The freshwater canals in South Florida are a crazy amalgamation of native and introduced species alike. Last week, I made my annual pilgrimage to try to catch some of my favorite characters.
Peacock Bass
The butterfly peacock bass is the undisputed king of the freshwater canals that crisscross Miami. They crush baits, lures and flies, are plentiful and look extremely cool. They can be found patrolling the edges of the canals, sitting in and around pipes and camped out on limestone edges. During their bedding season, they get extremely fired up and will aggressively defend their beds. Just how aggressive are they? They will nip at one another and practice cannibalism. We even had them eat our flies, spit them out, then swoop back and eat the same flies, all in a matter of seconds.
Other Characters in Freshwater Canals
Snakeheads, clown knifefish, midas cichlids and many others call these freshwater canals home. We got in on some interesting fish aside from the peacocks, to say the least.
I caught my first spotted tilapia, which fought very hard for its size. Peacocks were introduced by FWC in the 80s to control this invasive species.
Another super cool, hard-fighting fish that we got into was the Mayan cichlid. For their size, they provide a great battle.
Hard Work Pays Off
We had caught several fish during the weekend, we were wrapping up and preparing to hit the old dusty trail back to the west coast when Nate sighted a monster peacock. I quickly stripped line off my reel and made a few casts. The fish immediately went right for my offering. He missed the first few times, but he eventually found his mark and the battle was on. The fight was akin to fighting a snook, with several long runs and acrobatic jumps. He even tried to take me into a limestone ledge to sever the connection between my steel and his mouth. Finally, the fish was subdued, and I brought the biggest peacock that I have ever caught period – let alone on a fly rod, to hand.
In Conclusion
Shout out to Nathan Hitt for the pics and yet another super fun, successful trip to the urban Amazon that is Miami. Maybe next time we can get in on some other crazy exotics, I can’t wait to go back.
I have some exciting trips on the horizon, Destin for redfish with Captain Royce Dahnke and pelagics in Islamorada with Captain Hunter Barron. Those trips will make for some exciting tales to be sure, stay tuned.
Until next time, tight lines!
