I know you can go to brazil and panama and etc. But as far as Florida goes, where in Fla are they? also, how did they get there and why are they just in fla and not in other states with similar climate?

You can find them in the canals and small lakes in the extrmeme southern end of Palm Beach County, as well as Broward and Dade Counties. My understanding is that the fish are very climate sensitive. The reason they can live in these areas and not other similar climate areas, I believe, is due to the fact that the water in these counties is shallow and the temperature remains fairly consistent year round.

The climate here in South Florida is not like anywhere else in this country. The winters are very mild and seeing days below 50 can be rare most seasons. This is the most critical part of the Peacocks survival, temps drop below 60 there chances of survival are very slim.

They were put here by FWC in the 80s to fight against other native species that have been introduced into the canal systems. Oscars, Talapians, and other Chiclids were starting to over run the water systems down here and after a lot of research they decided that the Peacock would be effective in reducing these numbers. It turns out they were right. There is still alot of non-native species in these waters but they slowed down an epidimic.

Sometimes you see the wildest and weirdest looking fish in these waters only to find out later it was a fish tank species and now its multiplied and is eating everything.

As WPBD pointed out you can catch them on the southern end of P.B county all the way down into Dade county. They are mostly found in all the canal systems down here. Reports of them being caught throughout P.B county are starting to get more consistent but they still lack the size of those in the Miami area. And furthermore those even lack the size of the ones from the Amazon.

Most of the canals in the Ft. Lauderdale and south have peacocks. They are of the butterfly species.

I believe the biggest documented by Paul Shafland was around 12lbs. The world Record is of the

same size. My biggest down there is about 4lbs.

Scott

Peacock fishing is alot of fun.  Sometimes you can catch over 20 of them on a good day when its nice and hot out.  I like fishing canals for them because I can sight fish better.  My biggeset to date was around 6lbs 22 1/2.  They fight hard on light tackle and the always seem to find a flaw in my lures like weak split ring or crappy treble hook. Definately one of the top freshwater gamefish here in S. Florida.

I caught this peacock in WPC near the 441 and turnpike on a zara spook jr in August this year, not big but it sure beats going to South America. I have fished for the peacock in Northen Bolivia, Venezula, and of course Brazil. You have to try South America once in a lifetime, but fishing for the peacock Florida is close, the price is right, and you dont need a guide.

fishingmachine.  Thats a cool fish, nicer than what I've caught here in Dade.  Hale pretty much said it all.

Everybody I've talked to sends me to C-111 down in the boonies.  I have not had any luck in Dade east of 826.  You can use shinners for easy catching.  Lures are not as "automatic".

We were supposed to have had an issue in between 96-99 w/ some sort of cool spell which may or may not have killed off alot of them.  Yeah really, it was like 40, which is "arctic" for a native S Floridian.  I was told by many there were none in my pond, but I proved otherwise.  I even reported it to an FWC biologist, who was happy to have heard that they returned to this spot.

Cool fish.  Its like a smash and grab hit on the lure (local humor).  At least it is for me.  I always get hit the same way.  They zoom in and try to rip the lure away.  Not the thump I'm used to from a LMB.

Al

nice catch