The Florida Fishing Experts
Specializing in Florida Bass Fishing on all of the Florida Freshwater Lakes.

South American peacock bass are adjusting to suburban life in Florida (The Kansas City Star)

HOMESTEAD, Fla. | Brett Isackson was searching for a piece of the Amazon in the most unlikely of settings — behind a Bloomingdale’s store in a mall in a Miami suburb.
Standing in his bass boat in a canal, he was fishing for peacock bass — the freshwater fish most often associated with jungles, piranha-infested waters and countries such as Brazil.

Not the land of shopping malls, upscale neighborhoods and busy parks.
But ask Isackson, and he’ll tell you that the colorful peacock bass are almost at home in one setting as the other.

Oh, the Florida fish don’t grow nearly as large as their cousins of a different strain in the Amazon. And they aren’t as plentiful.

But since being stocked by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in the 1980s, they have built an impressive population and have created a multimillion dollar fishery.

Even in surprisingly tame settings, Isackson will remind you.

“Your readers are going to think you are making things up when you tell them we put in behind a Bloomingdale’s,” Isackson said with a laugh. “But a lot of these places down here where we fish for peacocks are surrounded by a lot of activity.

“We fish for them in the lakes at the Miami International Airport, the raceway (Homestead-Miami Speedway), and a lot of canals running through neighborhoods.

“The key is warm water. These peacocks can’t tolerate water temperatures much lower than the mid-60s. If they have good, warm water and a lot of forage, they do fine.”

The peacocks and many other fish ran out of warm water in early January, when a prolonged cold spell hit Florida. The peacock bass were among the many species that suffered losses.

As Isackson, a guide for the BassOnline Fishing Service, maneuvered his bass boat down the narrow canal, he was surrounded by reminders of the cold. Dead iguanas floated in the shallows. And dead fish floated on the surface and littered the bottom.

But there was plenty of life in the water, too. Schools of bright-orange Midas cichlids glowed in the clear water. And the peacock bass he was seeking were there, too.

No sooner had he announced, “We call this section Peacock Alley,” than he felt something jolt the gold Rapala he had just cast out.

The fish pulled hard, then burst to the surface and made an acrobatic leap. But it wasn’t long before Isackson had the fish in the boat and was admiring its beauty.

“Even these small ones will give you a fight,” he said as he tossed his catch back. “You’ll be fighting these fish and you’ll think you have something much bigger on. They’re like smallmouth bass on steroids.”

Isackson enjoyed plenty of those fights on a weekday last week. He and I caught 12 peacock bass in a variety of sizes and lost four others. We also landed several Oscars, cichlids that are popular with those who have aquariums.

Isackson used a tried-and-true pattern to catch the fish. He used a No. 7 gold Rapala and retrieved it with an erratic motion parallel to a rock ledge descending into the clear water. The closer to the wall, the better.

“They’ll get back in some of the holes and under some of the overhanging rocks,” said Isackson, 38, who lives in Davie, Fla. “They’re ambush feeders, a lot like a largemouth.”

Isackson said the fish he and his customers catch often run in the 1- to 3-pound range. But there are exceptions. A fisherman in his late 70s once caught a 7-pound peacock on a fly rod and a Clouser Minnow fly. The Florida state record is 9.08 pounds.

Isackson uses other common bass baits to lure the peacocks. He has caught fish on everything from topwater lures to spinnerbaits to Rat-L-Traps to Lucky Craft Pointer crankbaits.

“You never know where you’re going to find them,” Isackson said. “They aren’t too picky about where they’ll spawn.

“One time, I told a customer to pitch in on a baby crib that was down on the bottom. He did, and he caught a nice peacock.”

Experiences like that have created a rabid following for the exotic fish. Isackson laughed about the day he took a loyal customer out fishing.

“He rolled up his sleeve and showed me a tattoo of a peacock bass that he had gotten,” Isackson said.

