Speckled Trout in Southern LouisianaSpeckled Trout are some of “the best eating” when it comes to seafood. It is also one of the most exciting fish to catch, in the Southern part of Louisiana. A lot of anglers choose trout fishing over other types of fishing, because it is such a premiere fish!
If you are experienced in trout fishing then you should know about their habits and what they tend to do, due to the weather. If you have never been trout fishing then here are some tips to keep you from being disappointed in you first “trout-fishing-experience.”
These fish are commonly known are Speckled Trout… but many people call them many different things such as paper-mouths, yellow-mouths, sea-trout, and my personal favorite, “Specs” (as you will see me refer to many times).
What is the “Spec” Season…?That is a good question, and not many people ask it. It is very important that you research any fish you seek, such as Redfish , Flounder, Bass, etc., to know when is the best time that you will most likely catch them.
Specs like warm water and cannot stand cold water. This means, when it is warm outside, you will find them in one place, and when it is cold, they will more than likely move to another location.
Summertime is what they call “The Hot Season” and that is for two reasons. For one, obviously in the south in summertime, IT IS HOT! And second, this is when the speckled trout go into some sort of feeding frenzy. This is their mating season as well; therefore, they are always looking to feed. The months that are most commonly considered the best are May-July, as they start moving into shallow bays, upon sandbars, and mud-bottoms, to feed off of the Louisiana-Common Oyster!
Wintertime is a lot slower, however, as you will need to move to deeper waters, and fish extremely slow. When you are fishing slowly and nothing is biting…. Slow down even more! I’m serious. These fish are not very active in the winter, for their metabolism slows way down and they tend to dive to deeper waters in search for warmer water. They will not attack the bait, and will probably bite it very easily so you may only see a slacked line or you line move from side to side. If this happens to you, don’t be shy… Set the hook, but be careful as a spec has a very tender mouth that will tear easy (hints the name “paper-mouth”). If you don’t get the fish when you set the hook, be patient, and continue fishing like you should.
What kinds of baits are good for catching Spec…?There are many different types of bait for catching specs. If you are prefer using artificial bait then, like Redfish , you will want to choose something that imitates what the speckled trout are feeding on in that location. Generally, Specs tend to feed on similar creatures in the water, but depending on the area that you are in, there may be something offered to the Specs that is not available in other areas, therefore, that could be a good choice as well. I normally use, when fishing with artificial bait, a cocahoe minnow, for the reason that cocahoe is readily available in the wild in Southern Louisiana, therefore, the Specs do like them a lot. It could be different for different parts of the world but if you use the cocahoe minnow, just about anywhere in Southern Louisiana, then you are sure to get a few Speckled Trout.
If you are inexperienced, or are looking to land you “Catch of a lifetime”, then you probably want to go with live bait such as cocahoe, shrimp, or croaker. You want to hook the bait through their lips, or top fin, therefore not killing the baitfish, and letting it act as if it is only wounded, and still swimming through the water. This really triggers their sight, and they prey on wounded baitfish. All you have to do is hold on, and play the fish right. It will be very exciting because the Spec likes to come to the surface of the water and jump in and out, trying to get free, but at the same time giving you a great show. Don’t get too anxious, though. If you are excited, you tend to watch the fish more, and not pay as much attention as to how you are handling you pole and line. Your drag needs to be fairly loose, therefore, letting the fish pull a little drag out and fighting. If your drag is set too firm, and you reel and reel, you take the chance of ripping the lips, as I said before, their lips are very tender. Take your time, and do it right. They are generally not too large of fish, but extremely fun to catch.
Don’t Get Discouraged…When you are fishing for specs it seems, at times, like the action is slow, even if you are following all of the needed steps. Specs tend to travel in schools, and once you get into that school, you may catch your limit of 25 Specs, within 30 minutes. If you are practicing the “Catch and Release” strategy, you may catch hundreds of Specs, between a couple of people, within a couple of hours. I know it sounds crazy, but if you search around the net, or ask and Speckled Trout fisherman, they will tell you, it has happened many times, to many people. And NO! It is not one of those old fishermen stories, where the fish grows every time he/she tells the story to another person.
Take a Fishing CharterFishing Charters are always a good option when you are new to the area. A fishing charter service has been escorting people through the lakes, swamps , and bayous for a long time and they know where they are going and they know where the fish are most likely going to be, depending on what type of fish you are looking for. Sometimes they can be a bit pricey, but do your research and check around, it may be the option for you. These guides can put you on the Speckled Trout of your lifetime!
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