By: Eric Henson
Hello, fellow kayak fishermen and women! I hope you are ready to get out and catch some nice size trout because it is that time of year. When the water temperatures drop, the female trout begin showing up in large numbers. They are eagerly looking to get fattened up, to gear up for spawning season. Please take extra precautions when handling these female trout, so they swim away strong.
Speckled Trout are also known as Spotted Sea Trout. The adult Spotted Sea Trout average anywhere from 19-32 inches in length and approximately 3-15lbs in weight. Once you have located them, you can literally catch one after another. The average size for this time of year is 16-20 inches, but don’t be surprised to catch some well over 20 inches! In our area, once trout make it over the 20-inch mark, they are called “Gator Trout”. However, when I keep trout for dinner, I generally only keep ones that are 16-19 inches because they taste much better when they are under the “Gator Trout” size.
There are different strategies when catching Spotted Sea Trout. My absolute favorite is using a top water lure such as “walk the dog” baits like the Yo-Zuri 3D Inshore Pencil. Remember, trout have paper thin mouths so make sure not to rip the lure out of their mouth when they strike it. Rather, feel the weight of the fish and just reel. If it’s a cold morning and they appear lethargic, try using a soft-plastic shrimp like the Monster 3X X-MOVE; then work it extremely slowly, to entice the bite. Between those two baits, one of them should be your ticket to success!
Again, please take care of all the mom’s “Gator Tout” that you catch being that They are the future of our fishery. Tight lines and Tight knots to everyone! Eric Henson is the owner of Casting Kayaks LLC. a guided kayak fishing company out of Sarasota Florida. He specializes in inshore light tackle or fly fishing from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. To book a guided fishing trip with Eric check out his website www.CastingKayaks.com or give him a call at 941-504-1349