The Peacock bass is actually not even a bass. They belong in the cichlid family and are native to the Amazon River basin in South America. Their body shape is similar to a largemouth, but the coloring is different. Generally golden color with three vertical black bars and a blackspot with yellow/gold halo on the tail. 

They were introduced into the Miami canals in 1984 by the FWC to help combat the growing influx of non-native species such as tilapia and Mayan cichlids. They are intolerant to cooler water temperatures (under 60* F), and rarely found north of Palm Beach county. Peacocks thrive in warm waters in South Florida.

Peacocks are fairly aggressive fish and can be caught in a number of different ways. Many prefer live bait and it is hard to beat. Others prefer to use artificial bait. A big difference is that Peacocks rarely will eat soft slow moving plastics such as a worm. You can catch them on topwaters, jerkbaits and crankbaits. My personal favorite lure is a Sebile Flat Belly Walker or Heddon Torpedo. The topwater strikes are explosive and highly addictive!
Here are some stats from the FWC website:

• Florida State Record – 9.08lbs, but fish up to 12lbs have been caught.

• IGFA All Tackle record – 12.06lbs (Venezuela)

• 13 of the 16 Current IGFA World records are in Florida

So if you are down this way and want to stop by the office for a tour or stop by Lake Ida for a few hours for a chance to catch one of these beautiful fish, hit me up at Jeff@bocabearings.com. Tight Lines until then!