Patterns for Peacock Bass

Sensational Sandbars

Sand bars are dynamic structures. They constantly change their shape and are created and formed by flowing rivers and are revealed during falling or low water conditions. Trophy-size peacock bass will often pursue baitfish onto the sandbars from deeper water. Sandbars are not neatly formed beaches with uniform depths. Closer inspection reveals irregular features such as drop-offs, finger points and deeper holes (see illustration below), where giant peacock bass hold. Some of the largest fish I have taken in the Amazon region have come on large prop baits on the sandbars, both on top of the finger points of the sandbars and the depressions between the finger points. Do not hesitate to use subsurface lures as well. The most productive sand bars, although they may be shallow themselves, have relatively close access to deep water.

Timber Tactics

Flooded bushes, timber stands and fallen trees provide a prime haven for baitfish as well as peacock bass. Peacock bass often seek the sanctuary of shade provided by trees and bushes and may use these as ambush areas to attack baitfish. When fishing timber stands, make accurate casts within the open lanes between the trees for optimal success. The deeper you get your lure or fly within the gaps between trees (see image at left), the more success you will usually experience. Try to almost glance the trees with your lure or fly and make sure you work them all the way back the boat as, in many instances, you will entice a fish to follow the bait from the trees out towards deeper water where your boat is positioned. When fishing standing trees, you can use a variety of lures, ranging from surface baits, to swim jigs and Banjo Minnows. The fish will, eventually, reveal which lure they prefer

Think Points for Peacocks

Points consist of both visible (above the water) or submerged (shallow or deepwater) extensions of land, rocks, sand or gravel. The best points are situated with deep water relatively close to them. In the Amazon, or on some South American lakes, deep water is a relative term, as it may mean six feet or might mean a drop to 25 feet. Deep, in this case, means a significant change from the shallow water near the point or the drop-off on the sides of the point. Peacock bass tend to hold on the deep-water drop-offs of points. From these deeper water edges, they can either move shallow (up onto the point) to attack schools of baitfish, or they may migrate to deeper water in the presence of changing weather condition or danger. Points with cover (rocks, brush, stumps, etc. and /or standing timber), as depicted in the photo above, will usually out-produce those that are baron or featureless in nature.

Spy for the Fry

According to peacock bass expert Dr. Sven Kullander, peacock bass do not mouth brood (care for fry in their mouths) after giving birth, but rather intensely guard their fry until they are mature enough to fend for themselves. Your guide may suddenly beam with excitement as he points out rippling, or what he may refer to as “bubbles” or “bambinos” on the surface of a quiet lagoon. This rippling is actually a pod of fry, typically with the protective parents below ready to pounce on anything that threatens them. The size of the fry ball is generally a good indicator of the size of the parents below. You can often see the fry pod dimpling on the surface. The parents will aggressively attack a lure cast near the fry pod. The size of the fry ball is a good indicator of the size of the parents below. Please release the parents, unharmed, back to guard the fry. If you encounter a pod of fry dimpling on the surface this is one of the most reliable patterns for catching a trophy peacock bass. In years past, anglers would use a large topwater propeller lure, cast it approximately five feet beyond the fry dimples and then work the plug right through them. A violent strike would occur in many instances. As peacock bass have become accustomed to these noisy baits, they might now not trigger the strikes and perform as well as they did previously and might actually be spooked by them. We advise that you can now rely on just about every lure in your tackle arsenal to target these fish. The key is to approach the fry pod very quietly, not stumbling around in the boat, dropping soft drink cans or talking loudly. After a stealthy approach to the fry, the next key to success is a well placed cast slightly beyond the fry ball. Rip the propeller bait, walk the Spook style bait or retrieve the jig or jerkbait through the fry ball and be ready for a vicious strike. The other partner in the boat should immediately follow the first strike up with a topwater bait, jerk bait, Banjo Minnow or swimming jig.

Lunkers in the Lagoons

Lagoons can be found in a variety of sizes, depths and topographies. They are typically formed during the rainy season, when swollen creeks inundate surrounding land with deeper topography, thus creating lakes and pools. As the rains cease and the dry season progresses, the waters of the lagoon recede back into the main river or simply dry up. The deeper terrain, however, will trap pools of water and these are referred to as lagoons and they exist year-round. In some instances, these lagoons will trap hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of fish, as their access to the main river or large creek has been cut off. During the dry season, the waters of the lagoons fall fairly rapidly. Once fish sense that the lagoon water level is falling, it is not unusual for the school to migrate back to the river before they become trapped in a totally landlocked lagoon. If a lagoon is completely landlocked, the fish will have to remain there until the waters rise during the next rainy season. Some of the very best lagoons require that your guide slowly and carefully snake the boat through narrow, windy creeks to enter them, a machete necessary to hack his way through foliage (see photo above) and fallen trees that may lie toppled across the creek that enters the lagoon. In some instances, the guide will actually drag the fishing boats across shallow bars or humps so that you can access the lagoon. Yet other lagoons are very obvious and located just off the main river channel. You also may fish lagoons that are totally landlocked, their access only via an overland hike.

“Once in the lagoon, one should not only fish the obvious visible cover along the shoreline, but also less obvious mid-lagoon structure, such as sandbars and points,” offers Chris Cage of Canton, Georgia (seen in photo at left). “Also, be observant for subtle signs in the open water, such as fry balls, baitfish movement, wakes or boils and be ready to make a quick, accurate cast. If you find the right lagoon, you can spend hours casting at various forms of structure and cover and land many trophy fish in a short period of time.”

Cagle also points out that if you’ve thoroughly fished a lagoon for 45 minutes and have not had a strike or have not observed baitfish schools or any surface or feeding activity, it’s time to search for another, more productive lagoon, or perhaps eliminate the lagoon as a pattern for that particular section of river you are fishing. As stated earlier, when lagoons are rapidly drying up, fish can sense this and migrate out of them back to the main river or tributary. There are times, however when the lagoons become completely landlocked and you might have to access them via a short hike through the jungle and either fish from the bank or drag the boats in.   “Make sure you thoroughly fish the lagoon with an assortment of lures, from top to bottom,” emphasizes Chris Cagle. “Some days, the fish will slam topwater lures, while other days, and perhaps changing weather or water conditions, find them with lockjaw for a topwater plug, but very aggressively pursuing jigs, Banjo Minnows or jerkbaits. Don’t hesitate to experiment.”