Peacock and
Largemouth Bass Fishing in Deerfield Beach, Florida
By Derrek Stewart, originally posted 9/17/17, updated
7/18/26
Whenever my travels take me near good water, I make a point
of carving out time before and after the trip to explore the local fishing
scene. It is one of my favorite ways to broaden my angling horizons, meet
interesting people, and add a little extra adventure to the journey.
My 2017 ICAST trip was no exception. After an incredible
week at the show, I headed out of Orlando. I connected with Allen Beecher, a
Deerfield Beach, Florida, fishing guide known for bringing a fresh, creative approach
to urban angling.
Allen Beecher's Urban Run and Gun
I met up with Beecher, climbed into his truck, and just like
that, we were off on an adventure. The timing couldn't have been better: I had
arrived at ICAST without a single piece of fishing gear to my name. But no
worries, Beecher had it all dialed in. All I needed to bring was a good
attitude, and I had plenty of that.
In the bed of his pickup sat a large, homemade portable
aerated live well, bubbling away and loaded with baitfish. The day's bait of
choice was Mayan cichlids: just the right size and flash to tempt a
hard-charging Peacock Bass or a bruiser Largemouth into making a bad decision.
Beecher set me up with a top-of-the-line spinning outfit,
and it was exactly the kind of setup that makes a new fishing pursuit even more
exciting. One of the things I enjoy most about fishing with experienced anglers
is seeing the gear they trust, how they rig it, and how each piece works
together on the water. In this case, the system was well balanced from rod to
reel to bait—and tying it all together was the unmistakable Trapper Tackle
hook.
Take a close look at the hook in the Mayan chiclid image,
especially the unique box design, because it reveals a lot about the thought
that went into it. That is one of the many benefits of ICAST: it
brings people, ideas, and opportunities together. Beecher and I first connected
there while we were both working with Trapper Tackle, and that shared
experience made this trip feel even more meaningful.
Before this trip, I hadn't caught one of those colorful
Peacock Bass, but I could feel the momentum building. I was brimming with
confidence and had an extreme hunch that today would be the day everything came
together.
We spent the day driving Beecher's Milk Run, turning an
ordinary cityscape into a chain of unexpected fishing stops. At canals, ponds,
and narrow waterways tucked between strip malls, gas stations, and houses, we
would pull over, rig a bait, walk to the water's edge, and make a cast. Saint
Augustine Grass, Coral Trees, and Peacock Bass gave everything a tropical feel;
part urban fishing, part wildlife expedition. At the very first stop, it didn't
take long: a peacock bass struck, and the day was officially underway.
Saving the Best for Last
The day rolled on in the best possible way: one stop after
another, each with its own little surprise and each worth the detour. Near the
end, just before we were ready to call it, we pulled up to a small pond tucked
between houses. That's when Beecher casually mentioned the bigger fish that
lived there, Peacock Bass and Largemouth. He didn't have to say another word. I
was already reaching for the rod.
Sure enough, Beecher called it. Both a Peacock Bass and a
Largemouth Bass, each in that solid five-pound class, crushed the Mayan. What
followed was the kind of fight that makes you forget there are houses, roads,
and real life anywhere nearby. The photos tell the rest of the story, including
the ending: fish landed, smiles earned, photos snapped, and every catch
released to swim another day.
Thank you, Allen Beecher. Your urban charter service is
something special—part fishing trip, part drive-by, and entirely
Florida. I've never experienced anything quite like it, and it made for the
perfect final adventure before heading home to Los Angeles. A perfect day to
wet a line, trade a few stories, and be reminded that sometimes the best
fishing holes are hiding in plain sight.
