Part Two of Paul Reiss’ Interview with Bass Fishing Source: “Amazon Peacock Bass – The Real Heavy Hitting Monsters”

Paul Reiss, owner of Acute Angling, talks with Bass-Fishing-Source about fishing the Amazon for peacock bass in part two of an exclusive interview. Read it all below or click here.

Amazon Peacock Bass – The Real Heavy Hitting Monsters

Amazon peacock bass are quite different than anything you will find in the U.S. While the peacock bass in Florida can be great to catch, fishing for Peacock in the Amazon is not only a whole different experience but it’s also a whole different fish.

In our search for information on catching the “bass” that hits your line like a truck, we were lucky enough to get some insight from a true authority in Amazon Peacock Bass, Paul Reiss of Acute Angling.

We got a chance to ask Paul about what it takes to catch Peacocks in the Amazon, including tackle, lures and even some tips and techniques to land your next trophy Peacock. You don’t want to miss what he has to say about giving youself the best chance to land the fish of a life time.

First a quick introduction for those that may not know Paul.

Paul Reiss operates Acute Angling, a unique outfitting company offering guided Amazon fishing trips and explorations. After a conventional entrepreneurial career, he fulfilled a lifelong nature lover’s dream by founding a business that allows him and the anglers he takes along, to explore the world’s vastest wilderness, pursuing its fiercest sportfish and observing firsthand the amazing aquatic life of the Amazon. With two decades of field experience and doctoral study, Reiss is probably the world’s foremost expert on Amazon sportfishing and the amazing peacock bass. His company is focused on finding and accessing pristine waters for Peacock Bass, Payara, giant catfish and other fierce Amazon sportfish.

Find out more about Paul Reiss and his service, Acute Angling.

B-F-S: How long have you been fishing for Peacock Bass?

Paul: Seventeen years. My first visit to Brazil was in 1994. I quickly fell in love with the Amazon and vowed to find a way to spend my time there. The fishing business quickly evolved and along with it my research and conservation projects.

B-F-S: How do Peacock bass in the U.S. differ from Amazon Peacock Bass?

Paul: Basically, they are simply an altogether different species than thegiants we pursue in the Amazon. Even though they are related, they are as dissimilar as smallmouth and rock bass, snook and Nile perch or ladyfish and tarpon. The species that was successfully transplanted to Florida two decades ago is Cichla ocellaris, a smaller, more cold-tolerant species than the Amazon giant, Cichla temensis. Their behavior is quite different as well. Unlike the Brazilian giants, who are known for theirviolently aggressive topwater attacks, the Florida transplants are more of an opportunistic subsurface species, similar in some ways to the feeding behavior of a largemouth bass, although they typically strike harder.

Amazon peacock bass are enormous and can reach sizes approaching 30 pounds, while the Florida fishery typically yields 2 to 3 pound fish, with specimens occasionally reaching double digits. The fishing experience is also as different as the fishes. It’s hard to compare fishing in a pristine Amazon wilderness with casting in a canal in the shadow of a roaring airport. To experience the true power and ferocious nature of the giant peacock bass, there is no shortcut that bypasses the Amazon.

B-F-S: Why can you only find these big Peacock in the Amazon?

Paul: Simply put, temperature. They just can’t survive Florida winters. While Cichla ocellaris can tolerate temperatures as low as 60 degrees, the Amazon giant, Cichla temensis, won’t survive if water temperature dips below 75. They are really at their best in water ranging from 82 to 88 degrees year round, an aquatic environment not readily found outside the Amazon.

B-F-S: Many people tend talk about Peacock bass as one species of fish but my understanding is there are actually several species that are categorized as Peacocks. Can you clarify what the most popular and/or most common type of Peacock Bass?

Paul: There are actually 15 described species of peacock bass, but there is a tremendous amount of misinformation and misidentification circulating on the internet regarding their taxonomy. Even in scientific circles, classification of the genus Cichla (to which all species of peacock bass belong) has historically been a subject of disagreement. Recently, however, DNA analysis has provided clarification regarding its place in the family Cichlidae, while a revision of the genus in 2006 has done much to resolve Cichla taxonomy at the species level. There has not, however, been a widespread dissemination of this newfound knowledge in angling and non-scientific circles.

All 15 species of Cichla are relatively large, diurnal predators and all are primarily piscivorous. All of the species are commonly known as Peacock Bass in English, Tucunaré in Brazil and Pavon in Spanish speaking countries.

The giant species targeted by trophy anglers is Cichla temensis, the largest member of the genus and of the greatest importance in the lowlands of Amazonia, both as a sportfish and for human consumption. Their natural environment consists primarily of blackwater flood pulse rivers with extremely variable seasonal conditions. The species is found only in Brazil, Venezuela and Columbia, from the Rio Negro, Madeira and Orinoco drainages. There is an up-to-date and detailed species ID guide on our website, where anglers can see the pertinent information on all 15 species of peacock bass.

