Peacock Bass on the Fly

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Over the past few years, adventurous fly anglers have traveled to South America in ever-increasing numbers to target peacock bass, a freshwater species that many deem the world's most challenging freshwater gamefish to be tempted by the fly.

As in any type of fishing style, the conditions you'll face will dictate the type of outfit you'll need to bring as well as the type of flies you will use and how to retrieve them.

Some of the varying conditions you will face include the time of year (rainy versus dry season) and specific watershed being fished. In some instances, especially in systems such as Brazil's Rio Negro and its tributaries, where the water often carries suspended silt or is 'colored' with tannins, the angler will be forced to blind-cast to likely looking structures and cover. In other situations, anglers can stalk individual peacocks in the clear waters that are often present in the Amazon basin during the low-water months.

Whatever the situation, make no mistake, fly fishing for peacock bass is not a delicate or finesse affair. Long, accurate casts are often important when fishing for peacock bass with a fly. Even more important is the retrieve you'll need to execute, as they must be extremely aggressive. The strips should be long and fast with a short pause between each. This style of fishing can be lots of work, but the reward is incredible. The first time you have a peacock bass "blow up" on your fly, inhale it and then pull line and backing from your reel like a hooked greyhound, you'll understand why so many fly rodders have become obsessed with this fish.

Peacock bass are extremely aggressive and powerful. The fly rods that you select for peacock bass must take these factors into account. To capitalize on the fish's aggressive nature, you must throw large, wind resistant flies. To stop the fish from running into flooded jungle and other underwater obstructions where they're impossible to extricate, you have to apply substantial pressure. A fast action (tip flex), high modulus graphite rod is best suited to fit both bills.

You need a rod with lots of backbone, capable of developing high line speed to deliver big flies long distances and the guts to stop freight-training fish. I like a 9-weight rod because I can throw it all day, but a 10- or 11-weight rod is really more appropriate when targeting trophy size peacocks.

My suggestion is to carry both a 9-weight and a 10- or 11-weight. Use the 9-weight most of the day for prospecting and targeting smaller fish. Then use the bigger rod in situations where hooking-up with a trophy-sized fish is more likely.

Rods should be 8-1/2 to 9 feet long and be constructed of high modulus graphite. It is important to remember that you'll be fishing for peacocks in very remote areas - often days from the nearest fly shop, so bring several back-up rods in the event that you break one of your primary rods. On what may be the trip of a lifetime, choosing not to invest in and bring at least one backup for each primary rod is risky and penny-foolish.

Any good-quality disc drag or cork draw bar reel will work for peacock bass. A very smooth drag action is preferable. Any glitch or freeze in the drag when a 20-lb class peacock makes one of their powerful runs can result in a broken rod. The logic for investing in a backup rod holds true for investing in a backup reel. Keep a backup reel or two handy in case one is put out of commission.

Peacocks are not generally finicky or discriminating. However, like most gamefish, they will sometimes gravitate towards certain sizes and colors while ignoring other offerings. Bring a large selection of both topwater and subsurface flies in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The most successful flies for bigger fish are generally large profiled patterns tied on 3/0 and 4/0 hooks. Important patterns include poppers, Dahlberg-style divers and other large profile baitfish patterns such as Lefty's Deceiver variations and large Clouser Minnows. All of these flies should be tied in a variety sizes and color combinations on high-quality stainless steel hooks. Subsurface flies should contain a reflective material (such as Krystal Flash or Flashabou). These materials give a more life-like appearance to the patterns and the "flash" helps trigger reflex strikes.

Attach the fly to the bite tippet using knots such as the Homer Rhode loop knot or the Duncan loop. These loops give the fly more freedom to dip and dart when retrieved.