Butterfly Peacock
Type: Other Non-Native
Appearance: Color is very vivid— generally golden with three black vertical bars that fade with age. A black spot with a yellow halo on the tail fin is distinctive.
State record: 9.11 lbs.
BigCatch: To qualify your catch needs to exceed the listed weight OR length (not necessarily both).
Habitat: Butterfly peacock bass were stocked by the FWC, after research showed temperature would limit their range. Biologists sought a predator to control exotic fishes and to provide a high quality sport fishery. Many miles of canals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties now have self-sustaining peacock fisheries worth millions of dollars locally.
Behavior: Peacocks spawn from April through September. Both adults prepare a flat, hard surface near shore and guard the young. Reproductively active males have a nuchal hump on their forehead.
Tips: Peacocks prefer live fish or fish-like lures, rather than plastic worms. Light tackle fished during the day near fallen trees, culverts or in the shade are productive. The FWC encourages catch-and-release of these sport fish.