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Fish of the Week: Peacock Bass – Cichla Thyrorus

Our “Fish of the Week” is Peacock Bass – Cichla thyrorus, one of the newly described (2006) species of Cichla. Unfortunately, due to the newness of this classification, there aren’t any photos of live specimens currently available. If you have photos, we’d love to see them – email Paul Reiss and we’ll credit you on our website.

The Cichla Thyrorus begins its life with vertical bar markings that are replaced by ocellated blotches as it matures into an adult. Other distinct marketings include the fish’s blotchy cheeks. Its depth-to-length ratio is approximately 29 percent, while it has approximately 83 lateral line scales. Similar species include most other peacock bass – Cichla pinima, Cichla temensis, Cichla vazzoleri and Cichla jariina.

Again, due to Cichla thyrorus’s very recent classification, not much is known about its angling “vitals.” What we do know, however, is that it can be found in The Rio Trombetas and Cachoeira Porteira in Brazil, specifically upstream of the waterfall. If you have any more information about fishing for Cichla thyrorus, please contact us.

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The Amazon Fishing Season is Underway

Acute Angling’s Amazon Fishing Season is Underway for 2009 /2010

Every March, when the peacock bass fishing season winds down, I head home from the Amazon, always happy to return to New Jersey. After six months in the jungle, I’ve missed my family, missed the comforts of home and, dare I say it, even grown a bit tired of Brazilian beer. I welcome the leisure to enjoy pleasant dinners with my wife; to reconnect with my neighborhood, my friends and the fishes of my home waters. It’s always good to get back in time to enjoy the sense of renewal brought by the advent of spring and then stretch out in the comfortable lazy days of summer. Ah, but every September, as the weather begins to feel like autumn at home and the waters begin to recede in the Amazon, a new fishing season looms into view. I become helplessly reenergized with the excitement of starting off again, exploring new waters and fighting new fish. It seems that every year, the Amazon’s magnetic pull becomes greater and greater as the days get shorter and shorter.

The Blackwater Explorer Yacht

As September rolls around and Americans get ready for the Labor Day holiday and kids get ready to go back to school, I’m getting ready to head off on the Blackwater Explorer yacht and get Acute Angling’s new season underway. We’re going to start off with a bang this year, taking our beautiful Amazon yacht into waters she’s never visited, in search of fishes we’ve not often pursued.

Arapaima - An Amazon Giant

Rio Solimoes Exploratory – We’re starting this season with an exploratory voyage into Brazil’s vast western Amazon hinterlands. For the first time, we’ve organized a single three-week long voyage up the Rio Solimoes on the Blackwater Explorer. We’ll cruise from river to river in the complex flood-plain region. We’ll pursue acrobatic apapa (sardinata), enormous pirarucu (arapaima), fruit-eating tambaqui and pirapitinga, silvery matrinchá, explosive peacock bass, giant Amazon catfish and other fierce fishes of the Amazon. We’ll wander where we choose to and we’ll stop where the fishing is good until the three weeks are done. We hope to learn enough about this enormous region to offer our clientele new access to new species and an altogether new angling experience.

The Pirapitinga - A bruising fighter.

To make this limit-stretching exploration even more interesting, we’ve got a boatload of fish-crazed anglers aboard, including a core cadre of Amazon-hardened Aussies and several adventurous South Africans. This group of intrepid explorers comes complete with a fishing writer and a camera crew, so we’re prepared to document what we experience and then report back to our readers and anglers later this fall. We think it will be a stupendous voyage and we look forward to sharing the details with you.

Rio Madeira basin peacock bass – Later during September, we’ll head back east along the Amazon and into the prolific peacock bass regions of the lower Rio Madeira. Preserved in an Indian reservation, the lagoon studded rivers in this exclusive fishery produce huge numbers of big peacock bass every season. Last year, during our four week sojourn here, 41 anglers caught an incredible total of 11,601 peacock bass ranging up to 22 pounds. Think of it, that’s an average of almost 300 fish each, almost 50 fish per day for every angler! With waters dropping rapidly from this year’s record flood season, we expect to find perfect conditions upon our arrival. Perhaps we can even better last season’s remarkable statistics. If you’ve ever considered an Amazon peacock bass fishing trip, this is the best place to start and the Blackwater Explorer is the best way to get there.