After that brutal cold spell in early January, things are getting back to normal in southern Florida. The water temperature has climbed to 67 degrees, the fish are shaking out of their doldrums and Isackson is back in shorts, fishing for the peacock bass he loves.

“I’m sure the population took a hit with this cold weather,” he said. “But we’re seeing that plenty of fish survived, too.

“If the peacocks can pull off a good spawn, that would definitely help for the future.”

I recently took out repeat clients Sendrena, Alex and Budd out for some hard fighting peacock bass action.  We had an awesome day and Lil Alex was the champ  for the day.

He caught most of the fish and the biggest peacock of the day. What a great Lil fisherman and what a good angler he is going to become!

Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer Capt Tony Masiello( tonym@bassonline.com)
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS

We just finished our 8th year of the Hot Rods & Reels Charity fishing tournament in Miami/Homestead Speedway.

This event raises money for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and Speediatrics to help young adults suffering from spinal cord injuries or debilitating diseases. Through the help from all of it’s sponsors the foundation is able to continue to purchase motorized wheelchairs for well desired recipients.

This year we had the help and support of a new sponsor, Rejuvenate Auto a fantastic product owned by a great family. Not to leave out Bass Pro Shops which has supported this effort from day one, along with Sprint, Hook & Tackle shirt company which provides those great looking fishing shirt you see in the pictures.

So this year, right when you thought it could not get any better we top the charts. With help from the “The Outdoor Channel” filming for the second year in a row. We bought in one of the best fishing host TV has ever experience, Fish Fishborne. With the support of the NASCAR drivers and car owners, sponsors and television such as ESPN, Speed TV and Fox, all that was left is to pull off another great fishing tournament.

Fish Fishburne and Martin Truex

With boats in the water, Captains rigged up and ready for competition, drivers and car owners on board, the only thing missing were fish. The official start was given by Darrell Waltrip, using the second most famous words in NASCAR. He controlled the moment, as everyone listen to him say, “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity lets go fishing boys,” and with those famous words the anglers and guess wet there lines for the first time.

D.W. - Boogity, Boogity, Boogity lets go fishing!

The event scheduled for 90 minutes, was off to a quick start as it only took a few minutes before Captain Rick Persson with Regan Smith boated their first fish. Almost simultaneously across the lake Bill Elliott hook into his first fish keeping things close. Only minutes later right out in front of the stage Martin Truex battle his first fish and lands it with the help of his team. At this point my head feels like it’s spinning around in circles with the amount of fish being caught. Both ends of the lake and twenty different boats with bent poles!

Miami/Homestead Speedway Lake

Several boats seem to huddle to the west end of lake, as with most fishermen I think several of these guides/drivers were on the bent pole pattern. “Find someone with a bent pole and fish there.” In the middle of that crowd was Capt Tony Masiello with driver Jamie McMurray landing his third fish and completing a limit to make them the favorite at this point. Back to the other side of the lake, Kenny Wallace was seen with his shoe in hand and hamming it up to the camera crews, “what’s new.” We watched Bobbby Labonte land his second fish right beside Kenny’s boat, while all the way at the other end of the lake Scott Wimmer, David Gilliland were each working there way in to contention as the time started to whine down.

Bumping of boats seem very natural for the drivers!

A last minute glance for Darrell Waltrip’s boat, not even with in sight. But after a quick pause we were able to hear them just fine. Off in the distance, just outside of D.W. was legendary Bobby Allison, and if you know anything about the Allison family you know they can race and fish.

As the tournament concluded, the boats were called in. The peak of the event was about to happen, and it wasn’t the weight-in. As the drivers and car owners approached the banks they were called over for the DGF wheelchair presentation. The highlight at each even is the wheel chair give-a-way, to a recipient in need. This year it was the family of Kimberly Perez, a very deserving family. The presentation given by Darrell Gwynn and ended with a standing applause by the drivers, media and crowd.

