On the flip side, they have a very shallow minimum depth. Big speckled trout feed heavily on ribbonfish (cutlassfish) when they move into bays from the Gulf. Period. You will want to use a spinning reel when going for trout. Looking for birds that are “working” and finding “slicks” in the water are both productive, especially in open water. I like to use a popping cork on the flats. The vast majority of trout fishermen use live shrimp when going for speckled trout. I’ve actually seen people use an ultralight rod while trout fishing from a dock, so it is definitely possible. In fact, you will probably find more trout near the mangroves than you will on other parts of the flats. If we’re lucky enough to locate a school of trout, and the fish are taking that live bait as fast as we can get the bait in the water, then we’ll usually fish using Boat Monkey popping corks. Fishing for Redfish in the Texas Coastal Bend, Fishing for Speckled Trout in the Texas Coastal Bend, Catching Speckled Trout with Artificial Baits, Fishing for Flounder In The Texas Coastal Bend, Fishing For Black Drum In The Texas Coastal Bend. Using a circle hook makes fishing for speckled trout, and other fish, much easier. On … Locating speckled trout in the bays of the Texas Coastal Bend is relatively easy. Wherever there are two different speeds of water, you’re likely to find trout patrolling the area, looking for an easy meal to get swept by. Speckled trout really like calm, clear water. Popping corks are mostly used with soft plastic shrimp or curly tail grubs. Of course, the best color just depends on the area. I recommend using these artificials on topwater in the early morning, late evening, or at night. Learn how your comment data is processed. As long as the temperature’s cool, the speckled trout and the redfish prefer to hold in deep holes from 8-to-22 feet deep, especially in the mornings.” Jarreau searches for deep holes close to shallow-water flats, because if the day warms up in cold weather, like it often does, the fish will move out of those deep holes and feed out on the flats. The type of hook you use depends on the type of live bait you plan on fishing. A baitcaster really isn’t necessary for a speckled trout. My personal favorite colors are chartreusue/silver glitter (318), rootbeer (352), and carbonated pink/clear (427). Also, you won’t usually see much activity on the surface at an oyster bar, but the trout are most likely there. I recommend a ¼ oz jighead for speckled trout if you plan on using the 3” soft plastics. I actually find surface walkers pretty fun to use on the flats. That’s about everything you need to know about catching speckled trout. Obviously, use a smaller size reel if you use a light or ultralight rod. And that’s shrimp. It has a bit more stretch than braided line, so the trout’s lip is less likely to rip when it runs with your bait. If you live in an area with small speckled trout (South Florida), then you won’t have much luck using live fish to catch speckled trout. Here are some good habitats that you will usually find trout in: You simply won’t find them very far from the shore. Anglers going for speckled trout have caught redfish, snook, pompano, jack (very hard fighters), and even tarpon. A 6 to 7.5 foot medium action rod is your best bet when going for normal-sized speckled trout. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. You can use a light action or medium-light rod if you don’t plan on catching gator trout or other large fish. Popping corks work surprisingly well when going for speckled trout. Here are some general tips for catching speckled trout. This isn’t exactly a habitat. Gulp! Speckled trout are usually caught by waders, from piers, from boats, and from the shores. But what if you want to catch gator trout? You can even use a 2/0 if you’re using a small fish as bait. Some anglers use 15 or 20 pound mono when going for trout in those areas. So, redfish under 27 inches in length are in fact juveniles and are found in the marsh year round. For shrimp, a 3/0 circle hook will work perfectly fine. In addition to that, other fish that actually fight will grab your bait. I know, this might sound obvious, but many fishermen simply fish docks because that is prime trout habitat. Speckled trout are not very good fighters, so you don’t need much line on your spool for them. It’s actually pretty fun, so I recommend it if you have an ultralight setup. Why? It has enough length to offer good casting. Capt. They are also one of the better tasting fish you will catch. You can go a little bigger, but I find that ¼ oz works great for most scenarios. How to locate and fish oyster beds in Louisiana. Keys To Catching Fish. However, there is one downside to live shrimp: It attracts a lot of junk fish. 0 comments. Speckled trout almost always hit on the pause. Just cast it out, pop it a few times, and wait. Target deep cuts, drop offs to the bay along grassy shorelines and channels near flats or oyster reefs. Share 0. I use Google satellite imagery to locate structure. The largest speckled trout are females, as anglers who spend serious time pursuing them know, often calling them sows. From September the number of speckled trout begins to dwindle as the winter season approaches. Areas where two creeks converge, or a marsh edge that has a creek flowing out of it are good examples of places where there are current seams. Share 0. Winter Pattern. Nature also gives us a couple of signs that trout are actively feeding. Personally, I only go to the oyster bar if I don’t see any activity at the other locations. You're signed out. This pattern runs from about December to March. These courses