Speckled peacock bass (tucunaré açu)

The biggest peacock bass: olive-gold body with three wide dark vertical bars and a black eyespot ringed in gold on the tail. Young and non-spawning fish are covered in pale speckles; spawning males grow a hump on the head.

5–15 lb.

Over 30 in and close to 30 lb.

Fish, shrimp, crabs and insects; some species also eat fruits and seeds that fall into the water.

Lives in big tropical and subtropical rivers, lagoons and flooded forests; many species gather below rapids, dams and river mouths where the current brings food.

Found from Amazon & Pantanal and The Guianas. Black-water rivers and lagoons of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, especially the Rio Negro around Barcelos and Santa Isabel, and Venezuela's rivers.

Black-water rivers and lagoons of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, especially the Rio Negro around Barcelos and Santa Isabel, and Venezuela's rivers.

2–15 ft along lagoon edges, sandbars and fallen trees.

3–25 ft along banks, rock piles, current seams and lagoon edges.

The dry season, when the water drops and fish concentrate in the channels and lagoons; rivers close during the spawning season (in Brazil, the piracema, about November to February).

Early morning and late afternoon.

No tide — falling water after the rainy season is best.

Stable weather with clear water; sudden rains muddy the rivers.

Rarely used; nearly all peacock fishing is with lures.

Big prop baits ("woodchoppers"), walking topwaters, jerkbaits, jigs and large flies.

7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting or spinning rod; 8–9 weight fly rod.

Strong 2/0–6/0 single hooks; many guides replace trebles with single hooks to protect the fish.

40–65 lb braid.

Wire or 60–80 lb fluorocarbon for toothy fish.

Cast a loud prop bait along the edges of lagoons and points and rip it across the surface; when a big fish blows up on it, keep reeling until you feel the weight.

Peacock bass often miss a topwater on the first strike. Don't stop; keep the bait moving, and they'll usually come back and eat it.

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.

Good eating when fresh.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

White, firm and mild; local people grill or stew it, but the big trophy fish are released.

Sharp teeth on many river fish (dorado, payara, piranha, tararira) — use pliers and lip grips. Caimans, stingrays and strong currents are real hazards; shuffle your feet when wading.

Many Rio Negro areas are catch-and-release only or limit how many you can keep, and much of the region is Indigenous land open only through licensed operations. 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.

Keep only what you'll eat, release the rest quickly, and follow size and bag limits.