway.  Walk that canal with some different colored tube jigs, like the ones you'd use for crappie and 1/8 & 1/16 oz. jig head.  Black and white, chartreuse, red worked best for me.  The water is crystal clear and you will find them on beds or cruising.  There are bridges with long drainage pipes going underneath and the peacocks will hang out there and some big ones will hang out in the middle of the bridge so maybe freeline a shiner into those culverts and see what pops out.  I caught a few tarpon there as well and on the east side getting down towards biscayne I've caught a black drum on a shiner.  All the lakes around Opa Locka have a few peacocks but it's a little sketchy leaving your car in miscellaneous parking lots.  There's an FWC officer that patrols the Falls so no car break ins while I was down there but that a decade ago.  Any ways, I hope you get a few and post a couple pics. 

Side note here, I was thinking about taking my daughter and wife over to the west coast and do some scalloping.  Is that still going on?  Can you steer me to a good place to launch and follow the pack?  I'm a first timer and have a 16' Flats skiff so hopefully that's enough and really just want the family to get on their masks and fins and snorkel a little. Thanks in advance.  

MulletFord

One Drop said:

I used to live down in Ft. Lauderdale  and fished them hard for years, now I'm living in Ormond Beach on the east coast. Go down south in Miami to The Falls Mall off US1 in Kendall.  Right behind the mall is a canal and a spillway.  Walk that canal with some different colored tube jigs, like the ones you'd use for crappie and 1/8 & 1/16 oz. jig head.  Black and white, chartreuse, red worked best for me.  The water is crystal clear and you will find them on beds or cruising.  There are bridges with long drainage pipes going underneath and the peacocks will hang out there and some big ones will hang out in the middle of the bridge so maybe freeline a shiner into those culverts and see what pops out.  I caught a few tarpon there as well and on the east side getting down towards biscayne I've caught a black drum on a shiner.  All the lakes around Opa Locka have a few peacocks but it's a little sketchy leaving your car in miscellaneous parking lots.  There's an FWC officer that patrols the Falls so no car break ins while I was down there but that a decade ago.  Any ways, I hope you get a few and post a couple pics. 

Side note here, I was thinking about taking my daughter and wife over to the west coast and do some scalloping.  Is that still going on?  Can you steer me to a good place to launch and follow the pack?  I'm a first timer and have a 16' Flats skiff so hopefully that's enough and really just want the family to get on their masks and fins and snorkel a little. Thanks in advance.  

Yessir, still going on. It really depends on when you want to scallop. I would recommend south hernando county. Last time I went out there (3 weeks ago-ish) the scallops were in 6-9 feet of water on the patchy turtle grass. Some times they are deep sometimes they are shallow...It all depends on rain and wind.

I would recommend finding some nice grass in 6' and then go deeper/then shallow and dial in on where they are.

One Drop

Thanks Mulletford, that's perfect advice. I appreciate it. Don't forget to bring a frog with you for the snakeheads. My brother in law in Boca said they and peacocks were definitely in better numbers this year and he just walks the banks. 

Jack Hexter

I went scalloping last Thursday out of Hernando.. LAunched at Hernando Beach Marina, ran out the channel (long winding channel) and turned N for about 3 miles.  6-8' of water.  SUrface was murky and could hardly see the bottom until we got @ 2' down, then it was clear (lots of rain had surface murk) Current was very strong, but it was new moon current.  We did okay, not a limit like we usually get, but we had a dinner.  Thursday was mid week and only 1 other truck/trailer in parking lot.  Weekends might be a different story, usually is during scallop season which runs until Sept 24

One Drop

Thanks Jack. Now with this storm who knows what the conditions will be like for a few days. Better surfing weather. I appreciate the info. 

MulletFord

Storms usually make the scalloping better once it is clear. I was very distracted when I gave my first response so feel free to PM if you have more questions