Category Archives: Peacock Bass Fishing

How to Remove a Hook from a Fish Stomach

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How to remove a hook from a fish stomach

How to remove a hook from a fish stomach is a tip every conscientious angler hopes to master. No matter how strictly we adhere to catch and release fishing practices, on occasion a fish we intend to release swallows a fishing hook, which can result in serious harm to the fish when an attempt is made to extricate the hook. If you are certain the fish will die if you remove the hook and return it to the water, you may choose to keep the fish for consumption if keeping it does not break the law. Another option is to leave the hook as is and release the fish in hopes it will survive.

That being said, anglers can improve their success rate of successfully extricating a swallowed hook by adhering to a few simple practices:

  • Do NOT pull on the line or hook harder than absolutely necessary – If the hook is deep in the throat or below, additional applied pressure will result in more damage to the fish.
  • Cut the fishing line – Attempt to cut the fishing line as closely as you can to the fish hook as any additional fishing line could create problems.
  • Quickly release your fish – Let the fish go right way if it is active and strong. When a fish is sluggish, you can attempt to slowly move it through the water to get water flowing over the fish’s gills. If this action revives the fish, immediately release it. If it remains extremely sluggish, you can place it in your live well with a chemical additive designed to revive a fish, and once it comes around, you can release it at that time.

How to remove a hook from a fish stomach takes practice. Whether or not a fish dies due to a hook in their stomach can depend on carefully utilizing the above techniques. Some fish with an ingested hook, such as Bass, are more likely to survive than others. The good news is that it is not uncommon for a fish to get the hook out all on their own and many fishermen find the hooks intact on the bottom of their live wells.

If you have any tips of your own on How to remove a hook from a fish stomach, please share them with the rest of our readers by posting a comment below. For additional fly fishing tips, or information on world class fishing opportunities around the globe, fill out the form on the right.

Fly Fishing for Peacock Bass by Bill Elliott

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Peacock Bass Fly Fishing

Colorful Butterfly Peacock Bass

So, you have watched several TV shows and read what you could find on the subject – how difficult can it be? Just because you are traveling to a truly remote location in the Amazon jungle, don’t be fooled into thinking that you will be able to cast in any direction and have a 20 pound peacock explode on your fly. I have been fly fishing now for 49 years and have thrown a fly to almost everything that has gills and swims; take it from someone who has just returned from spending my 20th week casting a fly for these truly fantastic fish. If you want to have a rewarding experience then there are a few things you need to know. 

Choosing Tackle 
Choosing how heavy to go for these fish will be determined by the time of year you travel. After 9 years, I have settled on a 10 weight for casting streamers and a 10-11 mega when throwing surface flies. 90% of my fishing is casting subsurface streamers that represent the bait that they feed on. These flies are large, 6 to 8 inches, with a full silhouette. When you match up the 10 weight rod with the proper fly line, they cast with little effort. I highly recommend the purchase and use of a 10 foot clear sink tip line (Scientific Angler makes this line). The first 10 feet of clear line sinks slowly and the balance of the line floats. Since the line is clear, a short butt section is used with a 2 foot piece of 80 pound mono ending in a loop and to this, 3 feet of 50 pound mono making a loop to loop connection, so that my entire leader is only 5 feet from fly line to the fly. This short leader makes for ease in casting the large flies. I know that you are asking why 50 pound leader? I can tell you that you will be glad you did. On my most recent trip, I had 7 fish break the 50 pound line on a straight pull. During the high water, this is about the only way to insure that you will land a big fish. Take a hint from the plug guys that use 80 pound Power Pro and have that broken. When the river drops to its lowest fishable level, you can play with lighter lines once you have caught enough peacocks to know what to expect. My largest Peacock Bass  is 22 pounds and was taken 4 seasons ago on 16 pound tippet. When the river is up and the fish can take you into the trees or brush piles, stick with the heavy line. 

