With any species of fish that you plan to target, it pays to understand their individual habits. How they feed, what they prey on, water temperatures they thrive in, and where they prefer to position themselves in their environment. Some call it, “thinking like a fish”, I call it “knowing your fish”.
A few tactics I prefer to exercise when targeting these species are listed below.
Speckled Trout tend to hang out on the flats, in seagrass beds, or close to mangrove lines. They can also be found congregating in holes, trenches, or even in mudbank areas. One thing that remains a common denominator is what Speckled Trout prefer to feed on, in most cases a Live shrimp. While I’ve caught speckled trout on a live mullet, a live mud-minnow, and even on a live fiddler crab, if given the choice, I’d always utilize a Live shrimp on a popping cork (with a tiny circle hook) and drift it through some of the prevalent areas mentioned above. A natural presentation being key when targeting speckled trout.
Sheepshead while difficult to target can be very rewarding once mastered. Most understand that Sheepshead love to feed on crustaceans (i.e. barnacles, clams, oysters, fiddler crabs, sand fleas, blue crab, and even shrimp). Knowing this paired with the arrangement of their unique teeth, I’ve had the most luck utilizing a very small, very sharp J-hook on a knocker rig (aka Carolina rig with a short 8”-12” leader). Then, it becomes a game of finesse. Waiting for that perfect moment, mid-bite to set your J-hook is key. My preferred bait of choice is the fiddler crab given their hard exoskeleton making it more difficult to steal from my very tiny J-hook. Again, be patient as it may take a few baits before getting in the rhythm and catching these fish.
Black Drum love to seek out dead smelly baits. While Black Drum (aka Big Uglies) are capable of attacking a Live bait, it seems they prefer an easy target such as a dead shrimp, clam bellies, and even cut blue crab. Given Black Drum are known to feed off the bottom, I tend to utilize the Carolina Rig but with a larger/heavier duty circle hook to ensure my fish stays fastened (weight pending the water flow in the area you are fishing). Target Black drum near inlets, jetties, bridges, docks, and/or sea walls for the best result. Spotting Schools of Black drum can also be common during migration and spawning so always be prepared.
When targeting any of the inshore species listed above it’s important to know your size regulations and seasons for harvesting. Up to date fishing regulations can be found by visiting https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational
