The butterfly peacock’s powerful, laterally compressed body and aggressive temperament make it pound for pound one of the hardest fish to handle on light tackle, but because of the size, light spinning lures and surface lures that resemble small fish are highly effective. The butterfly peacock has rapidly become one of the most popular game fish in areas where it has been introduced. Anglers also enjoy the peacock bass because of its tendency to seldom bite at night or early morning. This fish prefers to feed in broad daylight when temperatures are at their peak. The peacock bass is more than just a fighter with its beautiful coloration and serves as excellent table fare although most fish of this species are released. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
They are yellowish green, with three dark, yellow-fringed blotches along the lateral midsection, or bars that typically fade in fish larger than three or four pounds. A small “eyespot”, characteristic of all peacock bass, appears at the beginning of the caudal fin. The iris of the eye is frequently deep reddish in color. They are also distinguished by the absence of black markings on the opercula. This species is believed to attain weights of 11 to 12 pounds.