speckled trout fishing rigs
Another trick I use is to work in several pauses in during my cast. NOAA’s Nearshore Wave Prediction System (NWPS), In his latest Higher Calling Gulf Coast podcast, C, One of largest environmental efforts in the countr, 3431 Rayford Rd. Next is the good ole Rapala Skitter Walk for calmer conditions and sometimes a more subtle approach. It seems like a lot of fish tend to pull off the hook when on the line and every little edge you can get counts in my opinion. They are scent infused lures that I think trigger bites sometimes when fish are a little finicky. This adds a little more length so that the hook hangs down and more freedom in the lure for when you hook a fish. Choosing fishing gear is truly a matter of personal preference – what makes the ultimate speckled trout rod and reel to me may well not be your first choice. I like to make as long of a cast as I can, let the slack settle in the water and then reel up tight. There’s nothing quite like the sound and sight of a big speck blowing up on a topwater lure. Perhaps the most effective speckled trout rig ever devised is the popping cork rig. This rig is my favorite for speckled sea trout. I like the non-slip loop knot developed by the late Lefty Kreh. Since I read this article, I have been throwing my lure as far as my body and tackle limits me to the point of getting tendonitis in my elbow. I think it mostly imitates a mullet pattern but could also look like a menhaden in certain cases. I will just stop the lure about 3 to 4 times during a cast for about 3 to 5 seconds and then start my retrieval again. The mirrodines are awesome for trout. I like to keep my rod tip high when retrieving the lure and let the fish’s strike pull my rod tip down and hook himself. These will give you a good firm hook set without damaging the trout. Speckled Trout are ravenous for a good shrimp and will take them live or dead though live does seem to do a bit better. I almost exclusively use a bait casting rod with this lure with 30 lb braided Spiderwire Stealth Smooth with a 4-to-6 foot section of 20 lb fluorocarbon leader. This is why I feel like using braided line is important as well so there is no stretch to overcome in setting the hook. While this article will mainly […] After 4 years in the US Navy, Captain Richard returned to Mobile to pursue his dream of becoming a charter captain. Cost is around $125. Texas Fish & Game is the largest and most popular outdoor publication in the Lone Star State. Another component I look for when speck fishing is current. One of my favorites. Both Maryland and Virginia have perfect speckled trout habitat. There are a good number of brands that produce reels for redfish and speckled trout. I have been using the plain lead colored heads for half a lifetime with very favorable results. If I start to get a lot of bites doing this technique I can start to work in more pauses and I will be surprised how effective it can be. When all is said and done, however, a white or pearl four-inch soft plastic paddle-tail will prove shockingly effective in the widest range of conditions and depths. Topwater lures are great low light condition lures which means for me, early mornings, late afternoons and all day on cloudy conditions. It was a short editorial article and the author went on about how fishing is really about how much water can you cover in a day whether it was in the boat or casting your lure. November is perhaps the best speckled trout month inshore. Sometimes this will trigger a bite because the fish thinks it has wounded the lure and come back in for the kill. My second favorite topwater is the newer Rapala Skitter V. It’s a bit smaller than the original Skitter Walk and has a sharp V shape on the bottom which gives it some killer side to side action when walking the dog. It's hard to believe a couple of weeks ago much of, Texas experienced a rapid drop in temperatures whi, Check out the latest Higher Calling Gulf Coast for, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) reminds t, Listen to this interview with Dr. Aaron Adams as h, Cory Carlson, from Ruston, Louisiana, has been exh. A lot of the biggest fish that I have caught on my speckled trout rigs have been on artificial topwater lures. I like to pinch a small hole with my fingernail to give the hook plenty of room to more in and out of the lure. If you see a trout following, but not striking, give the shrimp a harder pull to indicate escape to create a reaction strike. Your pick may differ a bit, but certain factors are common among most anglers. Super Spook Jr. Best Speckled Trout Lures for Seasons Ahead, Fly Fishing for Beginners- Trout Fishing 101. I really like the inshore favor and I add a small smear on the lure body about every couple hours. Each year in the late summer to early fall all the white shrimp in Mobile Bay migrate into the Upper Mobile Bay, Mobile-Tensaw Delta and tidal rivers. Lures. The reasoning behind using a loop knot is that the lure is much more free while in the water and presents a much more natural appearance during retrieval. On all my topwater lures I really like to change the “stock” hooks out with Owner replacement hooks in the #4 or #6 sizes. My pick is a 3000 to 3500 size spinning reel in the $200 to $250 range. Choice of action may vary a bit depending on whether you like to toss topwater (many people prefer moderate) or jigs (most folks go for a fast action, in that case). The secret to this lure is to learn to swim it slowly and enticingly over seagrass tops and potholes. No, we’re not going to talk specific brands. