Should I put a day's effort into Ft Lauderdale's fw scene?

[Albacized]

I'll be down in roughly two weeks and will mostly be fishing saltwater further north (Juno/Jupiter - maybe Stuart, etc)...however, I'm eager to finally log a peacock on my resume and is will to head down to the Lauderdale area (after putting in the saltwater effort up north)...how has the population rebounded after the freeze a couple of years ago?

Also, I'm coming down armed with both spinning gear (along with a few Rap X swimmers in 'hot steel' colors and a couple of 'firetiger' poppers), as well as some fly gear (and I've tied a few chartruese w/ orange throat clousers)...is that pretty much all I need? I don't care if it's just one baby...just wanna say 'I did it':-)

PS - I did try one time out in the little ponds that surround the Sawgrass Mill Outlets (based on advise from a fly shop)...I ended up with all lg mouth, although I had one peacock follow from what appeared to be a pretty good sized fish. But I think in hindsight, the fish was put off from fully committing because I didn't move the fly erratically enough. However, these ponds seemed awfully shallow and I would venture to guess that they would get hit harder in the freeze situation over some deeper canals or a deeper lake somewhere...Or I'd just go back there:-)

[TravNasty]

I recently landed my first peacock on light spinnin tackle (so stoked!), but it was out west near highway 27 and Krome, a good ride south from ft lauderdale. From what i can tell, the peacock population is certainly making a comeback since the Chill a few years back. Ive seen many small ones in canals and waterways throughout Broward and west toward the glades. Honestly i hope you catch atleast one on fly gear! You'll have a blast my friend

[weetza10]

I have been catching peacocks all along the 84 canal-further west the better. Just find some structure and you will see them. Move the fly faster if the are following, seriously-as fast as you can. They are def. around and coming back.

[Albacized]

Thank you gentlemen:-) Stoked to get there is not the word for it...it's an annual thing although I basically just stick to the salt

[cantseeme47]

best bait shiners. if you wanna go artificial best bet is xrap shad rap.

[TravNasty]

Best bait is shiners, no doubt. Anybody here eat a peacock bass before? I hear they taste great, but should i be worried about the mercury levels in these freshwater fish? I too stick with saltwater most of the time, but i do love bass fishin!

[migs24]

You're safest bet would be to just release them. Everything drains into canals including road run off and you never know where there might be some kind of septic spill or leak. Peacocks look a lot better swimming in the water anyway good luck

[Bluefish in ny]

No doubt.... The entire SFWMD is a giant "toilet bowl'.... When it get's flooded... They simply "flush it".... no, reallly.......

Put on your thinking caps for a minute.... Imagine now, late June... Its been 4 to 5 days of no rain, sticky hot weather.... All those cars parked in driveways leaking whatever, all those cars driving over the roadways.. Pesticides sprayed all over the lawns, buttholes dumping "toxic liquids" into the canal behind J&K Automotive Repair shop (which is connected to that lake down the block, which connected to the canal you fish behind Publix)....... Now you get a solid heavy downpour.... All that crap is going directly into that canal behind Publix.... Yum!

[krash]

No doubt.... The entire SFWMD is a giant "toilet bowl'.... When it get's flooded... They simply "flush it".... no, reallly.......

Put on your thinking caps for a minute.... Imagine now, late June... Its been 4 to 5 days of no rain, sticky hot weather.... All those cars parked in driveways leaking whatever, all those cars driving over the roadways.. Pesticides sprayed all over the lawns, buttholes dumping "toxic liquids" into the canal behind J&K Automotive Repair shop (which is connected to that lake down the block, which connected to the canal you fish behind Publix)....... Now you get a solid heavy downpour.... All that crap is going directly into that canal behind Publix.... Yum!

And soon into the Intercoastal or direct into the Bay.

[Bluefish in ny]

Yep Sandy! Unfortunately!

Only difference I see though... At least the "salt" has mother natures movement (tides, winds, waves) to keep it from being stagnant!

Give me a mangrove snapper in the heart of Fort Laud ICW any day over a mayan cichlid in the canal along 595! At least one of them is swimming in water that is being moved around!!!!?????