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152 N. Main St.
Hiawassee, Georgia 30546
Phone: (706)
896-1403
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Fax: (706) 896-1467
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There is
little debate that the most exciting aspect of peacock bass
fishing is their propensity to annihilate large, noisy
surface lures - especially those with large propellers in
the tail section; stick-baits which can be walked across the
surface; or poppers. |
 |
 Peacocks
are notorious for exploiting a lure’s weakness, be it
straightening hooks, tearing apart split rings or ripping
hook hangers loose from the baits. Some shrewd tackle
companies are now taking steps to make their lures as
“peacock proof” as possible by adding stronger hooks,
heavier hook hangers and sturdier split rings. However, many
baits still need beefing up before they are ready to take on
this ferocious sportfish.
 For
years, the dominant topwater lure manufacturer for the
peacock market has been Luhr-Jensen. Its propeller lure
arsenal includes the 3/4-ounce and Big Game Wood Chopper,
Peacock Bass Special, Jerkin’ Sam, Magnum Jerkin’ Sam, and
Amazon Ripper. Recently, however, several exciting, new
lures have been developed to satisfy the growing peacock
bass market. New propeller baits include Eatem-Up Monster
Prop, High Roller RipRoller; Temptress Detonator; and Sam
Griffin’s Super Zip, Super Richard and Moonshine Special.
Prop baits should be worked with rapid, aggressive rips of
the rod, to impart an action that suggests a fleeing
baitfish. The more aggressively you work these baits, the
more the peacocks are apt to attack them. Each sweep of the
rod should move the bait from 6 inches to 2 feet, depending
on the lure used, current conditions and mood of the fish.
Propellers might need to be tweaked to insure that they bite
the water and create optimum audible and visible commotion.
Most guides are adept at tuning the props for best action
and sound, so don’t hesitate to let them adjust them.
A variation of the propeller commotion, big poppers are also
effective for attracting trophy-class fish. These baits,
such as Eatem-Up’s Amazon Popper or the Highroller
Chugroller, create a loud popping sound on the surface, as
well as a visible bubble stream in the water.
Walking baits include Excalibur Super Spook, Highroller
Classic and Griffin Walkin’ Sam. The famous “walk the dog”
retrieve is basically a coordinated series of wrist snaps
that cause the bait to zigzag across the water. Consider
these lures when you wants lots of lure action, but want to
keep the baits in the strike zone for a longer period of
time.
 When
fishing at peacock destinations yielding 4-12 pound fish,
you can scale down your arsenal to include the Rebel Pop-R,
Yo-Zuri Popper, Hedden Baby Torpedo and Rebel Jumpin’
Minnow.
Subsurface lures also work well for peacocks when they
cannot be enticed to strike surface plugs, or to follow up
unsuccessful topwater blowups. These baits include Temptress
Peacock Minnows, Cordell Red Fins, Bomber Long A’s,Yo-Zuri
Crystal Minnows, Rapala Husky Jerks and Smithwick Suspending
Rattlin’ Rogues, all in the 5-7 inch size range. Bill Lewis
Rat-L-Traps and Johnson spoons should also be a part of your
peacock tackle arsenal. Jerkbaits are most effective when
worked with rapid, erratic wrist twitches with occasional
pauses. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different
retrieval techniques. In some instances changing retrieval
speed or cadence is more important than changing lures.
Another good follow-up bait to use when a peacock bass
aggressively misses a topwater lure is a 1/2-ounce white
Blakemore Roadrunner bucktail jig or standard white bucktail
jig. It is deadly on schooling fish, especially butterfly
and royal peacocks around rocks. Cast into the remnant of
the strike and then aggressively jig up and down -- strikes
usually come on the fall.
Strong Double-Lok snaps (approx. 120-lb break strength) will
allow you to change lures quickly. Remove the split ring at
the line tie of the lure and add the snap instead. Always
bring extra split rings and treble hooks, as peacocks will
typically put a few baits out of commission during the
course of a trip. Wire leaders are not necessary for peacock
bass fishing, unless the area is also noted |
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