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. That’s almost one mile more water that I covered than my buddy. On a traditional style jighead they usually have a point that sticks out on the hook to hold up the plastic and after catching a few fish the plastic will want to slide down and fall off the hook. The Speckled Trout bite has been on fire these past few weeks inshore fishing Amelia Island backwaters. All Rights Reserved. I like to use very quick twitches with my rod tip and allow a nice slow fall following the twitches of the rod. Length is totally a matter of preference; longer 7’6″ and 8’0″ rods will send your lure sailing farther, but can also be a bit unwieldy, especially if you cast from a small boat with a T-top. The author made a short example with throwing lures of when you and a buddy go fishing in a day and you both make 500 casts in a day. That said, 15-pound test is just about ideal for speckled trout. Topwater! This lure is almost impossible to work in a large amount of chop so it is goes on my calm water speckled trout rigs for fall. The rig you see in the pic above has 15-pound Power Pro. How to Rig for Speckled Trout Fishing. That said, the gear we’re about to talk about would at least, by most serious anglers, be considered top-tier. Sea Trout (Trout) can be caught on North Carolina's coast from early March, or earlier, to November, and later. Shallow bays, coves, wrecks, rockpiles and grass beds are great places to hunt. Anglers who work soft plastics like the Slick Lure properly will almost always have good success with fall specks. The second part of keeping the tip slowly coming at me is the most important part. We will start from the bottom of the water column and work our way to the top. There is a slot on the bottom and it needs to be facing the weight on the hook. I like to feel like I am really driving the point of the hook into the fish’s jaw or cheek and then let the hook do the rest. Stay up to date with the latest hunting, fishing, and outdoor news from the Lone Star State and beyond! This rig is a weightless one and I use a Number 8 treble. Now, a great speckled trout rig for fall fishing isn’t going to magically land fish for you. Lastly, is working the speckled trout rig to catch a fish. Tips to Catch More Speckled Trout Fishing … Again, I use an improved albright knot to attach my braid to fluorocarbon leader and a non-slip loop knot to attach to the hook. No other publication matches our coverage of hunting, fishing, guns, gear, tackle, conservation, outdoor news, and wildlife subjects. Live cocahoe minnows tend to work better for flounder, and live croakers are excellent for targeting big speckled trout. When I get a blowup and I do not hook the fish I will kill the movement of the lure for about 3 to 5 seconds. Speckled sea trout are one of the most fun fish to catch on artificial lures. Because the Slick Lure is such a big profile lure and a large mass of plastic, I really like to come out of my shoes on the hookset. The lure, when in the water, is always moving; it doesn’t exactly stop and suspend. You can use this to catch them in lakes, rivers, and streams. My favorite colors are hot pink and gold mullet. The speckled sea trout … I had to really concentrate and make myself slow down my retrieval to start having success. by Richard Rutland | Sep 3, 2019 | Fishing. No trout lure is a sure-fire, one-size-fits-all option though. I like to create a cadence of twitching the lure side to side all the way back to the boat. Most importantly, however, the reel needs to be sized to balance on the rod you’ve chosen. 