When October winds down, and optimal water levels begin to shift with the season, the Blackwater Explorer will head north. We’ll fish the Rio Negro basin and its many renowned tributaries, such as the Rio Unini and the Rio Urubaxi. Meanwhile, I’ll head home for awhile to regroup and report back on our early season adventures. Watch this spot for reports on where we’ve been and where we’re going – as soon as I can get myself to an internet connection. Come November, I’ll be back in the jungle again as Acute Angling moves into other exciting regions like Brazil’s Guyana Shield and the Rio Branco basin. We’ve got two more exciting exploratory trips planned in our ongoing quest to explore yet more new fishing opportunities. You can learn more about where we’re headed by looking at our 2009 / 2010 fishing schedule. Or better yet, come with us! There’s an awful lot of fishing left to be done before March rolls around ….. and someone’s got to do it!

Visit us at;  www.acuteangling.com

Follow us on Twitter at;  http://twitter.com/PeacockBass

Check out our photos at;
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/peacockbass/

Watch our videos at;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnzi3Skwi9M

Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass – Tackle Guidelines

Part 2 – Tackle guidelines

This is what your fly rod was invented for.

Since peacocks can be sight fished or blind cast to structure and since this is a hand-to-hand fight (peacocks can literally snap a fly line like sewing thread – not the leader – the line!!), I’ll recommend some specific equipment that can serve to fit a wide range of peacock bass fly fishing needs and hold up to the challenge. I’m not trying to promote any brand over another here. Feel free to substitute your personally preferred model that suits the purpose. Please note that these recommendations are geared toward fishing for giant Amazon peacock bass (Cichla temensis) and not necessarily the behaviorally different and smaller-sized species that are found outside of the Amazon.  All of this gear can be purchased at www.tackle-box.net

Flies

Subsurface Fly Patterns — Large streamers fished on a sinking line are generally the most productive option for fly fishermen (not only in terms of overall numbers of peacocks, but for larger-sized fish as well). We highly recommend Sidewinder’s Peacock Rattle Fly. This fly is designed specifically for peacock bass and incorporates a variety of peacock-specific features.

1. Extra Wide-Gap Hook – Big peacocks have a heavy, thick jawbone. The wide 5/0 gap in the Peacock Rattle Fly’s hook allows it to pass around the jawbone so that it encounters softer tissue, not impenetrable hard bone. With the hook wrapped around its jawbone, the fish’s fighting force is applied at the stress resistant curve of the hook, so that your adversary is unable to apply pressure to the less resistant straight shank
2. Extra Strong Gamakatsu Hook – Peacocks are brutal fighters. Their extraordinary power crushes and straightens lesser hooks like so much tinsel. The Peacock Rattle Fly is built around a high-quality, super-strong 4X hook, to ensure that your trophy doesn’t escape by turning your bait into a pretzel
3. Extra-long Bucktail Material – Bucktail is unique among tying materials in its ability to provide life-like motion. Its hollow hairs naturally float and lend a pulsing motion to a properly fished Peacock Rattle Jig. Its natural flex and springiness can’t be duplicated by most synthetics.
4. Flexible Pulsing tail – Mounted with springy monofilament, the peacock rattle jig’s extended tail flexes and moves naturally. Its bucktail fibers allow it to pulse with the angler’s stripping motion, adding even more enticing, appetizing action.
5. Extended profile – Even the largest deer tails have a limit to the length of their hairs. A simple garden-variety fly is typically limited to about a three inch profile. By adding the Peacock Rattle Jig’s unique tail, the lure’s profile is extended to over 6 inches, providing a more visible, more appetizing stimulus to large peacock bass. The old adage that big baits catch big fish works very well with trophy peacocks.
6. Contrasting Color Pattern – The Peacock Rattle Jig swims with the hook pointing upward when ripped quickly through the water. Just like a natural baitfish, its contrasting colors are arrayed with the darker shade above and the lighter shade below.
7. Flashing sides – Baitfish live and die by the effectiveness of their camouflage. To take best advantage of the natural physics of light in water, they are shiny only on their sides and not on the top or bottom of their bodies. The Peacock Rattle Jig has brilliant flash on its sides, arrayed just like a natural bait, yet highly visible when in motion.
8. Hidden rattle – Tied directly to the shank of the extra-strong hook, the Peacock Rattle fly is armed with a noisy, clacking rattle. Virtually indestructible (plastic – not glass), the rattle provides extra dimensions of sensory output to attract hungry peacocks and makes the fly more effective in murky water than almost any other subsurface lure.
9. Durability – Peacocks strike hard, so these flies are made to last. All components are mechanically anchored and copious amounts of permanent glue are used at every step of the tying process. Although nothing will make it piranha proof, this jig will hold up to the worst a peacock can dish out.

The peacock bass rattle fly

If you wish to tie your own, instructions for tying the similar peacock “Bass Rattle Jig” are available on our website (just substitute the appropriate 5/0 extra -strong hook for the jighead).

