Speckled trout or spotted seatrout. Cynoscion nebulosus goes by both names depending on where you live. What is universal, though, is this prized saltwater game fish is one of the easiest to catch and most delicious for the table.
Fall is the best time of year for doubling up on number and size of big speckled trout. There are several key reasons why fall is a great time to target speckled trout:
Stable weather
When hurricane season ends, weather patterns are more stable and so are the inland seas. The water is calmer, storms fewer, and above all else, water clarity is at its best.
Moving In
Speckled trout spend summer in the bays and deeper water areas for spawning. When fall comes, and in most places that is September, the fish move back inside the marshes, where they are easier to locate and more abundant.
Big Appetite
Temperature drives speckled trout back into the shallow water. So does food. Everything speckled trout like to eat is super-sized into adulthood. They get an easy meal with plenty of food to go around. Get ready for aggressive strikes and hard-fighting fish!
Timing is Everything!
What triggers the magical transition from deep to shallow water? Water temperature is the easy answer. When water temps dip back below the high 70s the fall bite is on in most areas. You can even do research at home to track the temperatures. Do a Google search for NOAA buoys and find a website displaying buoys on a map of your area.
Fall Tactics
Big trout ride out cold snaps in channels and bays. Nearby shallow water habitat is the key to finding post-front speckled trout. They will only stay deep long enough for the front to pass. Appetites return and the fish move back into shallow water. Concentrate your search in the shallow areas bordered by deep eater.
When speckled trout return to shallow water its essential to use extreme stealth and prepare for long casts!
Think big baits for bigger speckled trout. Matching your lure to forage size is a must. Remember, the baitfish preyed upon by trout, such as mullet, have reached full adult size. That makes gearing up lure choices a must. A big Mirr-O-lure 5M or 7M, Heddon Super Spook or 4- or 5-inch Savage Gear TPE 3D Shrimp are wise choices for big trout.
Always be on the lookout for schools of mullet prowling in shallow water. Big trout like to push a favorite food source into shallow water, hemming the meal in a cut or atop a grassy flat.
Weather permitting, the days leading up to and following the new and full moons are prime time, from April through December. You can even venture out at night, temperatures permitting. The water is clearer and you can sight cast to the fish.
Perhaps best of all, you can take home a tasty dinner of fresh speckled trout. That’s a bonus fall meal that can’t be beat. To meet this goal, you need a versatile boat capable of running in shallow water and provide great stability.
A pillar of the Carolina Skiff brand is the DLX Series, tracing its roots back to their first model built in 1983. The DLX has built a loyal following as one of the most durable, versatile and stable boats on the water. Plain and simple, you just can’t beat it as a fishing boat, runabout, commercial workboat or for just about any activity on the water.
The DLX Series from Carolina Skiff is like the “Pick Up” truck of the boating world. A great flat bottom skiff for venturing into the shallow water and the ability to take your further and faster with less horsepower for maximum performance efficiency.
The DLX Series consist of 7-different boat lengths, with maximum H.P., ranges from 50-150 H.P. The list of standard options for the DLX Series is incredible and Carolina Skiff has not left anything out the dedicated angler would desire. Plus, with the Upgrade Options and different Top options, you can use the Carolina Skiff Boat Builder on their website and create the perfect DLX model to best suit your needs.
The DLX Series is one of Carolina Skiff’s best sellers and with just one look, you will see why. Carolina Skiff has been dedicated to building durable and affordable boats for over 30 years.
Check out Carolina Skiff today at www.carolinaskiff,com. Explore the Boat Builder feature, find your nearest dealer or request a catalog. Get “social” with Carolina Skiff and join the crew at Facebook and Twitter.
