The Spawn is On

Temperatures are finally on the rise and spring is firing off at full speed. All of our Texas bays are exploding with life. Migrations of game fish stream into the back reaches of our inland estuaries from the Gulf and deeper wintering grounds. March usually marks the first spawn of Speckled Trout but this year we have experienced a smaller spawn in March with the colder winter. The month of April is setting up to be the best spring fishing month we have seen in years. The amount of baitfish flooding into the Laguna Madre’ is massive. Good amounts of rain in the last six months has brought back the hatch of mussels, crabs, shrimp, and shellfish. Plenty of food sources will be welcome to the herds of trout, reds, and flounder that are on the move and looking to make up for a long winter.

Speckled Trout are the most desired game fish we have in our bays, and they will have two things on their minds in the month of April, spawning and eating. The April spawn will build and then peak the days before the full moon. Trout will form small groups of mature males and one or two females in sandy pot holes inside grass flats. They will start feeding on pin perch and other fin fish to eliminate the small fish that eat their eggs and young. Spawning takes place not in nests as some fish make but the eggs are fertilized by the male as they are discharged and then float into the nearby grass and stick to the blades of grass until they hatch. The small fin fish will mill around the grass flats eating the eggs. Mature speckled trout will grow two large front teeth to aid them catch and hold these egg eaters. The largest of Trout will focus their diet on baitfish most of the year, especially the spring when they are trying to get the most protein out of each meal. For anglers, taking this into consideration is important when on the water. When a fish is hooked look for multiple trout to be in that same spot. When drifting other anglers should cast into the spot and try to get double or triple hook-ups. Often I have had the anchor ready and tied to the bow of the boat so that when one or more rods bend over I can slip the anchor over softly and fish the sand pocket or area completely. The new Power Pole set-ups make this very easy and can mean the difference one extra fish at a time. When I am wade fishing in April I am intent on my pursuit of MASSIVE TROPHY TROUT.

Every sand pocket is not created equal, each one may be different in that one may be hard sand, mud, gravely sand, or perhaps covered with dead grass. Pay attention to the color of each and when you catch fish in one expect there to be a nest of fish in it. Many times anglers make a few casts then walk on through. Think of yourself hunting the hunter. Trout will be posting up in places that are good hunting spots for them, watching from the cover of the overlaying grass. As the sun rises across the sky fish will move to take advantage of better positions as well as wind direction. As an angler present lures from different sides of the pocket, change colors, switch sizes of lures and actions. Many times it is a small change in what you are throwing that triggers a strike. I also often back up and stand motionless watching from a distance, letting the area calm down. Fish that spook from an area that they like to be in will settle back into it if left alone, approach from a different angle and have confidence that a big momma is there with the males. The April spawn is a great time to experience the aggression of mature speckled trout slamming soft plastics and exploding on top waters as they strive to take out the threats to their young and fuel their bodies for the reproduction of the species.

The explosion of life in April will power up some of the year’s best fishing, but at times the large amount of baitfish will make for hard fishing. Many times game fish will feast on tiny immature fish, shrimp, ells, worms, and crabs that may be present in swarms. Large baits used by fishermen can go untouched. Fish such as redfish, flounder, black drum, and many small non-game fish species spawn in the fall and minnows hatch in the spring. Consistently successful fishermen will “match the hatch” and downsize their lures to catch even the largest of predatory game fish. Some of the best baits to tie on your line are the always innovative DOA Lures. This is a lure company was spawned from a great fisherman’s passion to do one thing, catch fish. Using the DOA bait system will change the way you fish for the better. Matching the diverse food sources in our ocean lets anglers offer choices to sometimes non aggressive fish. The best known bait is of course the DOA Shrimp. The baits come in three sizes and range from tiny grass shrimp, sight casting baits, and larger sized shrimp for long range casting and offshore use. The small C.A.L series includes a variety of soft plastic bait fish imitations. Jerk baits, split tails, grubs, curl tails, and shad tails are offered in different sizes and a world of colors. The Terror Eyes is the perfect bait for use in areas with a lot of current. This little bait doesn’t look like anything you have ever seen on the shelf but when it is bounced along the bottom it comes alive with its unique hidden lead head and holographic eyes that shoot out reflected light to attract more fish. They come in three sizes and the TinyTerrorEyz is the perfect snack for finicky fish. The small size of the C.A.L shad tailed bait is just smaller than some of the other popular baits out on the market, it is no accident that it is the same size as a mud minnow. This is one of the absolute best baits for flounder and anything looking for a snack in between major feeding times. Use this small soft plastic when bites are hard to come by. D.O.A is the absolute innovator in suspending soft baits, long before the CORKY Mark introduced the Bait Buster. He makes a shallow, mid depth, and deep running model along with several other swim baits that have unbelievable realistic action. One of my favorite big trout baits is the shallow running AIR HEAD. This shad shaped body soft plastic can be hooked weedless with a wide gap hook or used with a lead head. The large paddle tail flops and waves, sending vibration and flash to big trout waiting in ambush. These are just a few of the lures they have not to leave out the pin perch and crab, they have the lure for you whatever the fish are feeding on. When I started using these baits I learned a new style of fishing. I no longer fish fast and unfocused, every cast is presented to a specific spot. I hunt out the places I imagine big fish would hide, waiting for a victim. My D.O.A baits fit the bill and are designed for precision casting and presentation. Call or write for a free brochure on all D.O.A Fishing Lures:

D.O.A Fishing Lures,
P.O. Box 1972,
Palm City, FL 34991:
1-877-DOA-LURE

The excitement of spring has spread over both land and sea. Catch the wave and ride the tides of migrating fish and bait to some of the best fishing of your life. The spawn will ignite the feeding and movements of our favorite game fish the speckled trout. Be meticulous in your hunt for the largest of trophy trout by using strategies similar to big game hunting. When fishing this month concentrate on presenting baits that match the hatch and cover the broad spectrum of variety of food sources available during the spring hatch. Get out and enjoy the bay and always look for an adventure on the water.

For help with enhancing your skills or building memories with customers, friends or family give me a call. – Capt. Joey Farah – (361)-442-8145.