Other popular streamers such as big Deceivers, Bunnies, Saltwater Zonkers, Clousser Minnows and flashy baitfish imitations will all take fish. The most effective patterns have contrasting colors and generous amounts of flash.

To most effectively strip these big streamers once you’ve made your cast, hold your rod at arm’s length and point the rod tip at the water. Grasp the line at the rod with your free hand and strip it quickly and sharply to your hip, giving the fly a quickly accelerating 2 to 3 foot motion. Restrain the running line with your rod hand, bring your free hand back to the rod and repeat. The rapidly accumulating stripped line should be managed either at your feet if you’re on a casting platform or into the (carefully prepared to be snag-free) bottom of the boat. Wear a stripping glove on your rod hand or you’ll quickly raise blisters.

A strike will not be subtle. You’ll know it immediately. To set the hook, don’t raise the rod tip, this isn’t a trout. You’ll need a firm strip-set to penetrate the peacock’s tough mouth. Once he’s hooked, raise the rod and see what happens next. Peacocks don’t always panic and run when first hooked with a fly; sometimes they don’t realize they have a problem. If they don’t run right away, take advantage of the moment and try to recover as much line as you can get onto the spool – but get ready for the run, it’s coming. If they do run immediately, here’s where your loose line management technique will either pay off or break your heart. The slightest hitch or hang up will break you off even more quickly than you can think of the appropriate curses bemoaning your bad luck.

The beast will head for the nearest structure. Don’t panic, don’t try to stop him and don’t try to horse him – things will break. Use your head and the extra length and power of your fly rod to lead the fish by sweeping your rod low in the direction you want him to go. Give him an option that’s easier than trying to reach the structure and he’ll likely take it. Once you’ve weathered that first blast, take your time and patiently work him back in. He’ll run many times, each one getting shorter. When you can lift his head out of the water, he’ll stop fighting. Now use your Bogagrip to secure your trophy. Congratulations! You’ve just experienced the ultimate fly rod high.

Surface Flies – In spite of the peacock’s great reputation for surface action (on conventional tackle), surface flies tend to be significantly less productive than subsurface streamers. Fish over 10-pounds are just difficult to coax to the surface with fly rod poppers. Additionally, although big saltwater poppers may be exciting to fish, they can be extremely exhausting to cast and retrieve for a prolonged period. In spite of these negatives and the hard work, extremely large (6-inches or larger) sliders and poppers will sometimes bring up trophy fish …. and a trophy peacock bass crushing a fly on the surface might just be worth the effort. Gaines saltwater poppers in red/yellow and pearl/olive hold up well and are hard to beat in terms of their ‘action’ in the water. ‘Sliders’ are productive in clear water situations. Popovic’s ‘Siliclone Mullet’ in olive and white is effective. Fly shade (depending upon light conditions) can be as important as contrasting color. For this reason have an adequate selection of light and dark patterns.

For a week long peacock bass adventure, we recommend that you bring at least two dozen streamers and several poppers. Hooks must be extra strong, with a wide-gap and razor sharp — dull hooks significantly reduce hookup rate. All of these flies can be obtained from www.tackle-box.net

Fly rods –  Rods should be fast action models, since they load sinking lines more efficiently and generally have more ‘backbone’ than softer models. Bring at least two fly rods, because rods can break under the ‘jungle stress.’ Reels don’t need to hold a lot of backing because peacocks don’t make long runs, but a smooth, strong drag is essential. Consider a wide arbor reel with an anti-reverse mechanism. Peacock’s initial runs can be so sudden and so powerful that the spinning reel handle can badly injure a loitering finger. A wide arbor configuration can more easily handle line when getting the fish on the reel and help prevent unexpected line jams.

Recommended ‘heavy’ fly rod & reel combinations: A stiff/fast action, 9-foot, nine or ten – weight rod (G. Loomis GLX, Native Run or Sage 990-3RPLX) with G. Loomis “Current 7 – 8 or Scientific Anglers ‘System 2 -89’ or reel.

Recommended ‘medium’ fly rod & reel combination (for floating lines): A stiff/fast action, 9-foot, seven or eight-weight rod (G. Loomis GL3 or GLX) + matched reel.

Some fisheries have access to smaller waters that hold “cara” (smaller cichlids) and pacu, both great fun on a 4 or 5 weight rod with floating or intermediate lines. But, find out if your destination has this feature before dragging along the extra weight.