I tie my flies on a size 4/0 hook and have many that are very colorful enough to say the least. Just remember that this is the tropical fish capital, so expect highly colorful fish. I spend little time fishing surface flies and after 20 trips, I have produced some very big peacock bass but the numbers dramatically decreased. My personal belief is that these fish hold closer to the surface when it’s overcast and are more likely to be attracted to a surface disturbance. This is when I have been most successful with large surface flies. At this time, I would match the 10-11 mega with a high floating line and keep the leader short at 5 to 6 feet. During the early higher water conditions, I always bring a series of Hi D shooting heads from 300 to 400 grain. This is truly ugly fishing (chuck and duck) but it will get the fly down to some of the larger fish holding off deep points. I recommend bringing at least 3 dozen flies and 2 of each weight rod. Also bring back up lines in the event that you break or lose one. I will be supplying the lodge with a gross of flies this season, but to be on the safe side, you should be sure to bring your own. 

I hope this information will aid you to be better prepared for your first encounter with this amazing fish.

Story by Bill Elliott.

Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. is a Full-Service Fishing Travel Agency located in Casper, Wyoming and established in 1991. We have a staff of 7 Fishing Travel Agents and Hunting Consultants with a combined 175 years of experience.   We hold integrity, ethics and honesty in high regard and deal with each client in a one on one basis.   Global Sporting Safaris invests time, effort and financial resources in developing our outfitters and guides with a constant eye on the quality and professional services they offer.

Global Sporting Safaris always recommends Hunting & Fishing Trip Cancellation Insurance from Travel Guard.  For an instant quote, click this link.

Amazon Peacock Bass Fly Fishing – which flies to use?

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Peacock bass will readily strike streamers, bunny leach patterns, big salt water & deer hair poppers making them an excellent fish for they fly fisherman. Most of the peacock bass you will catch on a fly will be in the 2-6 lb class but there are techniques to entice the larger fish into hitting. The larger peacock bass are usually found in deeper water. The average fly fisherman will spend his time casting to brush and point dropping into shallow water 3-6 feet deep. For big peacock bass, fly fisherman need to fish around points that drop into 10-20 feet of water, or around sticks and fallen trees away from the bank.

Another good technique for the fly fisherman looking for big fish is to utilize a plug caster as a teaser to raise the bigger peacock bass to the surface from the deeper water. The fly fisherman should cast his fly right behind the plug casters big top water lure when he gets a hit or has a fish on. Peacock bass very often travel in pairs, as these fish spawn during the low water time frames of the dry season and it is not unusual to pick up a second fish once the peacocks have been raised to the surface.

Peacock bass up to 23 lbs have been caught via fly fishing using this technique. Big streamers 4-7 inches long, tied with extruded nylon rather than feathers are the best type of flies to use for Peacocks. The secret to these big streamers is to tie them with a lot of flash in them and to retrieve them in short quick jerks that will entice the chase instinct in a peacock. Bright attractor patterns simulate the bright tropical fish in Rio Negro. Flies, regardless of pattern should be tied on 2/0 or 3/0 strong premium hooks that will stand up to the fierce strikes of the peacock bass.

Fly Fishing Tackle for Peacock Bass

This aggressive jungle species is well suited to fly-fishing, leaving many Peacock Bass fly fishing world records to be set. An 8/9 or 9/10 weight fly rod is recommended. Reels should have a good drag, hold at least 150 yards of backing and be spooled with weight forward bass taper floating and intermediate sinking lines. For leader: we suggest 6-8 feet of 17-25-lb. monofilament.

Peacock Bass Fishing Flies

Pattern Size Colors
Edge Water Pencil Poppers 2/0 & 3/0 white, yellow, chartreuse
Edge Water Boiler Maker 2/0 & 3/0 white, yellow, chartreuse
Deceivers 2/0—6/0 minnow colors
(blue/white, olive/white, charter, chartreuse/white, red/white
Double Bunney 2/0—6/0 olive/white, pink/white, chartreuse/white
Mylar Minnow 2/0—6/0 chartreuse, green, red, yellow, white
Mylar Minnow 2/0—6/0 chartreuse, green, red, yellow, white

Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. is a Full-Service Fishing Travel Agency located in Casper, Wyoming and established in 1991. We have a staff of 7 Fishing Travel Agents and Hunting Consultants with a combined 175 years of experience.   We hold integrity, ethics and honesty in high regard and deal with each client in a one on one basis.   Global Sporting Safaris invests time, effort and financial resources in developing our outfitters and guides with a constant eye on the quality and professional services they offer.

Global Sporting Safaris always recommends Hunting & Fishing Trip Cancellation Insurance from Travel Guard.  For an instant quote, click this link.