Sometimes the popping cork works wonders but at other times the fish simply won't take a bait with a cork on it. The most effective way to catch this fish includes a popper and natural shrimp as bait. Light 'twitches' of the rod tip are all you need, avoid jerking the bait around too much or the bait won't 'look right' in the water to the fish. Then above the swivel I'll use a small egg-sinker or slip lead. It is a rare trout that can resist a live shrimp that bolts from just under its nose. A jig on a lead head is going to out-perform anything when fishing water depths greater than eight feet. Make it behave like a shrimp. Depending on what type of bait is used, you can also expect to catch the odd flounder, sheepshead, black seabass, spot, croaker, stingray-the list goes on. The latter kind of bait will attract more attention than underwater baits. To some people like myself, it means big appetites for big speckled trout. The best bait for night fishing is one that is 3 to 5 inches. Generally speckled trout are nomadic. Thus, if you identify a specific spot where speckled trout frequent, it will be wise to study the area. Most trout caught are 2 lbs or less, though there are plenty of fish caught in the 4-8 lb range. His favorite locations were Port O'Conner,Texas and the Chandeleur Islands off Louisiana and Mississippi. Snook have … Reggie Legendre, a veteran angler who targets speckled trout and redfish, had a fishing rod in his hand at an early age. Many of your hits will occur after the pause. Tune in and learn tips from Captain Ricky Kellum on how to target Speckled Trout. Watch the video below and catch more speckled trout with a 1/8 ounce jig head with a 3 inch paddle tail. So if you want to know how to catch speckled trout at night, start by understanding which the right lure to use is. But all of those fish had spots on their dorsal and tail fins. This explosive hit is what makes top waters so much fun. 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. Here, in Northwest Florida, we are able to target Speckled Trout all year and a kayak provides the perfect platform. Speckled trout are very “sensative” to boat traffic and fishing pressure. Losing the speckled trout of a lifetime to a rusty hook or a line failure would not be the best way to start 2021. Lake Streeter, A Gun enthusiast, and loves to hunt in the middle of the wood. Normally the first fish to show up will be small bait fish, these in turn attract the larger fish. The latter is the best reel for a medium sized rod. Speckled trout are biting on the flats and around the bridges. They are also slightly humpbacked in appearance. Having a variety of spots will increase your chances of bagging a prize trout. Thus, if you want to learn how to catch speckled trout, then this article is for you. Lures. Use a ¼-oz lead head with some type of rubber body. Plenty of trout can be caught on a jig. A landing net is critical if you don't want to lose a bunch of fish. The Speckled Trout is one of the most popular species for sport fishermen with adult fish reaching 19-32 inches in length and 3-15 pounds. The technique you use to target them will vary by how you are pursuing them, Fishing Techniques You Can Use to Catch Speckled Trout Finally, I highly recommend fishing for speckled trout in … Similar in appearance to weakfish or 'silver' trout, the two species are easily differentiated by the row of dark spots along the back, which is absent from the silver trout. If a popping cork isn't getting the job done, consider freelining your baits. In cold weather, speckled trout will move into Gulf Coast marshes. I normally use this setup for flounder, but I've probably caught just as many trout as flounder with this rig. Glen Kowalski (author) on August 26, 2014: Thank you! Other colors that are popular are orange, red, and purple. I recommend using a double "jig rig". 2. A popular trout fishing method is the popping cork above a baited hook. If you constantly pop the cork you are likely going to scare off any fish that was thinking about eating your bait. This time of year can be a wonderful time to target those trophy class gators that anglers hear about. Whatever the color, it takes time for the fish to come to it. A technique I've used to good effect is a Carolina-rigged grub on a worm hook. You may even hook up to some gator speckled trout, if you can withstand the cold, that is. Use either a popping rig or a free-lined bait, and pitch the bait close to grass beds or other likely trout spots. Saltwater river fishing in all three of the winter time periods around the frontal systems requires different technique, along with the best lures for speckled trout and redfish, to put fish in the boat. These cold-water speckled trout techniques are for giant gators only. Fish the baits at various depths until you find where the fish are holding. The BEST Speckled Sea Trout Fishing Rigs & Lures. Let's get started. We asked four professional fishing guides to share their tips for catching winter trout. However, it has happened that we see seagulls diving on shrimp during this season. They’ll blow up topwater lures or slurp up a soft plastic off the bottom, but if you want to maximize your chances of catching them you need to have a clear gameplan. 15 talking about this. Speckled trout fishing has been pretty good this year, and the same friend in Gloucester has sent me photos of some very nice fish. Spinning, bait casting, or fly fishing are all suitable choices. If you’d like to enquire about special licenses or exemptions, see this page. Speckled trout are usually caught by waders, from piers, from boats, and from the shores. Mullet and croakers can be hooked through the nostrils if they are larger enough, or through the lips if they aren't. The full moon tends to amplify fish activity, big time. I have also seen photos of some big specks from North Carolina, and my son Ric has caught some from the surf in Virginia Beach. If you want to be among the small number of anglers that succeed in their speckled trout fishing endeavors, there are several speckled trout fishing tips; you will have to be familiar with. Silver trout have been caught on deeper edges, along the channels and around the bridge. One of the techniques you can employ is to use topwater speckled trout bait. That means speckled trout are gearing up to spawn! National Ocean Service via Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Conversely just because a dock has a lot of bait doesn't mean it will have trout. Use a 'walk the dog' retrieve, and refrain from setting the hook when a fish strike, otherwise you will not only miss the fish but may injure yourself or others when your lure becomes a flying projectile.