Lines – Sinking lines are most effective for streamers. But don’t bring just any old sink-tip and hang it from your line. We recommend a Rio 300-grain Density Compensated line. This line is designed to not get sticky in the tropical heat and more importantly, its weight is distributed along its profile, rather than hanging off the end of your line like a floppy sinker. This allows you to cast most effectively and to take advantage of the line’s design, rather than defeating any line’s natural configuration by unbalancing its end. These lines can be fished effectively on a 9 weight rod. A spooled-up 200 or 150 grain line may be a good extra to carry in the event of unusually shallow conditions.
If you bring a floating line, a model with a drastic weight-forward taper (like Rio LongCast or Scientific Anglers’ ‘Mastery Saltwater Tarpon’) matched to your rod weight will help handle wind-resistant poppers.

Leaders – Peacocks are not the least bit leader shy. If you are not pursuing line class records, most peacock fly anglers use a straight shot (approximately eight feet) of 35-45 pound monofilament leader material. Light leaders can be snapped off like sewing thread if that ten or fifteen ‘pounder’ runs you into a tree or rock pile. You will go through a lot of leader material, because of the peacock’s extremely abrasive teeth. We recommend buying a spool of soft monofilament leader material (Jinkai makes a soft flexible line that behaves like it’s a much lighter weight). If you’re trying for an IGFA record, you’ll have to follow IGFA’s leader specifications, of course.

An Additional Suggestion – Fly fishing for peacocks is extremely productive, but can be tiring if you’re not used to blind casting (and then rapidly stripping) a heavy-weight fly rod all day long. If you don’t think you have this type of endurance, we strongly recommend that you also bring along casting or spinning tackle to give yourself a break. (Many operations, like ours, have conventional tackle on site and available for clients’ use.)

Peacock bass on the fly – they’re not trout and they’re not bass, but with the right equipment and the right techniques they’re more fun than you would have believed possible.  This is what the fly rod was invented for.  Join us on the trip of a lifetime.

Based on what we’ve covered today in Part 2,  we’ll focus in on the fly fishing techniques that are best suited for peacock bass in Part 3 – Fly Fishing Techniques for Peacock Bass.  I hope to have it posted here in a week or so.  In the meantime, you can see  more fly fishing information on our website. 

Visit us at;  www.acuteangling.com

Follow us on Twitter at;  http://twitter.com/PeacockBass

Check out our photos at;
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/peacockbass/

Watch our videos at;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnzi3Skwi9M

Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass

A basic primer in three parts

Part 1 – A Tactical Overview of Peacock Bass on the Fly

An Awesome Fly Rod Adversary– Unlike some of their pursuers, Peacock Bass are not purists. They will happily brutalize you with any tackle you offer them. They are punishing on spinning tackle and they are relentless on baitcasting gear … but fly fishing for

Fly-fishing for peacock bass.

peacock bass offers anglers a whole new level of self-inflicted fishing abuse! Fly fishing for peacock bass is where subtlety and finesse meets sheer physical power – a true test of tackle and techniques. Hook up and you’ll discover that you’re in a serious hand-to-hand battle, without machinery and without mechanical advantage. This is what your fly fishing tackle was made for; it just doesn’t know it yet. Truly, there is no more exiting freshwater quarry for the fly fisherman than the wild and brutish Amazon peacock bass.

They are not Trout – Although they are a great fly rod adversary, their behavior is decidedly not trout-like. Unlike the freshwater fly fisherman’s usual stream-dwelling adversaries, peacock bass occupy structure-laden, still-water environments. Unlike the usually subtle take of a trout, peacocks will attack a fly with unexpected force – nothing subtle about these aquatic vandals. Their behavior is different enough that trout fishermen will find it necessary to use a different tactical approach and mindset to best come to grips with their unique style. Since anglers often target trout waiting for an aquatic current to opportunistically deliver a meal, stream fishing is more focused on drift and presentation, not so much the cast itself. Peacocks, conversely are typically encountered when they are holding tight to structure, actively feeding or defending their flock of young. Fly fishing for peacock bass is more about the cast itself, its placement and what you do next with the fly. (We’ll cover this in Part 3)

 

Peacock Bass on the fly are not a subtle opponent.

They are not Bass –Their behavior is not really largemouth bass-like either, even though they are called bass (they aren’t – see our earlier posts). Unlike North American bass (Micropterus), who are primarily opportunistic feeders with a generally defined strike zone, peacock bass (Cichla) are far more pursuit oriented. They’ll chase a baitfish (or a fly) halfway across a lagoon to hunt it down. Unlike a black bass, who will happily feed on anything from fish to bugs to mice to worms, peacocks are primarily piscivorous (fish-eaters). Once again, fly fishermen will find it necessary to use a different tactical approach and mindset than they would for temperate zone fishing. Fishing for black bass with a fly is very successfully done with relatively slow presentations, keeping the fly in the strike zone as long as possible and imitating an easy meal. Conversely, for peacock bass, freshwater anglers will find that they’ve never stripped a fly so fast in their fishing careers, while they attempt to trigger the peacock’s pursuit response.