go beyond the training in the 4 pack; Learn the knowledge that I acquired over the last 25 years fishing inshore saltwater. It is not uncommon to find speckled trout in water that is 2 or 3 feet deep. 90% of the trout are in 10% of the water (or even less). During an excited state, such as a feeding frenzy, speckled trout will often regurgitate, spilling partially digested fish and oils into the water. I don’t recommend using a rod that has a heavy action because trout have a very soft lip, which means you can easily rip the lip right off when setting the hook. Speckled trout might not have the best game reputation amongst Gulf Coast saltwater fish. Devin Denman Field Reports, Speckled Trout. Grass flats are another popular area for fishermen targeting speckled trout. Use a popping cork on the flats when the water is a little rougher. This allows for “one stop shops”, meaning anglers fill their coolers with a quick and easy limit in one spot. Speckled trout are found “inside” during the winter and “outside” during the summer. And let's face it, we've all done it...spent $100 on gas, more on lodging, food, lures, equipment, and gear, all to lose a drift sock, break a rod, and come home with one dink trout and a hardhead. Share 0. Trout are typically found along the edges of cuts and potholes, but oyster beds and grassy patches can also produce both large-sized and large quantities of trout. Simply tie a leader with a length of 6” to 24” (depending on depth) and pop the cork every 5 to 15 seconds. Tweet 0. We use about 2 feet of monofilament leader coming off the cork. As mentioned earlier, live shrimp are the best live bait for trout. In years past I’ve caught them at the first and second islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) in 20 feet of water, but that would be the farthest from shore you’re ever likely to find them in our area. Bobby Abruscato, Breakline Pro, teaches us how he locates schools of speckled trout. As for the pound test, 10 pound mono works fine. One more thing, trout normally congregate in the area where the light meets the darkness. We like this style of popping corks because they’re heavily weighted and easy to cast. You will often catch pinfish, catfish, mangrove snapper, and other fish you probably don’t want to catch while using live shrimp. Three to five feet of water is often productive. An experienced Coastal Bend angler can not only see the slicks, they can actually smell when trout are around! In large open water systems, speckled trout will gather around whatever structure is offered. Learn how to locate speckled trout and redfish and make them bite like a tournament pro. This site is owned and operated by Pursuing Outdoors LLC. During the daytime, you will want to bounce the soft plastics off the bottom on your retrieve. There is one basic rule when it comes to speckled trout habitat: Trout like to ambush their prey and have a tendency to hide near structure as they wait for a shrimp to come along. A recent tagging study by Jody Lynn Callahan of Louisiana State University shows some interesting correlations between heavy rain and inflow periods called “freshets” and female trout movement on the Louisiana coast. And you can even use them with live shrimp. The biggest mistake that beginners make when going for speckled trout is setting the hook way too hard. Repeat this process until something hits or you reel the line in. Invertebrates, such as shrimp, are attracted to the light. Trout like shrimp, so it shouldn’t surprise you that most of the artificials used to catch trout resemble shrimp. You have entered an incorrect email address! It’s just much more difficult. Shallow bays, coves, wrecks, rockpiles and grass beds are great places to hunt. I still recommend 150 to 200+ yards when going for speckled trout because you will catch fish that are better fighters than speckled trout. Additionally, the oils from the bait will float to the surface, which will create an oil slick. They aren’t the strongest fighters nor are they a particularly large fish. My favorite method for catching trout on the flats is to look for water slicks (covered later) or jumping fish. Don’t let the proximity to shore fool you, many large trout feed in the mangroves. Speckled Seatrout live on average for 6.5 years. It will include the best lures, hooks, popping corks, and leaders for speckled trout. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They aren’t really hard to use. First of all, you should use a circle hook to minimize this lip-ripping problem. If nothing hits after 10 seconds, then pop the cork a few more times. Tap to unmute. However, I’ve caught so many trout under green dock lights that I have to share it. This gives the fish time to run with the bait and hook itself. However, the best season for catching trout is winter. Personally, I find it overkill unless you’re going for massive speckled trout. So it doesn’t matter if you have the world’s most awesome oyster reef ever, if it’s not near where they are spawning then it’s not surprising that they wouldn’t be there. In my experience, trout are rarely in water more than 20 or 30 feet deep. It is still a good option despite being the last resort for many fishermen. Trout are attracted to the smell and that you have the proper motion on your retrieve. Speckled Trout, Spotted Sea Trout, Gator Trout, Specks, and Trout are just a few of the many names that anglers call Sea Trout. As for size, 2500 or 3000 size reel will work fine if you use a medium action rod. Anyway, speckled trout are one of those fish that you catch for the challenge and taste more than the actual fight. Fishing off the Rocks (land-based) in the Bay of Islands: New Zealand. A Carolina rig or popper works great. You have two choices when using live shrimp for speckled trout: Personally, I prefer to freeline my shrimp when going for trout near structure, at night, or in very flat water. Follow the Birds. You still might rip the trout’s lip off if using a lighter action because trout have such soft lips. The Top Dog is 4.75” and weighs ¾ oz. Some fishermen will even freeline live fish, but I find this very annoying near structure or on the flats. Just don’t puncture the shrimp’s brain or you’ll kill it. Most trout will hit during the pause. If you plan on going for gator trout, then you will definitely want a medium action rod. On cloudy days or more moderate temperatures, speckled trout may remain in the rich shallower waters for extended periods. Photo courtesy of Josh Lowery Specks are usually found in relatively shallow water. Some days I wonder if I am Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. It might sound odd, but it actually makes sense because trout enjoy cooler water much more than most of the other Gulf Coast fish. Keep in mind that this method works best if you have access to the dock itself. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. I just recommend using a surface walker, menhaden, or small finger mullet to prevent catching junk fish. It’s also illegal to fish in some canals. Trout are much more active in colder water than warmer water. Let the bait sit for 5 seconds or so before popping it again. Speckled trout are an inshore fish. Shrimp is a must-have when going for speckled trout. You are pretty much guaranteed to catch a speckled trout with that. And yes, you can use braided line if you really want to use it. It’s not difficult. Just make sure that you set the drag much looser than you set it while using mono to prevent breaking the trout’s lip. However, speckled trout are an entertaining fish to catch. The real challenge is identifying the habitat and finding populations of the size of speckled trout that you want and using the correct bait and location for that size fish during that season. I will reel for a second or two, stop for a few seconds, and continue my retrieve. You will literally rip the lip off if you set the hook with a powerful motion. Some fishermen even use small pinfish as trout bait. Seabirds and speckled trout have one thing in common: they love to gorge on baitfish. Especially when other fish just won’t bite. Where To Catch Speckled Trout in Virginia Specks are inshore fish. You can hook the shrimp through the tail or the head. These invertebrates attract small baitfish, which then attract the attention of the predator fish that you want to catch. How to Find Oyster Beds in Louisiana Bill Murray playing Captain Devin in “Nutria Day”. ), then you should use a stronger line. Finding structure is key for fishing speckled sea trout. My biggest piece of advice for catching speckled trout? Young speckled trout can be found in very shallow tidal creeks and weedbeds. Tweet 0. So, if you... 2. Speckled Seatrout range map covers northern Atlantic coast around New York, down to Florida’s east coast, around to the west coast and panhandle, across the southern states and down into Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. Specks might be feeding around the platforms in the bay, they might be at the same time feeding up in bayous and smaller creeks or they may be in … You simply won’t find them very far from the shore. But formally they are known as Spotted Sea Trout or Cynoscion Nebulosus. You can add a split shot to the line when freelining to help cast. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Look for speckled trout along the edges of the marsh at this time. It will also work if you have a kayak as a boat will often spook the fish. Since shrimp are traveling in large masses it's a matter of time before a school of speckled trout locates them. My personal rule is if there are whitecaps, then it’s not a good spot for speckled trout. That just doesn’t work. How to Catch Speckled Sea Trout 1. During colder months, especially following a significant drop in temperatures due to a cold front, speckled trout will move into deep holes such as harbors, channels and estuarial rivers or out to the Gulf of Mexico to help regulate their body temperature. While you're searching the skies for birds, also keep an eye on the surface of the water for shiny... 3. Mangroves offer plenty of protection for many types of bait, which naturally attracts predators. Sure, it might be the right habitat, but if there isn’t any bait in the water, then you won’t find trout. Trout are one of those predators that cruise mangroves hunting for shrimp and other bait. You will not usually find them in 100% light at night. This also begs the question, what type of bait should be in the water? Target deep cuts, drop offs to the bay along grassy shorelines and channels near flats or oyster reefs. In essence, try to find areas where speckled trout frequent between the months of May and September. If you see an oil slick in a speckled trout habitat, then it’s a good indicator that there are trout in the area. Within the trough, try to locate a point jutting out from the beach or a cut in the sandbar and fish these areas when the tide is moving. That said, I have freelined shrimp and used soft plastics without any leader in the past and not had any issue with the line breaking. Another component I look for when speck fishing is current. Note: People may not appreciate you fishing near their dock at night. My biggest tip for setting the hook on a speckled trout is to use a loose drag. You will often find speckled trout hunting shrimp on oyster bars. Many fishermen go for trout in the winter when most of the other inshore fish stop biting as frequently. It’s so easy that it almost feels like cheating. These oils will float to the top of the water, creating a noticeable slick film. Rig up for trolling by attaching a crane swivel to the main braid line with a Palomar knot. The best speckled trout fishing can be had over oyster beds, but do you know how to find them? Look for nervous baitfish, such as rafted mullet or flipping pogies. These cold “snaps” funnel a large population of speckled trout that are normally distributed over large bays systems into a limited number of deep water refuges and can create an opportunity for fast action. Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and influence TV recommendations. Speckled trout need at least 15-17ppt salt to spawn, and those bodies of water you mentioned are right on the fringe of it. I’ll put it this way, if the trout doesn’t take any line when it takes your bait, then you have the drag set too tight. If you see bait jumping out of the water, you can expect to find trout there. The Top Dog Jr at 4” and ½ oz is the surface walker I recommend for most fishermen going for large speckled trout. Many anglers have started using live fish to combat that problem. Most of the oversize trout are caught in deep water (12 to 20 feet) around structure such as docks and bridge pilings. The two top choices are small croakers and finger mullet. They are widely distributed throughout the bay systems and tend to be aggressive feeders. Find ribbonfish scurrying to the surface in panic and you will find BIG trout. Step One- Find ‘em. I prefer the 3” shrimp in white, but the color is not really that important. The tackle you need for speckled trout will be smaller than most of your other inshore rigs. Medium action will work perfectly fine for most of the trout you catch (2 to 4 pound range). Trolling for Speckled Trout Trolling can be a very rewarding method for not only finding schools of trout but also for hooking up multiple fish at the same time. If I can’t find any water slicks, then I will normally fish the area where the sand meets the grass. And a green bait light seems to attract the most fish for some reason. In my experience, trout are rarely in water more than 20 or 30 feet deep. However, if you see baitfish shining or moving towards the surface, then that’s a good indicator that there are shrimp in the water. I recommend using mono for trout. Also, this same principle applies to piers that are lit at night. A bait light is a great investment if you do a lot of night fishing. Also, fluorocarbon line sinks, which makes it terrible to use with topwater rigs. During warm spring and summer months, speckled trout will use the filtered light of the early morning and late afternoon to move into the shallow areas of grass flats, oyster reefs and grassy shorelines to ambush prey. How much line do I need to spool for speckled trout? If you’re in an area with other fish (redfish, pompano, jack, etc. I recommend using live shrimp if you want to catch speckled trout. Both Maryland and Virginia have perfect speckled trout habitat. Trout are usually lurking in the distance waiting for their opportunity to strike. There is pretty much only one type of live bait that you fishermen use to catch speckled trout. Covering water FAST to locate good speckled trout action. In fishing for Speckled Trout (Spotted Sea Trout - Cynoscion nebulosus), the hardest endeavor is finding schools of feeding Specks. Slick water indicates that speckled trout are feeding in the area. The technique you use to target them will vary by how you are pursuing them, Fishing Techniques You Can Use to Catch Speckled Trout Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. Speckled trout simply don’t get very big nor are they hard fighters, so you won’t need heavy tackle when fishing for them. Therefore, many of these fall speckled trout fishing tips will apply between the … If you have a dock with a submerged dock light (or have access to a dock with a submerged dock light), then you can easily catch speckled trout at night by freelining shrimp. These fish prefer low-light conditions and leave the shallow waters when the sun rises. Seriously, some fishermen set the hook on a speckled trout the same way they set it on a freshwater bass or shark. Note: Check all regulations before using a bait light to fish. Anyway, I will cover everything you need to know about catching speckled trout in this article. You can use a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, but you are more likely to fail at hooking the fish. Grass beds, oyster bars, creek mouths, stump fields, and drop-offs, generally in less than 10 feet of water, are common places to fish for them. