Peacock Bass Patterns

[sidesfam 0]

Happy holidays to all.

 

I am looking for suggestions on Peacock bass flies. I have tied a wide variety of patterns for my Amazon trip in January :yahoo:. I am just considering that someone may have a specialty pattern that isn't on the popular listings so any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

I thank you in advance and be well.

 

M

[Twofingerz 0]

i have no pattern help for you but i will say i envy you. you are going on my "dream trip".

[sidesfam 0]

i have no pattern help for you but i will say i envy you. you are going on my "dream trip".

 

Thanks for the"nod".

I am in a group of 6 that has been fishing together for over 18 years now. Once a year we get gather for a trip.

This is a dream trip for us as well, we stayed home and fished locally for the last two years to save for this one.

 

[Futzer 0]

As big and Rattle-ie as possible, other than that they are not too specific. Futzer.

[chrismartin 0]

Well, I've never fished in the Amazon, but I was once told that a HUGE crease fly with a BIG rattle built into it is a super productive surface fly. Here is a video that might help, if you've never tied a crease fly

 

 

I'm pretty sure you want to tie it larger than in this video, and tie a bunch! Peacocks are hard on flies!

 

I hope you enjoy your trip! It's one of my dream locations for sure!

[Futzer 0]

Oh and practice yanking a full sized ham through mangrove roots or bushes with a 10 weight or bigger rod.

 

Cheers Futzer.

 

PS we expect a slide show too.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I used to tie some big oversized, over dressed Clousers for a guide service who specialized in fishing for Peacocks. I tied them on 5/0 Owner spinnerbait hooks. Some also had extended tails, tied on a section of heavy mono to make them longer. 3/16 size lead eyes, lots of flash too.

 

The colors I tied were red & yellow, blue & white, olive & white, red & white, and black & white. The extended tails were all red.

 

They told me not to get too fancy with them, as the Piranha would chew them up. They just had to be big, bulky & flashy!

 

I got invited to go along once, but wasn't in a position to go.

 

I saw Larry Dahlberg fishing for them on TV too, he was using bait casting equipment, and a fly rod. Of course he used big Dahlberg Divers with the fly rod!

[sidesfam 0]

Thank you for the input, all of you, much appreciated.

 

Let me run a couple more thoughts and observations by you.

 

Chrismartin, when you emphasize big crease flies, what length to you actually envision these flies being. I have a dozen tied up that run 5" in length. Many of them are built using silver foil backed foam on a Mustad 34011 in 4/0 hook size. I did put some rattles into few of them, are you thinking bigger yet?

 

Futzer, I would be happy to post some pictures. I will try to like to post some images of what I have tied so far to get some input from you guys and others.

 

Tidewaterfly, we fished Wollaston Lake for pike around 12 years ago with Barry Reynolds. He showed me how to tie up his bunny bug pattern and I have a batch of these ready for Peacocks as well.

Good advice on the Clouser's, they are next on my "to tie" list.

 

I need to bring a lot of flies as my no good bandit fishing buddies are always raiding my box at cocktail hour .

[Futzer 0]

The spinner boys throw wooden jointed baits a foot or more long, SO go big!!! I would also tie some big flies in two pieces, one tail section and head section and throw them like tandem Meat whisltes. Just don't hit yourself on the back cast.

 

Cheers, Futzer.

[letumgo 0]

You may want to also include a few tube flies. You could probably also use them with a stainless steel leader to help take the abuse of their sharp teeth.

 

These may be worth trying. They are easy to tye, have a rattle in the body, and are coated with epoxy so they are tough as nails. Plus tube flies will slide up the line (out of the fishes toothy mouth) which will help keep them from being chewed to pieces.

 

Rainy Day Rattler

Rainy Day Rattler (Original Version)

Bunny-Back Jiggler (non-rattling version)

Lake Erie Shiner (tube fly) - Step by Step tying instructions

 

Good luck on your trip, and please share pictures of any peacock bass that you catch. I doubt I will ever get the chance to catch such a fish...

[dafack01 0]

From my little knowledge, anything stupidly gaudy and/or flashy and/or noisy and/or gargantuan.

 

FWIW, I saw a show on ESPN where Larry Dahlberg was wearing them out on gargantuan Dahlberg Divers. If they're not hitting the top I'd think a woolhead version would do great to get down deeper but still push a ton of water. Adding a Rattle to that should give close to the profile of a plug or a jerkbait.

[chrismartin 0]

I would tie a number of sizes, 4/0 being the middle of the road... as I'm sure you know, Peacocks can get big, and most big fish like big meals, especially in the Amazon. If it were me, I would have them up to 8". Good luck

[wiggleminnow 0]

First thing forget the subsurface flies....unless you're getting nothing at all on the surface. These fish are surface junkies. If you are going all the way to the Amazon...Fish the surface hard, Thats what fishing for Peacocks are all about...huge surface explosions. I would suggest Gurglers, Boilmakers, Dahlberg divers...Big noisy surface flies. If the surface bite isn't working for you big flies with synthetic materials that shed water alot better that naturals.

 

If you tie your own flies..use bright colors, and don't forget that orange belly. and make them BIG.

[dafack01 0]

That show with Larry Dahlberg on it, he was fishing Dahlberg Divers about 8" or bigger. Tie flies so big that you're scared of them and you'll be OK.

[JJD 0]

We have the smaller species in Florida. I've probably caught more than a thousand in Florida since I lived on the original pilot study canal used to see if they would be viable for introduction by the Fish and Game Commission. While I haven't found them to be very finicky, there are some color combos that worked well for me. One of the reasons they upsize the flies in the Amazon is to target the bigger trophy fish. Most people I've spoken to don't follow IGFA rules to land fish down there - using 30# and heavier tippets. They are tackle destroyers so I'd focus on stuff that you can either purchase or tie in bulk quantities. I'd stick with forged saltwater type hooks.

 

Here's a few that I used in the last outing in FL.

 

Personally I'd have a bunch of bright deceivers, weighted seaducers (easy to tie up a bunch), EP flies, zonker anythings, mirrolure flies (favorite) and I'd also cook up a bunch of New England-style Hollow Fleyes in Orange, yellow, chartreuse and red. The original Hollow fleyes are bucktail streamers that have the hair tied in reversed and then pushed backwards with a hollow tube and anchored in place with tying thread. They allow you to have a huge fly with very little actual bulk. For topwater go with gurglers and crease flies. A thick-lipped gurgler throws lots of water. Be sure to post your results.