How to catch Speckled Trout
Best Bait for Catching Speckled Trout
The best live bait to use when fishing for speckled trout would include live shrimp, pinfish, or green backs. In Orange Beach Alabama a lot of anglers will also use a plastic minnow bait with a jig-head attached in addition to their live baits. A Lot of the bigger speckled trout are more likely to eat croaker, mullet, or pinfish before it will go for small shrimp. Don’t be afraid to try different baits in different locations.
The right weather to catch speckled trout
With a little patience, Speckled Trout can be caught all year long. Typically speaking, speckled trout usually stay in water ranging from the low 60s to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When the weather is warmer, trout stay in shallower water. It’s important to keep in mind that speckled trout can be found in both brackish and saltwater. With this being the case, pay attention to the temperature and depth of water in either ecosystem. Because the speckled trout retreats to deeper water after a cold front, it is safe to say that it’s more challenging to catch speckled trout in the colder months of the year. During those months, sheepshead serves as a great alternate target species.
Legal Size and Limits of Speckled Trout
Anglers who commonly fish for speckled trout have reported an increase in population size over the past 10 years. In contrast to size, the legal bag limit has decreased during that same amount of time. According to the Alabama Marine Resource Division, the bag limit was shortened to 6 speckled trout per person. Overall, the length of legal speckled trout can range from 16 inches to 22 inches. While these legal slot limits are in place, Alabama game law does allow each angler to keep one speckled trout over 22 inches. For more information and regulation about speckled trout fishing for different states, click this link.
In conclusion, Speckled Trout are partial to warm, shallow waters and do most of their traveling in the fall and spring. Under that circumstance they tend to stay in deeper waters, making it more difficult to catch Speckled Trout in the colder months of the year. One may want to consider an alternative target such as sheepshead. But don’t take our word, come out and fish for yourself!