2. louisianasportsman Newsletters, Speckled Trout, Sportsman TV, Sportsman TV Episodes On this segment of Sportsman TV, Capt. Speed it up, slow it down, pause it, aggressive twitching and subtle twitching will sometimes tell you everything you need to know about how to work the lure. Bomber Lures Mullet Slow-Sinking Twitch / Walking Saltwater Fishing Lure - Excellent for Speckled Trout, Redfish, Stripers and More, 3 1/2 Inch, 5/8 Ounce. As for rigging up this bait I only use an Owner Beast 4/0 1/8 ounce weighted hook. I will admit to not being a big fan of rigs. I then push the point of the hook through and catch it with my finger. Captain Richard Rutland grew up in Mobile, Alabama and has been fishing the local waters of Mobile Bay for over 15 years. Here, I hook the croaker just in front of the dorsal fin and toss it towards the structure. With braid line, match that up with 20 pound fluorocarbon leader (connecting with a uni-to-uni knot works well). There must be dozens of offerings out there that fit the bill for rods, reels, lines, and jigs. The MirrOlure Popa Dog chug-style topwater lure.Courtesy. Most times I twitch twice in a very pronounced upward motion off the bottom and hold my rod tip high waiting on a bite. Trout species feed on a wide variety of bait fish and crustaceans. Once the hook is set I like to back off pressure and focus on keeping the line tight with very consistent and moderate pressure. As a fisher, mostly a newbie, you may find it hard to choose the best reel from the market. This is why I like a medium light blank to catch and fight the fish so the hook doesn’t pull out as frequently. I like the Hogie jig heads because they have a very strong sharp wide gap hook and also they have a screw lock to hold the Lil Slick up against the lead head. Anglers fishing for speckled trout mostly target them on the fertile, shallow flats. Speckled Trout Fishing Techniques. Catching speckled trout with double rigs Mississippi Sportsman Newsletters , Speckled Trout , Sportsman TV On this segment of Sportsman TV, Capt. This is more of a big fish shallow water bait, but I also use it in deep water lure when fish are suspended way above the bottom. I leave the line slack so the bait can swim down on its own and that is the key. Best fishing reels for redfish and speckled trout. But when you go shopping for a new set of gear for speckled trout fishing, consider: Fishing Rods – A high-modulus, high-sensitivity rod is a must. Comments Off. For speckled trout use either a size #2, #1, or 1/0 hook. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Use split-tail grubs, soft plastic minnows, or a combination of both. For topwater lures I have several go to lures depending on the conditions that I like to use. First off, you can’t beat the fight a speckled trout will give you which makes it a blast to fight them on relatively light tackle (check out our list of the top and best spinning reels under $100 2021). I like these setups because you need a tip that is soft enough to twitch the lure properly yet with enough backbone in the blank to be able to drive the hook into the fishes mouth. Most anglers prefer to use circle hooks or kahle hooks for fishing speckled trout. 4.5 out of 5 stars 159. How to Surf Fish for Speckled Trout. https://greatdaysoutdoors.com/selecting-the-best-speckled-trout-rig I like to start with my rod tip low and make two very pronounced twitches in an upward motion then slowly keep the tip of the rod coming at you. Fishing for speckled trout, strategies for success! Fishing for Speckled Trout in the Surf can be done with your typical bass fishing rods and reels. Something I try to do while figuring out how the fish want the lure is to change up my cadence. I make sure to focus on my retrieve each cast and take note on what I was doing to recreate the scenario again and again to keep getting blowups. I use this when fishing structure with no current. What is the best time to catch speckled trout? Okay: time to get out there, and catch some speckled trout! Texas Fish & Game is the largest and most popular outdoor publication in the Lone Star State. When selecting the best speckled trout rig for fall fishing, I like to use three types of artificial lures. For rigging topwater lures on my speckled trout rigs for fall fishing, I like to use a medium-light power blank with a fast tip. Ste 200-408 I Spring, TX 77386, TPWD Seeks Input On Saltwater Regulations. Shallow to me is two to seven feet or so, but can vary depending on where you are targeting these fish. 49. Sometimes the fish want a very subtle twitch while other times I really have to twitch the lure more aggressively to make the lure throw some water each twitch to get a bite. Basic Tips for Speckled Trout Fishing. You can invest in “Trout Tackle” and it will be of course designed with saltwater in mind. Watching shrimp in the bait tanks or in the water around the boat, I noticed they are very quick when trying to evade predators followed by a slow falling or swimming pattern. If I throw it just 10 feet further than my buddy all day long that equals about 5000 feet of more water covered than your buddy. This is simple twitching of the rod tip while constantly slowly reeling all in one motion. Texas Fish & Game Publishing 3431 Rayford Rd. It is recommended that you use a rattling bait to attract more attention. This video talks about some of the most effective fishing rigs and lures to catch Speckled Sea Trout! These fish are a blast to