The World of Peacock Bass
February 2012
Official Newsletter/eZine of the Peacock Bass Association
www.peacockbassassociation.com
© Larry Larsen, Executive Director

In This Issue:    

• The Good Old Days in the Amazon?
• New Floating Bungalows in the Amazon
• Terminal Tackle Tip – Split Ring Knots
• New Bolivia/Brazil Fly Fishing Website
• TrueImage Spinner Blades Introduced
• Global Entry Program Info
• We Get Mail (Big Double On One Plug, )
• CLUB CONCIERGE
• Member Comment/Reprint Policies

The Good Old Days in the Amazon? - Are they in the past or are they back? The basin in South America, primarily in Brazil, is one of the world's most interesting places to fish and the peacock bass is the world's most exciting fish. That doesn't mean that every trip will provide an "outstanding fishing experience" or be a "success". I received an email from a former PBA member stating that he thought the good old days were gone and was retiring from the activity. Well, the definition of "success" or "outstanding" is relative to the individual experiencing the activity. To me, I evaluate a trip based on several factors (fishing and otherwise). Over recent years, I have been interested in giant peacock bass only and could not have cared less about catching numbers of small, 2 to 9 pounders. I chase "teeners," those peacocks over 13 pounds, and have kept the highlights of the log on my Peacock Bass Association website at  http://www.peacockbassassociation.com/html/larry_peacock_bass_log.html. I also update the page with posts of pictures of the largest fish from my most recent trip and information on my personal best in several categories. There you'll find some interesting data, particularly about peacock fishing over the years. For example, 54 of my 76 trips were to Brazil and they started in 1992 (I started fishing peacocks in 1988 in Venezuela). Relative to the peacock bass fishing in the "good old days", here's what I found: My two largest fish (25 pounds each) were taken in 2002 and 2007, but I caught a 24 pounder in early December 2011. My largest "double on one plug" (30 pounds total) was taken in 2003. My best day for "teeners" (13) was in 2006 and my best week for "teeners" (25) was in 2003. You'll also find a lot more there, including that my highest numbers of peacock were taken in the early 1990's, but as I have said, I long ago switched from catching "numbers" to fishing only for the giants.

        Not all trips are a success by any measure, but I generally use a 20-pounder to define the trip for me personally. I dug deeper into my log and found that I have become a better "big fish" catcher as I focused on them over many years. I looked at my detailed logs and found that in my last 7 trips over the past 4 years to Brazil, I have caught 6 fish over 20 pounds which is an average of 86% "success" (in 5 of those trips) and had a top fish of 18 pounds on one and 15 pounds on another. The latter was a poor fishing trip four years ago and two of the trips that I caught a 20 pound plus fish have poor "numbers" of big and little fish. When I consider my 47 other trips after giants resulting in only 24 peacocks over 20 pounds, that's only a 51% "success" in the "older days". The only two dates in which I was able to catch two fish over 20 pounds in the same day were in Nov. 2002 and in Dec. 2011. So are the current days better than the older days? Nope. Do I have fond memories of great trips in the "early days" of peacock chasing? Yep. Are there concerning "factors" today that didn't exist 10 of 20 years ago? Yep.  Am I going to stop going after giant peacock bass in the Amazon? I sure don't plan on that!

New Floating Bungalows in the Amazon - Amazon Fringe Expeditions will offer its comfortable floating bungalow peacock bass trips from Mid-November 2012 through March 2013 in select Amazon basin fisheries. No final schedule is available as of this printing; however, anglers or agents interested in these dates should contact Paul Reiss at (866) 832-2987 for further information and for preliminary reservations. The comfortable air-conditioned cabins are complete with private bathrooms and hot showers in each unit. Anglers arriving via float plane will have access to otherwise inaccessible headwaters fisheries and will maximize every available minute of fishing time. For more information on availability, contact Garry Reiss or Paul at 1-866 431-1668 or email PReiss@AcuteAngling.com.

Terminal Tackle Tip: Split Ring Knots - PBA received this great tip on "How to Avoid Knot to Split Ring Risks" from Art Weston who wanted to share it with all members. As many of you know, Art does lots of analysis and evaluation of various tackle hardware in search of truths. He has shared this with us before both in these eZines and on our PBA Fishing Forum. Here is his article: "Background: When using my force testing equipment to evaluate hook strengths, I had been using a split ring on the end of the line to conveniently connect to the gauge itself, leaving the other end to tie off to the hook (via a loop).  I created a very heavy reusable testing line (200lb hollow braid) so I just had to change the hooks from test to test.   After numerous tests up to 110lbs of force (the max of my gauge), the line inexplicably broke at the connection to the split ring.  I just assumed it to be a fluke and made a new testing line.  Again, after numerous tests, the new line broke again in the same spot.  Seeing that I use a hollow-braided loop connection to the split ring, the connection strength should have been 100% of the absolute breaking strength of the line (well over 200lbs).  Also, the line has never broken at the hook end where the same loop connection is used (and re-used, over and over again). I determined the problem to be one of the split ring ends (the two spots where the metal wire terminates) had been cutting into the testing line under pressure (or when the pressure was released).  There was a simple immediate solution, where you make sure the line's connection to the ring is around the coils, away from the ring's ends.  After making this correction, I have not had a testing line break since. So why does any of this matter to Peacock bass anglers? Caution should be used when tying your line to a lure's split ring (i.e. when using minnowbaits or spoons).  At a minimum, make sure your knot is not settled into the part of the ring between the two ends shown photo LEFT (which actually is the spot where the knot most naturally connects), but at the opposite end around the coils shown photo RIGHT.