A trophy peacock bass on the fly.

More Behavioral Differences –Peacock’s behavior during their spawning cycle is very different from black bass, as is their relationship to structure and their fry guarding behavior. Peacock feeding behavior is different as well. Unlike most freshwater fly fishermen’s targets, peacocks often hunt in packs and they often actively prowl for forage. These and many other behavioral aspects are important to successfully angling these beasts, but they are equally so for any tackle style. I’ll present that information in future posts addressing general peacock bass fishing techniques and behavioral patterns. So follow our Peacock Bass blog as we go forward and we’ll cover additional tactics and offer more subtle techniques for all anglers, or visit our website and look over our general-purpose Peacock Bass Primer. For fly fishermen, the next important topic is to provide an overview of the techniques that are used and how to select tackle to enable the techniques that work best.

Surface vs. sub-surface fly fishing – Bring gear to cast both types of fly line, but be prepared to concentrate on sinking lines. In spite of the peacock’s great reputation for surface action, subsurface (streamer type) flies tend to be significantly more productive than surface flies (poppers, sliders). Yes, peacock bass can be caught with just about anything you can throw with a fly rod, but some tactics are just far more productive than others under most Amazon fishing conditions. If you’re taking the fishing trip of a lifetime and want to maximize your chances for success, it’s important to consider the approach on which to concentrate. For a fly fisherman to be most effective and to have the best shot at a big trophy, the odds are you’ll need to rapidly strip a big streamer, keeping it a meter or so below the surface.

Okay, you’re scratching your head and wondering why I’veforgotten how much peacocks like to hit on the surface. Well, that’s really a reputation gained primarily because of their responses to conventional tackle. Conventional tackle is very effective on the surface because it gets attention and triggers aggression, particularly in fry-guarding fish. But those plug-casters are throwing two-ounce wooden baseball bats with roostertail generating propellers on the back. Fly fishing tackle just can’t duplicate that kind of surface commotion. Even the biggest poppers and sliders tend to attract mostly piranha, small peacocks and other secondary species; pretty much everything but the big trophies we seek. So, under most normal circumstances, fly fishermen will be most successful with sinking lines vs. floating lines, with big streamers vs. poppers. The use of a quality sinking line will overcome the tendency of the fly to be dragged toward the surface due to the rapid stripping action so important for triggering peacock strikes. I’ll cover this technique in detail in Part 3 of this primer. Or just come fishing with Acute Angling, we’ll teach it to you on the water. 

Based on what we’ve covered today in Part 1,  we’ll focus in on the fly fishing tackle that’s best suited for the purpose in Part 2 – Fly Fishing Tackle for Peacock Bass.  I hope to have it posted here in a week or so.  In the meantime, you can see some more general tackle recommendations on our website.  Part 3 will focus on specific techniques for fly fishing for peacock bass.

Visit us at;  www.acuteangling.com

Follow us on Twitter at;  http://twitter.com/PeacockBass

Check out our photos at;
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/peacockbass/

Watch our videos at;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnzi3Skwi9M

Equipping Yourself to Catch Peacock Bass in the Amazon

The right gear allows productive monster peacock bass fishing.

Well, you’ve made the decision to go to the Amazon, to fish for the world’s greatest sportfish in the home of the biggest peacock bass found anywhere. Like any first time Amazon peacock bass angler, you’re understandably excited. The fish of your dreams is waiting to ambush your lures in an exotic place you can hardly imagine. You’ve invested time, money and emotional energy and you’re charged up and ready to go. This, however, is the time to keep a cool head and make sure that you are properly prepared. As in the well-known credit card commercial;

     Booking an Exotic Fishing Trip – $4000 to $5000
     Airfare to get there – about $1200
      Being properly prepared – Priceless!!!

Don’t walk into a tackle shop and ask them to outfit you for peacock bass. Almost unfailingly someone who has never seen a peacock bass and has no idea what to throw at them will load you up with overly heavy, inappropriate gear. Quite likely you’ll arrive in the Amazon well equipped for tuna perhaps, but not for peacock bass. Before you even start packing your bags and before you think about the tactics and techniques necessary to catch them, you need to know what rods, reels and lures will serve you best. Let’s look at what tackle should go in your gear bag, step by step. These recommendations are for the Amazon giants, Cichla temensis, and, although they will still have utility outside the Amazon basin, they are not specifically geared to smaller, generally less aggressive species.