catch on light- to medium-weight tackle. These time proven big trout lures consistently produce fish over five pounds and have landed me a number of top tournament finishes.. By Capt. $5.49 $ 5. The best bait for night fishing is one that is 3 to 5 inches. As for the jig head I exclusively use a 1/8, 1/4, or 3/8 ounce 4/0 hook size Hogie lead jig head. Charlie Thomason will be fishing double rigs for trout. One of the most versatile lures in your arsenal for speckled trout (and just about any other species of fish out there) is a plastic grub on a jig head (this also is one of the best redfish lures – lures for red drum & puppy drum). Bottom Fishing When setting up your speckled trout rig for fall fishing, the first consideration in rigging the bait on the hook is to remember that it is very important for the lure action to be perfect in the water. Top 3 Fishing Lures For Big Fall Trout [VIDEO] Sign up for FREE to receive the latest ... but does dart very well through the water and elicits strikes from big trout. The Beast hook has a screw lock in on the eye of the hook which I poke in the nose of the Slick Lure and twist the bait all the way tight to the eye of the hook. Catch speckled trout with a carolina rig speckled trout fishing with lures 6 great speckled trout fishing and tactics for speckled trout basic speckled trout lures fishHow To Catch More Speckled Trout In Winter S Cold WeatherCatching Speckled Trout And Tricks ReelHow To Catch Speckled Trout With Lures And BaitLook For Clean Water To Catch … FFP Co-Founder, Ty Nelson, on His Favorite Speckled Sea Trout Rigs & Lures: Speckled Sea Trout are ambush predators. An on-line search will turn up several videos and instructions on how to tie this knot. This rig is usually fished with a spinning rod when targeting trout. My favorite color is actually the speckled trout … #2 Best Speckled Trout Lure – Grub On A Jig Head. In the next section, a list of the five best reels for redfish and speckled trout is given. In closing, with all of these techniques and speckled trout rigs for fall fishing, I want to add this “Every Cast, Every Time”. Their aggressive nature and their tendency to hit a wide variety of bait makes them one of the best inshore targets to keep you busy all day long. Ste 200-408 I Spring, TX 77386 (281) 869-5511. My favorite three colors at the moment are Cool Beans, Limon, and Pink Passion. - YouTube. Fishing Line – Again, the choice here depends a bit on whether you like topwater (where mono can be advantageous) or subsurface lures (in which case braid is usually the favorite). Live bait rig for speckled trout with bobber. I fish the lure with the hook exposed out of the topside but you can also tuck the point into the plastic to make it weedless for fishing around grass, rocks or oyster shells. Speckled Trout Rigs. I feel like I almost scare some of my clients when I set the hook. Just because I get a blowup and do not hook the fish doesn’t mean it will not come back and strike again. Steve Soule. One of the techniques you can employ is to use topwater speckled trout bait. Pink and bone colors are my favorites but I think the big profile and action is what really draws in the big bites. As for working a topwater lure it is somewhat of a learning curve because there are a million things you can do to trigger a bite. If you don't want to rig your own, you can buy pre-rigged popping cork setups that use titanium wire and beads, but they essentially all do the same thing. They are plentiful from Chesapeake Bay to Texas. First is learning to “Walk The Dog”. Slightly shorter 6’6″ to 7’0″ rods are a lot easier to handle and a lot easier to store or transport, though casting distance will suffer a bit. Choosing fishing gear is truly a matter of personal preference – what makes the ultimate speckled trout rod and reel to me may well not be your first choice. As a young boy, I read an article in Florida Sportsman magazine that really struck me and changed my casting ability. My favorite colors are hot pink and hot olive. The Slick is a big profile lure and it is a lot of plastic, so having that freedom allows the gap of the hook to grab plenty of meat inside the fish’s mouth. The trick to being a good jig fisherman is to be ready on the fall of the lure by keeping your line tight and to stay in constant contact with the bottom. So take the following with a grain of salt. Spinning, bait casting, or fly fishing are all suitable choices. In my case, since I fish on many different boats and my own has a large T-top, I use a 6’6″ fast-action rod. Another rig for speckled trout fishing with live croaker is a free line. However you would possibly encounter the greatest effects between 10 p.m., either in the morning or late at night. Charlie Thomason will be fishing double rigs for trout. The important thing is to make sure the hook has plenty of freedom through the lure. Chuggers