Fly Fishing Tackle
Peacock Bass Fly Fishing Equipment List
Peacock Bass love to hit big flies! The good news is that on the average, an experienced fly fisherman will land more Peacock Bass than an equally skilled fisherman using casting equipment! The fly fisherman’s Peacocks will be slightly smaller in size, but larger in numbers. The Peacock Bass that will normally hit a fly are in the 5 – 9 pound range; although 10 – 24 pound fish are often taken, and the world record on the (all tackle) on the fly is a 28.5 pound Peacock! While fishing for Peacock Bass, you will need to bring heavy-weight fly fishing rods and fish with large streamers and top-water poppers.
RECOMMENDED FLY FISHING EQUIPMENT FOR PEACOCK BASS
Rods
Fly rods should be from 8wt – 11wt, with either a 9wt or 10wt being the best weight if you are only bringing one rod.
Reels
Good quality with a strong drag and capacity for a lot of 30 lb. backing, designed for the weight rod you are bringing.
Line
Any good quality floating, weight forward, line will work best. I prefer to use a shooting head system because Peacock Bass are definitely not line shy. If you are bringing a second rod, I recommend a 5ft. #6 sinking-tip line for the second outfit.
Leaders
A very quick and easy method is to simply cut a 5-6 ft. section of 40, 50, or 60 lb. “hard mono” and tie it on as a straight-leader. If you are interested in fishing for line class records for Peacock Bass, you will need a leader with a heavy butt section, followed by your IGFA approved line class section between two Bimini twists, ending in a 20lb., 30lb., or 40lb. fluorocarbon tippet. Be sure to check on the current IGFA record for the line class that you are fishing, so you will know if a record breaking fish has been caught.
Flies
Peacock Bass flies should be tied on large sharp, 3/0-4/0 hooks. Peacock bass will hit top-water poppers, but large streamers will produce more strikes. All colors will attract peacocks to strike, especially combinations using yellow, green, red, olive, and blue. Smaller 3”-4” streamers are easier to cast and will produce a lot of strikes from fish in the 2-6 pound range. For really large Peacock Bass, you will need to fish with a streamer that is from 5”-8” in length.
RECOMMENDED FLIES FOR PEACOCK BASS
Streamers
- Wool flies (or can be tied with Bozo hair)
- Rabbit tail slider
- Deceivers
Poppers
- Dahlberg divers
- Foam poppers
PRO FLY ANGLER’S TIDBITS
“Peacock on the Fly”
Rods & Reels
Flies
Streamers: Puglisi Peacock, Puglisi Back County imitations, Puglisi Big imitations, Puglisi Peanut Butter Flies and Pike Flies, CF Bait Fish and Tandon CF B. (Wool Flies- can be tied with Bozo hair,, Rabbit Tail Sliders and Deceivers.
Poppers: Taco Pescadors, Polo Dancers, Big Boy Travealle, Dahlsberg Divers and Foam Poppers.
Hooks
Colors:
Most popular in the Amazon is the color FireTiger. After that, Chartreuse/White, Red/Yellow, Black/Red, Perch, Orange/Yellows and most bait fish imitations are preferred.
Line
Leaders
Rods & Reels
First, you are going to need an 8 -11 weight Fly rod, one that has a fast action. Also, fast rods are a must. You are throwing large streamers all day, and a fast weight rod will work much better and save your arm from casting all day! Good quality with a strong drag and capacity for a lot of 30 lb. backing, designed for the weight rod you are bringing. Use a reel that picks up the line faster (example Large-Arbor) and again save your arms from getting overworked.
Flies
Peacock Bass flies should be tied on large sharp, 3/0-4/0 hooks. Peacock bass will hit top-water poppers, but large streamers will produce more strikes. All colors will attract peacocks to strike, especially combinations using yellow, green, red, olive, and blue. Smaller 3”-4” streamers are easier to cast and will produce a lot of strikes from fish in the 2-6 pound range. For really large Peacock Bass, you will need to fish with a streamer that is from 5”-8” in length.
Streamers: Puglisi Peacock, Puglisi Back County imitations, Puglisi Big imitations, Puglisi Peanut Butter Flies and Pike Flies, CF Bait Fish and Tandon CF B. (Wool Flies- can be tied with Bozo hair,, Rabbit Tail Sliders and Deceivers.
Poppers: Taco Pescadors, Polo Dancers, Big Boy Travealle, Dahlsberg Divers and Foam Poppers.
Hooks
Peacock Bass flies should be tied on large sharp, 3/0 – 4/0 hooks.
Colors:
Most popular in the Amazon is the color FireTiger. After that, Chartreuse/White, Red/Yellow, Black/Red, Perch, Orange/Yellows and most bait fish imitations are preferred.
Line
Any good quality floating, weight forward, line will work best. We prefer to use a shooting head system because peacock bass are definitely not line shy. If you are bringing a second rod, we recommend a 5ft. #6 sinking-tip line for the second outfit. Jim Teeny’s Saltwater Series TS 350 and his Saltwater Floating Lines are good. Some use Scientific Anglers SA Sharkskin Magnum Tropic in floating and clear, slow sink tip, and also Rio’s Tropical Outbound short, in floating and clear slow sink tip.
Leaders
A very quick and easy method is to simply cut a 5-6 ft. section of 40, 50, or 60 lb. “hard mono” and tie it on as a strait-leader. If you are interested in fishing for line class records for peacock bass, you will need a leader with a heavy butt section, followed by your IGFA approved line class section between two bimini twists, ending in a 20lb., 30lb., or 40lb. fluorocarbon tippet. Be sure to check on the current IGFA record for the line class that you are fishing, so you will know if a record breaking fish has been caught.
TIPS FROM PRO FLY ANGLERS
ABOUT OUR REMOTE, FLOATING, FLY-IN, SAFARI CAMPS:
Operating deep in the headwaters, tributaries, or private waters of the Amazon, we offer total mobility. Our floating camps can navigate into, and around, the river’s most shallow waters easily and in as little as 14 inches of water. This operation offers the angler all the comforts of home while in the most remote regions of the Amazon Rainforest with access via float planes direct from the city of Manaus. Whether you are an avid fly fisherman, or beginning conventional angler, our floating safari camp trips can offer quantity and quality for all to enjoy in the most indigenous areas that most other vessels cannot get into!
The "Don't Panic" Trick
As stated above, keep the rod down and to the side, then try to stop that hawg! However, if you feel you cannot keep it without breaking the line, or bending the hook, and they get to the trees quickly, back off all pressure immediately! They will normally go just a few feet into the trees and stop (again, don’t panic). After they have stopped, add a little pressure to the line very slowly, and they will swim out – the same way they went in.
The "Don't Panic" Trick
As stated above, keep the rod down and to the side, then try to stop that hawg! However, if you feel you cannot keep it without breaking the line, or bending the hook, and they get to the trees quickly, back off all pressure immediately! They will normally go just a few feet into the trees and stop (again, don’t panic). After they have stopped, add a little pressure to the line very slowly, and they will swim out – the same way they went in.
The "You Can Do It" Trick
Here’s wishing you “Tight Lines Always” in catching the BIGGEST PEACOCK BASS of your life! Come join us on the “hunt” for those Monster Peacock Bass that can only be found in this intriguing, and mysterious river system, as we fish our way through the Amazon canals, tributaries and hidden lagoons surrounding the shorelines of the Rainforest. FISH ON!