Feeding habits - Butterfly peacock prey primarily on fish. They feed only during daylight hours and rely on their exceptional speed to capture food. The largest butterfly peacock caught in Florida weighed 10.03 pounds and measured 23.3 inches. It is not known how long butterfly peacock typically live. Sporting Qualities - This is a very popular sportfish for both boat and bank angler using a variety of tackle.
Minnows are the preferred live bait.
Top water lures, minnow imitating crank baits, and marabou jigs are popular with anglers using casting and spin casting tackle. Streamers, epoxy minnows and pencil poppers are favorites of fly fishers. Eating Qualities - This is an excellent tasting fish with white, flaky meat and mild flavor. The International Game Fish Association recently added butterfly peacock to its list of world record game fishes eligible for line class records. This provides Florida anglers with one of the best opportunities ever to catch a world record fish.