Wheel Chair Recipient with Scott Wimmer

Now it was time for the weight-in, started no different then your average tournament with lots of dock talk. Everyone from Richard Childress, Darrell Waltrip, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex and Jamie McMurray feeling confident in there ability to take the trophy home from today’s event. Bragging rights going in to the Daytona 500 event in February are key.

As the weight-in progressed, the lead went back and forth from Bill Elliott, Martin Turex to Richard Childress. The two  sleepers hiding in the crowd seem to be Jamie McMurray and Clint Bowyer teams which both seem to be playing head games with each other. Almost as if they were in the final laps of a race and neither want to let off the gas going into the last turn. At his point Regan Smith with a limit of fish was leading going into the last few drivers to way-in. First up of the final few was Clint Bowyer’s team, with a big smile Clint was confident in there catch, and “BAM” the fish hit the scales and a new leader of the tournament.

Good or bad, now Clint had to sit and wait through the last couple of teams to weight-in. Next up would be Bobby Allison, with a story about the ones that got away today. Despite the mishaps he was still able to land a nice 4 pound largemouth to take the lead for the largest bass of the tournament leaving Clint Bowyer as our overall leader. After a few other close attempts at the lead, next up was the team of Jamie McMurray, with a new Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World sponsor for 2010 there may have been a little pressure to have the scales go his way.

Big Fish Winner- Bobby Allison

After a short interview, Jamie’s fish hit the scale. With a close oversight from Clint Bowyer and others the scale stopped just 6oz short to put Jamie in third place for the day. Giving the deserving 2009 Miami/Homestead trophy to the top team award of Clint Bowyer.

Winning Overall Team - Clint Bowyer

We would like to thank all the sponsors, drivers, guides and participating and making this such a successful event this year, if you would like to see more pictures from this event and/or pass events click this link!

Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer BASSonline – fishing@bassonline.com
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS

DARRELL GWYNN FOUNDATION RAISES AWARENESS, EDUCATES RESIDENTS DURING FLORIDA SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS WEEK

NASCAR Driver Clint Bowyer Wins Hot Rods & Reels to Culminate “The Week”

DAVIE, Fla. – (Nov. 30, 2009) – There’s an old saying in racing that, “it’s not where you start, but where you finish,” former National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Champion Darrell Gwynn notes.  With every wheelchair his Foundation donates, and every step forward in education and research to prevent and cure spinal cord injuries, he says it feels like winning another race.  With continued support, he believes his goal to eradicate paralysis one day will be achieved.

The Darrell Gwynn Foundation was the big winner again this year as Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week (“The Week”) wrapped up during Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  In addition to NASCAR drivers spotlighting the cause by including special decals on their cars in observance of The Week, 18 drivers, team owners and celebrities, including Darrell Waltrip, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Richard Childress, Martin Truex and Bobby Allison, among others, took part in the Rejuvenate Auto Hot Rods & Reels™ NASCAR Drivers Charity Fishing Tournament on the speedway’s infield lake.

Clint Bowyer’s team took top honors with three bass weighing in at 8.24 lbs.  Bobby Allison’s team caught the largest fish – 3.26 lbs.  Businesses and fans paid to fish with the celebrities, with all proceeds benefiting the Foundation’s mission of preventing and curing spinal cord injuries and other debilitating illnesses and the Speediatrics Unit at Homestead Hospital.

A Darrell Gwynn Foundation initiative, the fourth annual Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week was observed statewide November 16-22, 2009.  Throughout The Week, the Foundation donated state-of-the art, motorized wheelchairs to deserving Floridians and reinforced its year-round mission by educating residents – particularly high school students – on ways to prevent spinal cord injuries.

As part of its outreach and to help launch Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week, the Foundation premiered a poignant video, “It Could Happen To You,” starring several spinal cord injury victims during a special preview event at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla.  Then, throughout The Week, quadriplegic and paraplegic speakers presented the video at high schools and told students the choices they make regarding safe driving, boating, swimming and other recreational activities could help prevent spinal cord injuries.

