Heading down to Miami next week to join some of my fellow Navionics team members for some training and Peacock bass fishing.  Anyone have some advice for a first timer?  Best limited tackle to bring, line type and size and any other advice would be much appreciated.  I'm sure there will be some friendly competition happening please lead me in the right direction.  Need some of this:

Don’t have any advice for you just wanted to say good luck. Oh and I’m wicked jealous. 

Been fishing for peacock bass for over 23 years now and they are one of my favorite fish to catch. Easiest way to catch them is with live shiners or catching them off a nest which is like shooting fish in a barrel. Good lures to use are poppers, propbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and jigs. Good luck and have fun.

December 2013 was the most recent trip I made to Miami ; I fished on foot exploring canals wherever there was shore access. My most productive lure was a Lipless Crankbait. I caught more fish on a yo-yo retrieve, when the rattletrap was popped quickly and then fluttering. Again that was in December and 5 years ago; all I can say is, if the Rattletrap bite is on you better hang on to the fishing rod , they are strong enough to knock the rod out of your hand !

They like fast & erratic retrieves with artificial baits.

Most of the time staying in the shallows and waiting till the water warms up gives the best results. I've rarely caught them early in the morning like at sunup, and so far never in deep water.

 

I use soft paddle tail shad, and some other soft swim / wiggle tail baits. I've taken a couple of bigger ones on frogs too.

 

 

 

 

How did the peacock bass fishing trip go, any +5 pounders?