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Information Central (c) Larry Larsen
Getting in on the Bite
 You should not attempt to compare the peacock bass (or the rainbow bass) to any species of the true black bass family. There is no comparison.
The peacock seems to be on steroids and pumped up to the max with adrenalin. Unless you have experienced you 40 or 50 pound test line being
snapped by a monster peacock, you may not quite appreciate that statement.
Fish that kill and maim only because something is in their "space" are tough
to reckon with. The territorial nature of the peacock is one of the things that makes them very special. Most of their strikes are not premeditated, but their
crimes on tackle will be brutal and ruthless. And, if you are fishing one of the great topwater baits, you'll be an eye-witness to the carnage.
A big topwater bait landing nearby just seems to "set" them off. Peacock bass literally go berserk and try to
destroy the intruder. That's not to say that a peacock cannot be temperamental. It may make several passes
at a surface bait, nudging it or just creating a wash-tub size hole in the water for it to fall into, without actually
getting its lips around the lure. A peacock may knock the plug up into a low hanging tree with a head butt.
Or, they may dart by the stationary topwater plug numerous times just to see if you can withstand the
pressure of an impending strike...that may or may not ever happen. You can often turn the tables on such shenanigans by using a
 come-back lure that will get down to three or four feet below the surface.
Submerged lures do attract a lot of peacock bass and can, on occasion, out-fish the topwaters. A
pattern can be established for peacock bass, just like largemouth, although very few of the locals guides you'll
fish with understand such. I've caught giants in shallow water, in deep water and areas in between on a variety
of lures, but some times are best for a particular depth, lure and presentation. The most productive anglers will look beyond the guide leading them from one spot to
another and try to figure out why the exotic bass are at a particular place and why they are not at others.
At times, it is difficult to make the exotic bass strike. Fishing pressure can turn them off. So can rapidly
rising or falling water levels. The best peacock bass fishing is almost always in stable or slightly falling water
conditions during the dry season. That's when they tear up your lures, break your heaviest lines and melt your nerves of steel. They will show no mercy.
The peacock has an attitude problem.
It's a bomb waiting to go off once hooked.
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