Step 1. The Lures – When peacocks are in full feeding mode, anglers could probably toss their shoes into the water and get strikes. Lure selection, however, becomes much more critical as soon as conditions make the fish a little more selective. To optimize their lure selections, anglers should focus on the following four classes of lures;

The Woodchopper

Prop Baits – The classic peacock fisherman’s tool, these big, gaudy plugs are best known for the spectacular surface explosions they elicit. Anglers should bring at least a half dozen assorted samples, concentrating on the larger sizes (up to 2 oz.). Among the best choices are Luhr-Jensen Woodchoppers, Caribe Lures Pavon Props and Highroller’s Magnum Riproller. Although smaller and lighter versions of these lures are available and some may find them easier to cast, they do not always perform as well. Since they can only carry smaller, less durable hooks, they often lead to bent metal and heart-broken anglers.

Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow

Swimming Plugs – A great all-purpose tool for catching peacock bass. These baits are easy to use and will work under almost all conditions. Recommended models include; Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow (3/4 oz., floater), 7 inch Cotton Cordell Red Fin, large Bombers and floating Rapala Magnums, among others. Bring a half dozen.

Heddon Super Spook

Walking Stick Baits – Oftentimes a slowly sashaying stick bait will trigger amazingly violent peacock bass surface strikes. Effective models include; Zara Spook (3/4 oz.), Super Spook (1 oz.) and Mega-Bait (2 oz.). Bring 3 or 4. Note that the smaller models will require hook upgrades.

Peacock Bass Rattle Jig

Peacock Bass Jigs – This is the ultimate peacock bass bait. Nothing catches as many peacocks as a properly fished 1/2 oz. peacock jig (strip it—don’t jig it). Either tie your own or buy a high quality pre-tied model, such as Sidewinder’s Peacock Rattle Jig.  Bring at least a dozen (or more if you’ll be fishing piranha laden waters).

Other Lures – 95% of the peacock bass on our trips are caught by the 4 classes of lures detailed above. Sometimes, however, conditions do call for a different, more specialized tool. Carry at least one or two large spoons (Johnson’s silver minnow – 1 and 1/8 oz.), a few big Rattletrap lures, and perhaps a small, deep diver. Of course, every angler has their favorite lure, one that they just know is going to change the face of peacock fishing and land them a world record. By all means, bring it, but don’t bring too many and don’t get your hopes too high on it. Weight limits and space considerations demand that you focus on the most productive items.

Step 2. The Rods and Reels – Peacock anglers often bring overly heavy gear. Yes, the peacock is an extraordinarily powerful and violent fish, but rod and reel selections should be made based on the lures you’ll be using. Heavy tackle makes you tired, resting anglers don’t cast and lures in the boat don’t catch fish. Keep your gear reasonably light so that you can fish steadily, make good casts and properly work the lures that will ultimately bring in your trophy.

Based on the lures recommended in Step1, Here is a summary of the rods and reels best suited to fishing with each of the lure types.

Medium/Heavy Outfit – This rig will effectively cast and work the heavy prop baits. Whether you’re a baitcaster or spin aficionado, select a Medium/Heavy rod (like the G. Loomis Escape MHC – we recommend 3-piece travel rods). Avoid overlong (no longer than 7’) rods and definitely no long handles. They just make working the lure more difficult.
Select a fast-retrieve reel. For spin fishermen, this is easy; any medium sized reel (i.e. Shimano 4000 series) has a fast retrieve. For baitcasters, you’ll need a 6.3:1 or faster retrieve and these are not the norm in mid-sized gear. We recommend an Ambassadeur C4 5500 series, a Shimano Corado reel (both modestly priced) or a Shimano Calais (more expensive). Don’t neglect this parameter of equipment selection. Slow retrieving reels will make it difficult to properly work your lures and leave you very tired at the end of the day. If you can skillfully operate either type, spin or baitcaster, the baitcaster is the better choice here due to its higher percentage of tangle-free landings and its lower casting trajectory.

Medium/Light Outfit – This is recommended for jigs and other small, lightweight baits. In the hands of an experienced fisherman with a properly set drag, a quality outfit in this category will efficiently handle even the largest peacock bass while providing unparalleled casting ease, efficiency and accuracy with light lures. If you can skillfully operate either type, the spinner is the better choice here. A good rig would be a Loomis Escape MLS and Shimano 2500 spinning reel.

Medium Outfit – This is an American black bass fisherman’s bread and butter tool. Bring your favorite. Retrieve rate is not critical with this rig. A good example would be a 7 foot medium rod (Loomis Escape MC) and a Shimano Calcutta 250 size reel. Use this for Zara Spooks, Super Spooks, Yo-Zuris and other medium size baits. This rod also makes an excellent backup for either of the other two rods described above (rods break).

Step 3. Line – Peacock bass fishing in the Amazon requires braided line. Leave the mono home. Peacock’s tough mouths call for a solid, stretch-free hookset. Great tensile strength is necessary to withstand their violent strikes while the need for casting accuracy demands a thin, light, flexible line. Monofilament’s characteristics will not serve this fishery well. And don’t bother with leaders or clips. They just provide one more point for potential system failure. Tie right to the lures. It’ll help get rid of worn or frayed line tips and make lure action optimal. Even if you’ve never used braid before, don’t worry, the knots are simple and Brazilian guides know the knots and how to use the line. You’ll quickly become comfortable.

