“Here he comes! Here he comes! Three of them … He … he smashed it!”

The excited words of Garrett Farmer echoed off the brushy banks and palm trees in a branch of the canal system as one, then three, brightly-colored game fish reacted to his hard-plastic jerkbait. One finally zeroed in and ate the lure, igniting a slashing battle of man versus fish.

Farmer’s excitement is understandable. He’s become a specialist in locating and catching the remarkable game fish spreading across south Florida. Brazilians call them tucunare, while the Spanish name is pavon. We call them peacock bass and know they are pure fun.

Peacock bass is a species native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America. They were introduced by Florida Wildlife Commission in 1984 to Miami waters. The first peacocks arrived from Brazil, Guyana and Peru and have spread across the Everglades to the Naples-area lakes and canals, as well as south beyond Everglades City along U.S. Route 41 and north to Fort Myers.

I joined Farmer earlier this week in Naples, Fla., to learn about peacock bass and their potential to entertain anglers vacationing in the Southwest Florida. Peacocks can warm things up quickly thanks to their aggressive strikes and powerful fight.

My first strike felt like my jerkbait had crashed head-on into a rock. But then the “rock” blitzed to the right and swam toward the surface, creating a boil half as large as Farmer’s boat. The fish pulled down and bulldogged past the outboard motor before I could turn it back my way.

My first peacock did not tire quickly. In fact, it pulled harder than any similar-size largemouth bass I’ve encountered.

A growing cadre of fishing guides are specializing in peacock expeditions. Vacation anglers and their families can enjoy excellent sport within minutes of downtown Naples and surrounding SW Florida communities. The extensive network of freshwater canals includes several boat launches providing anglers with quick access to fishable waters, including the canals along Florida’s Interstate 75 “Alligator Alley.”

“I was impressed by the fishing last summer off Alligator Alley,” Farmer said. “They like warm weather. The best fishing often is in the middle of the day.”

This week’s excursion was my first experience with peacocks. Despite fishing the day following a cold front, we nevertheless hooked up with butterfly peacocks, known for their beautiful markings and colors and spectacular fighting abilities. They certainly lived up to their reputation, as the 2- to 3-pounders provided great sport on bass tackle.

I will return on a hot day soon to try for the 4- to 5-pounders known to swim near Naples.

Farmer coaches with easy-to-understand instructions. His guide service is Farmer Fishing Charters. He fishes on a roomy Nitro bass boat. Brother Luke guides on a saltwater flats boat. Both know the habits and hangouts of Southwest Florida freshwater and saltwater game fish, including peacocks, largemouths, crappies, snook, tarpon, trout and redfish.

Vacationers from the north comprise many of Farmer’s bookings for peacocks. He offers half-day and full-day live-bait and artificial lure fishing trips to accommodate the experience and preference of his clientele, which includes anglers ranging from families to bass tournament veterans.

Anglers interested in a fishing trip can call Farmer at 2398982762, or email garfish12@aol.com. He has numerous colleagues in the fishing business, so if he cannot schedule a specific date, he can refer anglers to other guides. Farmer says the warm-water months are the best times for great fishing.

Jack Wollitz enjoys fishing new waters to find stories for Trib and Vindy readers. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.