THE 



CATCH 



Seeing Spots and Specks 



By Daun Daemon 



\eteran anglers know that fall is a 

 prime time to cast a lure. Whether you 

 prefer to jostle for position on a pier, 

 stake out your territory on the sand or 

 relax in your trusty fishing boat, the 

 cooler temperatures and less crowded 

 beaches create near perfect conditions 

 for angling. 



This season, two abundant 

 species are speckled trout 

 and spot. Jim Bahen, 

 North Carolina Sea 

 Grant marine extension 

 agent, has some tips for 

 reeling in these fish. 



SPECKLED 

 TROUT 



Also called spotted sea trout and 

 specks, speckled trout are found in 

 North Carolina waters year-round. 

 Because they feed most actively in 

 water temperatures ranging from 50 to 

 65 F, cast for them in North Carolina 

 from October through December. They 



can be caught in the surf or from a pier 

 or boat in the ocean or estuary. 



• Surf fishing: Hit the beach in 

 the early morning or late evening 

 at low tide and fish as the 

 water rises. Look for a 

 slough, an area of deeper 

 water inshore of the outer bar, 

 and fish that area. To find a 

 slough, look for quiet surf with 



few breaking waves. Trout 

 will wait in the 

 slough for the bait 

 species - especially 

 shrimp and minnows - 

 that travel in shallower 

 water. 



• Pier fishing: Select 

 your place on the rail in the 

 early morning or in the evening 

 into the night. The catch will be best after 

 dark because artificial lights attract bait 

 species to the pier. Fish behind the 

 breakers with artificial lures. 



• Boat fishing: Fish in a tidal creek 

 during a falling tide. Trout will wait in 

 the mouths of the creeks and deep holes 



to ambush species as they leave the 

 shelter of the shallows. Trout also tend 

 to stay tucked in or behind 

 eddies, areas 

 of faster and 

 deeper water, 

 waiting for the 

 bait species to 

 move by. 

 • Gear: The 

 most popular outfit 

 for speckled trout is a 4 1/2- 

 to 5 1/2-foot, medium- to light-action 

 spinning rod that is 6- to 10-pound test. 

 If you prefer soft artificial bait, use lead- 

 headed soft-tailed grubs with red or white 

 heads and green, black, smoke or white 

 tails. For hard bait, Bahen prefers hard 

 plastic MirrOlures. The best natural bait 

 is shrimp — use a 4x treble hook and a 

 float. Have a net handy if you fish from a 

 boat or pier because hooks occasionally 

 pull out of the trout's soft mouth. Remem- 

 ber that treble hooks and nets don't mix. 



• Regulations: The minimum size 

 for a catch is 12 inches, and the bag limit 

 is 10 fish. 



Speckled Trout 



• Member of sciaenid family 



• Ranges from New York 

 to northern Mexico 



• Average catch weight: 



1 to 5 pounds / 



• Average catch length: 

 12 to 18 inches 



24 AUTUMN 1997 



