Freshwater

Orinoco peacock bass (butterfly, borboleta)

Pavón mariposa (tucunaré borboleta)

Cichla orinocensis

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

2–6 lb.

Depth

2–12 ft.

Best time

Morning and late afternoon.

Found in

2 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Gold to olive-green peacock bass with three big black eyespots ringed in gold along the side (no dark vertical bars) and another eyespot on the tail; the fins are orange-red below.
Typical size: 2–6 lb.
Maximum size: About 2 ft and around 13 lb.
Diet: Fish and shrimp.
Behavior: Hunts in loose groups along lagoon edges and sandbars, often with the bigger speckled peacock.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Amazon & Pantanal and Venezuela & Colombia Rivers. Black-water rivers and lagoons of the Orinoco basin (Venezuela and Colombia) and the Rio Negro in Brazil.
Habitat: Black-water rivers and lagoons of the Orinoco basin (Venezuela and Colombia) and the Rio Negro in Brazil.
Depth: 2–12 ft.
Fishing depth: 2–8 ft along edges and sandbars.
Best season: Dry season (low water), roughly November to March in the Orinoco and Rio Negro.
Best time: Morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.
Best weather / conditions: Sunny, stable days with dropping water.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Rarely used.
Best artificial lures: Small prop baits, walking topwaters, jerkbaits, jigs and streamer flies.
Tackle setup: Medium-heavy baitcasting or spinning rod; 8 weight fly rod.
Hook size: 2/0–4/0 single hooks.
Line: 30–50 lb braid.
Leader: 40–60 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Black-water rivers and lagoons of the Orinoco basin (Venezuela and Colombia) and the Rio Negro in Brazil.
Rig up: Medium-heavy baitcasting or spinning rod; 8 weight fly rod. 40–60 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Rarely used. Lures: Small prop baits, walking topwaters, jerkbaits, jigs and streamer flies.
Fish it: Cast topwaters and jerkbaits along lagoon edges, points and sandbars; when one hits, others are often close.
Time it: Morning and late afternoon. No tide — in rivers, falling water after the rainy season is best.

Fishing techniques: Cast topwaters and jerkbaits along lagoon edges, points and sandbars; when one hits, others are often close.
BigJoe's tip: Size down your lures for this smaller peacock and you'll get many more bites.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: White, mild meat; good grilled or fried.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Treble hooks and jumping fish — use pliers. Watch for stingrays and caimans.
Regulations: Many lodges and Indigenous areas are catch-and-release; check local rules. Every country requires a fishing license (in Brazil, the Licença de Pesca Amadora), each Argentine province and Brazilian state adds its own rules, and most rivers close during the spawning season. Indigenous lands and strict reserves are closed to outside anglers without permits.
Conservation: Release most fish so lagoons stay productive.

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Sources & photo credits