Ken: I can remember back in the 70's, My wife's Step Father had a houseboat on the Southern Shore of Lake Okeechobee, and I remember ppl getting some type of fish out of canals around there to take North and sell to pet shops, but I can't remember the exact type(s)..I know we caught TONS of catfish on his trot lines and baskets...And the houseboat itself was up a canal, about 1/2 mile in from the main lake, and going for the ride down the canal to the lake, HUGE Gators would be on the sides of the canals sunning themselves, and would slip off silently into the water.. That used to scare the heck outta me, cause you'd never see them come back up...He even lost a few dogs, cause a gator would slap the dog off the edge of the houseboat, and drown him, then eat him when he got half rotted, Chuck
----- Original Message ----- From: Ken Staples To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:31 PM Subject: Re: [VFB] Non-Fishing report (Peacock Bass) Allan, Hmmm...I wonder if Jerry brought some "souvenirs" home the last time he was down this way!! :) Sounds like somebody brought some pets home! Chuck, yeah our canals down here are either: infested with all kinds of things that don't belong OR present a myriad of fishing opportunities that aren't available anywhere else. Or somewhere in between. Many of the lakes & canals in Miami look like aquariums. One lake I like to go to is crystal clear and looks like a tropical fish store dumped excess inventory into it. Given that there is one a few miles a way it's not that big of a stretch! On 1/24/07, Neal Patrick Eller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: When we were fishing the canals you would see all kinds of fish. There were goldfish, tilapia, small and largemouth bass along with everything else that has been dumped in to the canals. Occasionally snook and other salt water fish will sneak up in to the canals I have been told. >>> "Chuck Alexander" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 1/24/2007 5:55 PM >>> Are Tilapia over populated there???? It is the best tasting (to me) fish I have ever eaten.. We have gotten to where we eat tilapia at least twice a month... My wife makes a Sauce from Olive oil, Parsley, and lemon pepper, and rubs on them wraps it in foil, and cooks it either on the grill, or in the oven..Deeeeelish, Chuck ----- Original Message ----- From: Neal Patrick Eller To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 1:22 PM Subject: Re: [VFB] Non-Fishing report (Peacock Bass) Those peacock bass you saw are unbelievably fun to catch and reside in the canals around Miami. The Miami fish and game stocked them to try and devour the Tilapia. The only other place in the US to fish for them is in Hawaii! I have a picture or two if anyone is interested. Also, I went with a guide (something I almost never do) while I was there and he was unbelievable. We were in the water at 8:00 in the morning, at 5:00 in the evening we were again by the boat ramp, he asked me what I wanted to do, I said, Keep fishing, he said let's GO. We fished till dark. His eyes never left the water in search for fish. He also took all the pictures, put them on a disk and sent them to me (my camera was stolen while I was at South Beach). One of the better "exotic" fishing trips I have ever been on. Pat Eller >>> Allan Fish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 1/24/2007 8:30 AM >>> We just got back yesterday afternoon from a trip to Florida. Probably the best trip we've had in years. Did the touristy things: 1) Kennedy Space Station - WOW! That's a don't-miss tour. And when you walk into the room with the Saturn V rocket. WOW! Mind-boggling. And the wildlife is amazing. Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Gators, and believe it or not, a school of Peacock Bass. I thought that's what they were and had to go to Barnes and Noble to look them up - sure enough. There was a small school (4) of BIG Peacock Bass in the ditch right by the road just East of the Saturn V display. Beautiful.