New Bolivia/Brazil Fly Fishing Website - Rod & Gun Resources has just produced their new website (www.flyfishingbolivia.com) that focuses on Amazon fly fishing for peacock bass, payara and for other exotics found in Bolivia and Brazil, according to co-owner JW Smith. "Over the last two decades, through many, many research trips, Rod and Gun Resources has developed two distinctively different peacock bass fly fishing programs," he says. "The programs target peacock bass and other exciting exotic gamefish in Brazil and Bolivia and were developed with our longtime friends and renowned outfitters, Jorge Molina of Bolivian Adventures and Luis Brown of River Plate Anglers. They both offer fantastic fishing, knowledgeable guides, good boats and equipment, comfortable, air-conditioned accommodations, good food and outstanding service. There are no greater trips on earth for adventurous fly anglers." At their new website, visitors can click on the icons for the uniquely different programs and check out the lodging and fishing. They will also find a slide show, a video and a PDF Downloadable Brochure. For full details on their 4- to 7-day fishing packages (including info on fly fishing gear), visit www.flyfishingbolivia.com or email venture@rodgunresources.com.

TrueImage Spinner Blades Introduced - LurePartsOnline.com has just introduced its new, exclusive line of TrueImage spinner blades, spoons and spinnerbaits, according to owner Ron Stevens. These products offer the most life-like fish patterns available to date, and those peacock bass anglers that toss spoons or spinnerbaits may want to get a good supply. "Actual photographs of fish have been transferred to the lures, ensuring they are an identical replica of the real thing," Ron says. "The high tech process has been perfected to allow for a tough, chip resistant finish that will last for the lifetime of the lure." For spinner blades, the TrueImage line is available in both the natural baitfish style, where the image applied over a painted blade, as well as the "Flash-back" series, designed for clear water applications, where the image is applied over nickel or gold blades. The translucent image allows the natural shine of the blade to come through. "We're very excited about where this could go", says the LurePartsOnline.com executive. "We're already experimenting with other components and lures. We hope to introduce more products this spring. The finish on these lures is truly amazing." For more information, contact Lure Parts Online at 800-546-8922, visit www.LurePartsOnline.com or email info@lurepartsonline.com.

Global Entry Program Info - You may have heard about our U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency's program that expedites your customs declarations and re-entry to U.S. The program geared towards frequent international travelers allows you to skip the oft-long passport control lines and proceed to the automated kiosks. U.S. citizens are eligible for participation and there are no minimum trips per year to be qualified for the Global Entry program. At the kiosks travelers need to present their machine readable passports, provide fingerprints for verification and electronically enter their customs declarations. Kiosks provide a receipt at the end of the process and you are done! The Global Entry kiosks are available at all major international airports including Miami , New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, and Boston. In order to apply for the program travelers need to complete an online application, and submit a $100 non-refundable application fee. Then, each applicant will be scheduled for an interview and go through a background check. For a list of all kiosks and the enrollment center location, or to find more on the application process, visit the Global Entry Program website at http://www.globalentry.gov/.

We Get Mail    

Here are some of the emails and news releases we have received with topics that might be of interest to all members. I always encourage PBA Members to email brief comments or news to us.

Big Double On One Plug - "Hi Larry, Wanted to let you know about our great trip back in early October. We were scheduled to go to the upper Rio Negro, but (the outfitter) called me on my cell while we were at the Miami hotel awaiting our flight the following morning.  He said that it had started to rain and the Rio Negro rivers were flooding out west, so he sent us to the (Madeira watershed) to be aboard (their yacht).  I will have to admit that I wasn't keen about a riverboat, but must also admit it wasn't bad.  In fact, it was a great experience.  My boat averaged over 100 fish a day with lots of 15-19 pounders. My partner and I almost matched your (personal record) feat with the 2 fish on one lure.  He had a 16 pound (3-bar) peacock on the front treble hook and a 10 pound paca (peacock) on the back hook. I had everybody 'going' back at the boat over cocktails about our 26 lb catch!" Ron S. (Photo Larry's Dbl)

"Hi Ron, Nice catch and great numbers! You were fortunate to have that option to change fisheries. The peacocks provide lots of thrills to anglers when they gang up on a single plug and many have caught 'doubles' in the Amazon. It is fairly common but to catch two giants is usually one of those things you never forget. Congrats to your partner." – Larry

CLUB CONCIERGE Club Concierge for-Members-Only service is available to provide helpful information via web links. Click here to access Club Concierge.  Remember, this is a members-only page, and it is not be accessible from other pages on our site. MEMBER COMMENTS/REPRINT POLICIES All members are encouraged to email eZine/Newsletter Feedback/Comments by clicking here or send me letters about news, issues and topics. Only signed e-mails are considered. PBA will not publish material/letters that are libelous in nature or testimonials. Permission to reprint from The World of Peacock Bass Newsletter must be obtained from PBA.