for Speckled Trout. Another line of lures that I have been using a lot on speckled trout rig for fall fishing is the new line of Fish Bites soft plastics called Fight Club. Being able to properly set the hook and fight the fish is equally as important. Thank you for the great feedback Pam! Fishing Reels – Some folks prefer spinning and others opt for casting reels, but in either case there are a few critical factors: a smooth drag, light weight, and corrosion protection are all must-haves. If you’re going to use this rig in moving waters look for deeper slower moving pools just after fast shallow water. I am also very adamant about using a loop knot to attach the jig to my 20lbs fluorocarbon and my speckled trout rigs for fall. Sea Trout include two types: Speckled Trout and Gray Trout (Weakfish). The first two twitches make the bait dance side to side like a wounded mullet and slow movement of the tip towards me keeps the line tight to feel a bite. A Fishbites Fight Club scented shrimp lure fooled this trout. The Slick Lure took me a little while to become accustomed to fishing and having a lot of success only because it was unlike anything I had fished in the past. It’s also a good idea to change up your cadence from time to time to see if the fish want something different. When I think about where Spotted Sea Trout live, … I also like to remove the center hook from the lure because of its nature to hang up on the rear hook and I like to add another split ring to the front and rear hook. Sometimes the bite is very pronounced and sometimes it’s very subtle and it’s up to you to be ready to set the hook. Next, which is most important, I lay the hook across the lure to see how the hook wants to go through the lure, and I pinch that point through the slot on the bottom and on the top of the lure. When fishing big fish or choppy conditions my go-to is the tried and true Zara Super Spook. Slicks require proper rigging with hooks and knots for maximum effectiveness. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! I like to use a braided main line of about 20-30 pound test line attached to a 3-5 foot section of 20 lb fluorocarbon leader with an improved albright knot. I also apply a small amount of Pro-Cure. I build all my own custom Cold Stick rods and look for blanks that are medium power and fast to extra fast actions in lengths in 7’ – 7’6”.When I load up the rod I like the top 1/3 of the rod to bend. One caveat: there are times when specks want something that’s pink, period, above all else. I catch a ton of fish on jigs in the fall, I think mainly due to all the shrimp in our system at this time of year. Working up to the middle of the water column, I am an addict to The Slick Lure which is the big brother to the Lil Slick Lure. Topwater is a great search bait because I can really cover a huge area of water very quickly but also some days they will only hit a topwater and nothing else. Something else I do is add a small amount of scent to the lure using a great product called Pro-Cure. Get outdoor trends, data, new products, and tips delivered to your inbox. They make several different styles to choose from. Speckled Trout are one of our favorite saltwater species to target. The packs come with an unweighted 4/0 hook and is good for me in only super shallow situations of one and a half feet of water or less. ... As for what to use, it’s very hard to beat shrimp for any inshore fishing. Number one thing to focus on is paying attention when you get bites to tell you how to work the lure. I like to break these lures out when I have calm to moderate chop on the water or if the fish are being a little weary to committing to the lure. The saltwater environment can be rough on gear that’s not designed with corrosion resistant materials however. I think this is for sure one thing that I do that gives me more success on the water than others most days. If the wind is light or I’m fishing in shallow water, my first and often only choice for chasing a trophy would be the Heddon ® Super Spook Jr. ® in bone with silver sides. The screw lock holds it in place very securely. The bite almost always comes after the two twitches as I am slowly picking up the tip. One thing with this lure is that you need a more limber rod to throw it because she is a beast of a lure. The lure tends to be very “light” on the tip and can be very hard to detect a bite, because the lure is coming at me at all times. Speckled Trout Lures – There are, of course, countless offerings to choose from and many are effective. The trout and redfish are usually right behind them following this bio-mass of shrimp. When it comes to working a jig I like to “think like a shrimp”. Trout often like to wait in these pools for food to come to them without spending too much energy. I have become very partial to a newer lure that Pure Flats LLC has been making called the Lil Slick.