Florida Man Catches Cannibal Bass With New Custom Colored Swimbait

Clickbait headlines aside, catching a peacock bass has always been at the top of my fishing bucket list, and doing it with a power fishing tactic, like swimbait fishing, would be next level. As I sipped my morning coffee and went through my Monday morning routine, I glanced at the Fishing Free For All Facebook group to see what came in over the weekend. It was a mix of typical posts, including recent catches, conversations about techniques related to the spawn, and deep threads on specific lures and the nuanced differences on what makes them better. Conversations like those are at the core of our Fishing Free For All, and it's what makes the group of over 34 thousand hardcore anglers so interesting, exciting, and most importantly, welcoming.

After finishing up a chat on the advantages of the Z-Man Jackhammer compared to the original model, I skipped down to the next post. And there it was - The gaping mouth of a humpy-headed peacock bass with the set of trebles hooks from the new custom Bucca Baby Bullshad hanging from the side of its mouth.

This image sparked interest, excitement, and even more of a desire to get to Florida and chase these cannibalistic creatures. I had to learn more. While I won't be learning firsthand while fishing in the sunshine state, I was able to track down the man behind the catch to find out a few more details.

Already completed my challenge! Caught a peacock on the new Bumble bee bullshad! Lets goo!!! 4lbs of kicka**

Amir Aviliavia Fishing Free For All Facebook Group

Catching Peacock Bass With Custom Colored Swimbaits

Catch Co. Mike Bucca's Baby Bull Shad - Jekyll
Karl's Club$13.99
Non-Member$19.99

Angler: Amir Ávila
Location: Belle Grade, Florida
Instagram: @gallohooks
Lure: Bucca Baby Bullshad Jekyll
Color: Bumblebee

When it comes down to fishing peacock bass, I like first to make sure my knot is tied tighter than the sick color scheme on this limited edition "Bumblebee" Bullshad! Peacock bass are hard hitters and ferocious fighters, so my knot of choice is the tough as nails Uni knot!

Native to South America, the peacock bass only inhabit a small sliver of water in North America, mainly found in South Florida. Luckily, I'm from Belle Glade, a little town south of Lake Okeechobee, so I'm used to dealing with Monster bowfin, garfish, and a gator. This background roaming the swamps of the sunshine state helped prepare me to tussle it out with these Brazilian heavyweights!

Catching P's With The Bucca Bull Shad

This swimbait, in particular, I like to burn it with a fast retrieve when it comes down to p's. They play no games when you face them head to head. Mimicking an injured fish is another way I use these larger swimbaits. Letting it sink about 6 inches and then burning it to make sure they see it will 100% of the time chase it and give you a hard fight.

I love the Bullshad because this four-jointed lure is so versatile. You can fish it slow or put it in sports mode and burn it. Burning swimbaits work best for Peacocks, especially when you are a badass-looking Mike Bucca Bullshad boasting the outstanding work of Jennifer Kravassi! I've caught p's on different colored Bullshad;s like the Gizzard Shad Pearl Bone color, but the Bumblebee and Rayburns Revenge colors have caught my eyes and the lips of this beautiful peacock bass!

The Color of the bumblebee model in particular, I feel, was made for south Florida. It looks like a baby peacock; the orange and yellow pop nicely. I would wear it as a necklace if I could. It's not just a swimbait. It's a work of priceless art! The bright colors stand out in the water-salt or fresh they will produce!

I like to fish later in the afternoon when the sun is at its peak brightness, especially when the wind is just right and the sky is cloudy, allowing just enough light to shine above the water. When the water is clear, it allows the colors on the swimbait to glisten. Swimbaits have no limits. You can use them in deep, shallow, open water, and even on structure. I've had luck fishing them in shallow water in spring. I go out around 5 pm till sundown and leave with bass thumb on all ten fingers.

You can use topwater poppers, crappie jigs, and crankbaits to get these guys going, no doubt! Peacocks prefer live shiners just like any other fish, so getting a big swimbait that imitates the movements of a live fish is perfect! When im fishing brackish warm water or freshwater, I tend to fish the edges the most depending on the size of the water I am fishing in. When in fishing small canals where peacocks live, I try to find pumps. They love to sit near the pump, waiting to jump on any critter passing by. When I'm in this situation, I try to run my swimbait quick if they do not bite on a fast retrieve. I slow it down usually. It's one or the other. They get agitated pretty easily and do not hesitate to snap at any lure you put in front of them.

You can find peacock bass in culverts, under bridges, near fallen trees, around lily pad beds, and at canal intersections. And you can effectively throw a swimbait in all of these areas!

They do not bite well in the early morning or late at night, so I go out mid-day to late afternoon when the sun is just right rocky areas is the best spot to catch peacock bass lure of choice is a swimbait because I am able to reel it in fast so it can stay right above their heads the bite when your swimbait gets hit, it feels amazing!