Peacock bass guide
Peacock bass fishing in Miami canals.
Butterfly peacock bass live in more than 300 miles of canals in Miami-Dade and Broward. Here is what the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says works, and where to pick up the bait.
Bait: live shiners
FWC calls live shiners the best bait for peacock bass. The fish go for live fish or lures that look like fish more than plastic worms, so topwater plugs, jigs and crankbaits also work.
Shiners are one of the three live baits in our tanks. Check today's board before you drive over.
See today's live baitWhen to fish
Fish in daylight. FWC notes that peacock bass do not feed at night.
They are a tropical fish: FWC says they cannot survive water colder than 60°F, which is why they live in South Florida's canals.
Where to look
FWC points anglers to canal intersections, dead ends and fallen trees, and to the shade under bridges, culverts and overhanging plants.
For the canals closest to you, ask at the counter. Reviewers say they were sent to a spot and caught one the same day.
Tackle
Light spinning tackle is the FWC recommendation for canal peacocks. They fight in open water, so a light setup makes it fun.
How they got here
FWC introduced butterfly peacock bass to the large coastal canals of southeast Florida in 1984.
The state record weighs 9.11 pounds. FWC certified it in 2021, and it was caught on live bait in a Broward County lake by an angler from Hialeah.
Sources
Keep going
Call before you drive.
Bait comes and goes every day. A quick call tells you what is in the tank and how late we are open.