Spring fishing in South Florida is really heating up. Fishing urban canals like the C-14 and those in the Lake Ida chain have shown an abundance of peacock and largemouth bass. Live bait is the go to choice for peacock bass, but don’t be afraid of throwing an X-rap or busting out the fly rod. When choosing flies for peacock bass, go with white, chartreuse, or a combo that is flashy.
The peacocks are still sitting up on their beds and you’ll notice that some of them have fry sitting with them. As tempting as it may be, it’s best to leave those fish alone to help insure survival of the fry. A free swimming fish will fight much harder than one a bedding one anyway. For largemouth bass, a speed worm or a fluke worked through the hydrilla grass is working best. Personally, I love a topwater bite, so I have also been throwing a lot of frogs with good results.
Looking into the glades, leave the live bait at home because you will run out of it this time of the year. For largies, topwater such as the spook jr. is always a great bet. If you’re practicing catch and release, I like to replace the treble hooks with single inline hooks, and it makes it way easier to release the fish and get right back to the action. For peacocks, the jerk bait bite has been excellent and will continue to stay that way throughout April.
For all situations, I have found it best to use light braid and 4 to 6 feet of 10 to 15 pound fluorocarbon leader. Straight 12 pound fluorocarbon mainline also works well. I like using fluorocarbon over monofilament because the fluorocarbon is slightly stiffer and has better clarity over the monofilament. If you are seeing the fish and not getting bites, try stepping down your leader material a size or two.
A good set of polarized sunglasses is crucial to seeing what’s under the glare of the water. For dark water, try using an amber lens. For cleaner water, try using a blue or silver lens. Both will help with being able to spot some of those big cruisers.
Capt. Johnny Stabile
(954) 440-5200
South Florida Fishing Charters
sflfishingcharters.com