Braid Options – For spinning tackle, we recommend a quality thin braid such as Power Pro. Use 30 lb. for medium and light gear. Lines up to 50 lb. test are appropriate for your heavier gear. For baitcasting gear use 30 or 50 lb. test for the lighter rigs. A heavier test thin braid (65 lb. test Power Pro) is recommended for the heavier rigs. These will prove to be more resistant to backlashes and “digging in”.  A hint for new braid users; When tying your line onto your reel’s arbor, place a small piece of electrical tape over the first turn of line. Subsequent wraps will dig into the tape and help to anchor the braid firmly onto the arbor. This will prevent the line from spinning on the spool and will assure that your drag works properly. Learn the “Palomar” knot. All braid packages come with instructions for this simple and super-strong knot.

A Warning – Despite their high tensile strength, even these powerful lines will not allow you to out-muscle a peacock. Their explosive initial bursts will break these strong braids like sewing thread if your drag is not properly set (meaning too tight or locked down). Even if your line survives the initial onslaught, something else will give. Hooks will straighten, rods or reels may break. Peacock bass cannot be “horsed”. Use a properly set drag (you must be able to manually pull out line, although with some effort) and use your angling skills to lead fish away from structure and slowly and steadily tire them out.

Step 4. Traveling Light – Be judicious with your tackle selections. Almost all charter operators have a 44 lb. (20 Kilo) weight limit. Anglers often find they bring material they never use.

Step 5. Where to Buy – All of the individual items recommended here, as well as complete destination specific packages are available at www.Tackle-box.net or call 866 832-2987 or 866 431-1668 for assistance. Lower priced or higher value alternatives are also available.

Blackwater Explorer

Most higher end trip operators make rods and reels available for their clientele. Acute Angling has stocked the Blackwater Explorer yacht with the appropriate mix of Loomis rods and Shimano reels, free for clients to borrow, so that no one ends up without suitable equipment. Of course, you’re always welcome to bring your own gear. We’re well aware that anglers tend to more comfortable and skillful with equipment they’ve grown accustomed to. Lures are a different story and are best purchased before you leave. They may be unavailable at your destination and they will certainly be more expensive.

Now that we’ve gotten some of the basics covered, we’ll start talking about how to pack and prepare and then how to catch these scaled marauders in upcoming posts.  To find out more about the tackle recommended for these great fish, visit the tackle section of our website;

Visit us at;  www.acuteangling.com

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Check out our photos at;
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/peacockbass/

Watch our videos at;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnzi3Skwi9M

Peacock Bass – Fishing, Facts and Conservation

For almost 20 years, anglers have recognized the peacock bass as the world’s most exciting freshwater gamefish.  Although much has been learned about the life history and fishing characteristics of this spectacular gamefish by scientists and anglers alike, very little accurate and consistent information is available on the web.  There are two simple explanations for this.  On a small scale, it’s partly the result of the publication of unreviewed and largely incorrect information by unqualified individuals.  On a much larger level, it’s a result of aggressive commercial competition among legitimate agents and operators of peacock bass trips, as well as input from a variety of shady hustlers and wannabees.  All, of course, in pursuit of the angler’s dollar.

Amazon peacock bass

My purpose for this blog is to try to apply a framework of accuracy, reality and consistency to the amorphous fog of peacock bass information swirling around the internet.  If the web is all about information, it should at least be correct.  Hopefully, such information can help anglers enjoy this wonderful animal and hopefully it can be applied to sorely needed management and conservation efforts.  A little bit of enlightened effort can ensure that the remarkable experience of fishing for peacock bass in one of the world’s few remaining natural wildernesses remains available for future generations.

I’ll try to avoid being commercial, although I’m a principal in a peacock bass fishing operation.  I’ll try to avoid being pedantic, in spite of being a doctoral candidate in the study of, what else, peacock bass.  I’ll try to avoid naming names or pointing out sites with incorrect information about peacock bass.  Instead, I’ll aim high by trying to simply provide real, scientifically valid and factual information.

None of it is secret, most of it is readily available in peer reviewed publications or is evident through simple logical application of established fact.  Nonetheless, I hope it opens some eyes and elicits the occasional “Wow, I didn’t know” that response.  That would be enough to make it worthwhile.  I hope to get underway soon.

If you want to know more about peacock bass, right now, you can visit our peacock bass website at www.acuteangling.com

Follow us on Twitter at;  http://twitter.com/PeacockBass