Presentations were launched this year in Broward County and select high schools statewide, with a goal of incorporating the video into high school curriculums across Florida in the coming year.

Throughout The Week, the gift of independent mobility was presented to five deserving individuals who received custom wheelchairs ranging in cost from $16,000 to $31,000.  Each year, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation  provides dozens of wheelchairs to Florida residents and people across the country who have no medical insurance or whose coverage does not include state-of-the-art medical equipment.

The Foundation’s education and prevention outreach was enhanced by the Florida Department of Health, which helped produce and underwrite the cost of approximately one thousand broadcast TV spots.  Gwynn and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart teamed up in the spots to deliver messages on how to prevent spinal cord injuries.

Former NHRA star Darrell Gwynn, who was paralyzed in a 1990 accident, is confined to a wheelchair.  He knows first-hand that hope, encouragement and determination, aided by education, are among the keys in creating a meaningful and satisfying life, despite physical obstacles.  Established in 2002, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation’s mission is to prevent, provide assistance for, and ultimately cure spinal cord injuries and other debilitating illnesses.  To raise awareness for that mission, the Foundation lobbied for and secured official adoption of Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week.  Initially recognized by the state Legislature in 2006, resolutions to mark The Week have been re-adopted each year since.

For 2009, Gov. Charlie Crist also issued a proclamation in support of Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week and extended congratulations for the work being done to educate Floridians about spinal cord injury prevention.

In conjunction with the Florida Department of Health, the Foundation works closely with wheelchair recipients’ doctors and therapists to custom fit chairs so they can serve as legs for those who cannot walk.  To date, the program has provided more than 80 wheelchairs to those in need.  To expedite specific cures, the Foundation also assists in the funding of targeted research.

About The Darrell Gwynn Foundation

The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF) is a certified non-profit 501(c)3 foundation established to prevent, provide for and ultimately cure spinal cord injuries and debilitating illnesses.  To expand its educational outreach, the Foundation was instrumental in the creation of Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week (FSCIAW), a series of outreach programs and activities to raise public awareness about spinal cord injury prevention.  Through the efforts of state Sens. Nan Rich (D) and Garrett Richter (R), and Reps. Dorothy Hukill (R) and Juan Zapata (R), Florida House and Senate resolutions were passed officially declaring November 16-22, 2009, as Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week statewide.

The Week features personal visits to high schools by those afflicted with spinal cord injuries, prevention tips in a variety of publications, daily wheelchair donations throughout the state, and television and radio public service announcements.  The Week culminates at Homestead Miami Speedway with DGF’s signature Rejuvenate Auto Hot Rods & Reels Charity Fishing Tournament, which raises funds to support the foundation.  NASCAR teams also sport special decals during Ford Championship Weekend to elevate awareness about DGF’s ongoing mission.  For more information about Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week, the Foundation, or the programs it supports, call 954-792-7223 or visit www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org.

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Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer BASSonline – fishing@bassonline.com
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS

September 11, 2009  had the pleasure of taking out Gil Phillippi. He was a referral from one of our many repeat customers, we like to thank everyone who sends us new customers. Customer giving referrals are highly appreciated and means a lot to us that we are doing a good job and putting the right effort in to them all.

Gil was after the exotic hard fighting Peacock Bass that are only in South Florida area for the United States. Gil wanted to throw artificial baits all day, we started off with topwater plugs. His first catch was a nice snook that just “exploded” on his bait. Gil caught a  nice two pound peacock off topwater and as day went on we went to throwing sub surface lures.

The mid afternoon was slow, but things picked up near the end of day.  He caught about twelve peacocks and a nice tarpon on light tackle, 10lb test!.

The thing about Miami you just never know what your going to catch!  Its an awesome urban fishery locate close to everything.

Till next time tight lines and good fishing….
From Staff Writer Capt Brett Isackson (bretti@bassonline.com)
BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS