Snapper Creek Canal
Mostly cloudy, 17 mph ENE wind, and a rain band coming through means the peacock bite is off today, so leave them alone. Largemouth can still produce on the shade lines under the bridges and along the rock banks, especially at first light with the big solunar period around 7:50 AM. After 13 hours of rain in the last day, expect some stain near the mouths of runoff, so downsize and slow down if the water looks off-color.
Today’s conditions
By species today
7-day outlookRegion-wide
Pressure stays steady through the weekend, while a dry front arrives late in the week and will bring rain chances down to single digits by Friday. The front should bring a short post-frontal lull for largemouth, then a clearer, sunnier stretch Saturday and Sunday that favors peacock once the water settles.
About this water
Fishing Snapper Creek Canal (C-2) — Kendall
Snapper Creek Canal, known to the water managers as C-2, is where Florida's peacock bass fishery began: it's where the state first released butterfly peacocks in the 1980s to control spotted tilapia. It's still one of the most reliable peacock canals in Miami-Dade.
Where it is
The canal runs roughly 12 miles from near SR 836 and the Turnpike Extension, south-east through Kendall, to the S-22 salinity structure near SW 57th Avenue. Above that structure the canal is fresh water, and that's the stretch for peacock and largemouth.
Access and parking
The Snapper Creek Trail follows the canal bank between SW 117th Avenue at SW 41st Terrace and Snapper Creek Drive near SW 107th Avenue, giving you a long walkable shoreline. The state's angler guide to the canal lists a canoe ramp on SW 117th Avenue. Much of the rest of the bank backs onto private homes, so stick to public right-of-way and trails.
Species
- Peacock bass — the main draw, year-round in warm weather.
- Largemouth bass — steady, and better than peacock in cooler months.
- Oscar, Mayan cichlid and other cichlids — common bycatch on small lures.
Techniques
Peacocks hold on hard structure: rocky banks, culverts and especially the shade under bridges. Work small jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, jigs with a minnow trailer or a walking topwater fast past that structure. Live shiners produce the most bites. Fly anglers do well with minnow streamers.
Best times
Peacocks feed by sight and need sun on the water: mid-morning through afternoon is the window. Spring (March to May) is the classic peak, and summer is good too. A winter cold snap shuts them down until the water warms.
Rules
A Florida freshwater fishing licence is required for anglers 16 and over. Peacock bass are limited to 2 per day, only one over 17 inches; confirm current limits with FWC.
Nearby tackle
There are bait and tackle shops throughout Kendall and along Bird Road.