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to catch speckled trout in whitecaps. Sea gulls and other birds will circle above the frenzy and dive into the water to attack the bait fish from above giving a signal to anglers that can be seen from great distances. I recommend a 10 to 14 pound monofilament leader when going for trout. You will have a pretty good fight with small trout and ladyfish if you use an ultralight rod. While Georgia’s speckled trout grow nowhere near as large as they do in other states, if I were targeting nothing but trophy trout, I would use live bait such as 3- to 4-inch finger mullet, river pogies or small pinfish. Ideally, you want to see shrimp in the water. And you will most likely catch something if there are fish in the area. Use live shrimp, or soft plastics that mimic shrimp, under a green dock light. This is your best place to start looking for summertime trout. A surface walker like the Mirrolure Top Dog or Top Dog Jr is the choice for you. Just make sure that you have a mono line. A good example of this is the shell pads under old gas wells in Corpus Christi Bay and the open water oyster reefs of Aransas Bay. They will often stack up on the sand to ambush any shrimp coming off the grass flats. If you use a live fish as bait, then a 3/0 or 4/0 circle hook will work. It’s not always possible to see shrimp from the surface, though. For the sake of this article, we will stick with calling this inshore gamefish Spotted, or Speckled, Sea Trout. But any small minnow will work. Freeline near structure or in very calm water. My other big tip for catching speckled trout is to look for bait in the water. At a distance ribbbonfish can be spotted by their silver flashes as they breach. I’ve had good luck with the bright colors. I recommend a popper when using live bait. Full Moon = Big Bites. The light from the pier will attract bait. All the previous soft plastics are mostly meant for catching smaller speckled trout. Share 0. I prefer hooking shrimp through the tail. I like to use curly tail grubs on the surface at night when pier fishing. Catching gator trout is a little different, but the general concept is the same. This section will cover all the tackle that you need when going for speckled trout. The waves simply make it a little more difficult for the trout to hunt for shrimp. You can rig these in a few ways. Remember, trout are an ambush predator. It might not be a speckled trout since just about every inshore fish will eat a shrimp. Shallow to me is two to seven feet or so, but can vary depending on where you are targeting these fish. This begs the question, how do you set the hook on a speckled trout? Look for deep holes close to these spots or try the shade of the local bridges. You want to use a “walking the dog” motion on your retrieve for maximum efficiency. Three to five feet of water is often productive. Pin 0. Large speckled trout primarily feed on fish, so if you find baitfish, you often find trout. Remember, speckled trout are found in almost all the areas that you find redfish. Most times of the year, anglers can locate schools of actively feeding speckled trout in a wide range of locations. On cloudy days or more moderate temperatures, speckled trout may remain in the rich shallower waters for extended periods. I don’t recommend it, but it will work if you don’t have a leader available. Also, expect to catch lots of ladyfish if you use a curly tail grub to go for trout. “Slicks” are formed on the top of the water when trout are feeding. However, redfish are different in that they do not reach sexual maturity until the upper end of their slot length at 27 inches. Understanding Hydrocoast Maps To Locate Speckled Trout. It’s not legal in all jurisdictions. These fish are a little more particular than other fish, so you don’t want to skip this section. 3” DOA shrimp are another great soft plastic for speckled trout. You can catch speckled trout in every season if you fish the right areas. Spotted sea trout do have teeth that can rip your line to shreds. Consult all regulations before fishing in a canal. Sea trout like to wait in the slacker water as the current sweeps through the cut or over the point. Fall fishing is some of the best fishing of the year! As the day heats up and the sun gets more direct, speckled trout will slide off the shallow areas into deeper adjacent waters. Having knowledge of their diet is a key component of knowing how to catch speckled trout, and biologists with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission report that though smaller trout prefer shrimp as their primary food, the larger fish much prefer finfish. It is absolutely mind boggling to me the amount of information available to inshore anglers these days. Tide Matters for Seatrout Fishing. Spot Slicks. The Slick takes advantage of this preference. Speckled trout are aggressively feeding at these times and good size catches are common. With that in mind, you should fish near mangroves or structures protected from the wind on windy or rough days. Simply put, you won’t have much luck catching speckled trout in the surf or in wavy water. These fish have very soft, delicate lips. All in all, circle hooks and loose drag will dramatically increase the amount of speckled trout that you land. Simply cast the shrimp in an area you think has trout, leave the bail open, place your finger on the line, and wait for the line to start moving before setting the hook. When trout are schooled up and feeding, they will push bait to the top of the water. One other thing, live fish are great for catching gator trout (big speckled trout) that are usually found in Texas and Louisiana. For those that don’t know, speckled trout are a slimy fish, and some of that slime is released when they are in a feeding frenzy. Of course, you can use ultralight tackle if you want a challenging fight. In Club Texas you will get Mastery Level video training for speckled trout, redfish, and flounder with new training videos weekly. Sure, you can use live minnows with some success, but the vast majority of trout fishermen will use live shrimp when going for trout. Pursuing Outdoors LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 3” curly tail grubs work surprisingly well for catching trout, which is great because they’re very affordable and super easy to use. If you’re fishing for trout at night, then purchasing a bait light is a good investment.
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