What’s Hot- With the dramatic decline in water temperature over the last week, inshore species will seek out warmer pockets of water on the cooler mornings. Speckled trout, redfish and sheepshead will be most tolerant of the mid-fifties water and can be caught with patience from anglers wanting some tight lines. When trying to locate gamefish among the shallows, key in on southern facing shorelines with higher treelines. These flats will radiate heat and hold larger numbers of fish. More often, the water will be cleaner, as it will be protected from strong north winds.
When fishing our coastline following a front, slow everything down when it comes to presentation. Freelining shrimp with a small split shot above the hook always works best. This method will keep the offering on the bottom longer-where the fish will want to feed. With artificials, crawl the lure along the sandy pockets where it will create mud puffs and draw attention. Bucktails, plastic worms and grub tails will imitate the smaller meals that the trout and reds want. By keeping the rod tip high and using an 1/8 ounce jighead, these lures can be worked very slow to cover more area.
Speckled Trout Season- As the prime trout season gets under way, be sure to practice proper catch and release. Always have a good de-hooker on board for releasing unwanted fish. By handling these trout less, the survival rate goes way up. The protective slime coating on a speckled trout helps them to fight off diseases.