Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

Stumbled across this site, wanted to get involved with this great resource.

Quick intro - I'm new to town. Just moved in from Dallas. I grew up trout fishing (which sparked my love of fly fishing). When I got to Dallas, I realized I had no idea how to catch a bass. As us fly guys tend to do - I started a whole new collection of flies. Mostly clousers, DH minnows, poppers, etc. I got pretty good at catching bass at all times of the year. It was a rare occasion when I couldn't stick one within an hour or two, even in the depths of winter. Mid October was my favorite - could catch 20+ bass in a couple of hours.

This brings me to present times. I got to Miami (Brickell) in August. I have been booked solid until this weekend. I made it out to a spot on a canal that was suggested to me by a guy in Dallas. Looked promising, but no luck for me today! Fished from 1030-1230, nada - no bites (except the ant bites on my ankles). I threw my clousers, my poppers, wolly buggers... nothing. Saw some fish (looked like suckers to me, but with the speciation as diverse as it is down here, I'm probably doing this fish a disservice by labeling it as a sucker). Anyway, really round mouth, dark coloration. It would come up and make a huge scene on top of the water. I watched them surfaced from the depths, make a ruckus on top, then descend down again. I thought it was the brown damsels, so I tried one. No luck. Tried a hopper. No luck.

After all that I had learned in Dallas about largemouths, I got skunked today! I was really looking forward to showing off to my Dallas friends the coveted peacock! So...... what was I doing wrong?! Any advice is much appreciated!!

Here's some info to help you decide where I went wrong:
- Reddington Vapen 5wt
- Sage reel
- 3ft of 12lb leader
- 2-3ft of 3x tippet
- closers were sz 1 or 2
- wolleys were size 8 or 12
- fished from 1030-1230
- canal
- foutainebleau area

I guess you had your first introduction to fire ants, same thing happened to me when I first moved down here. Try the c-100 canal, about 20-30 minutes south of brickell. Fish anywhere from the spillway at biscayne bay, west to the turnpike. Lots of peacocks . Flyfishing is tough down here, but will work. There are a few guys on this site that are real good at it, especially for peacocks. I recommend you start out with spinning gear and artificials, like rapalas. You will get a lot more action. Also peacocks go crazy for live bait, like shiners. BTW, the suckers are most likey plecos or amored catfish, released from fish tanks.

If you use the "Search" function on the forum you will find many dozens of post about Peacock fishing.....

Can't help you with flies but they do work. The farther West you go the better chance you have at getting Peacock Bass. Thye can be found in pretty much any canal or lake in Miami, but if they aren't there, they have probably been eaten by goons.

Peacocks like erratically moving baits, and usually the faster the better, no need for live bait thats for suckers. Put in some time and you will find them.. some days they just don't bite, and yes Fire Ants are part of the price you have to pay, be very careful where you step, but if you are in the fire ants you are usually near good Peacock fishing area. Look for any structure, some days they are shallow and cruising, some days they are deep and holding.

Do you live in miami?