Spring Sea Trout on the Big Bend

Looking at the trees and the hood of my truck, we are moving into spring. On a small game hunt this past week I noticed all the new green, purple, yellow, red and white color in the woods and I listen to hear a turkey gobble but it might be a hair early. So to say all that I'm very happy that hopefully most the cold air is past us, so we can plant a garden, hunt turkeys and enjoy the best inshore fishing of the year.

Sea trout are my favorite inshore fish to catch in the spring. There are so many other fish that arguably fight better, taste better and maybe even look better, but our Big Bend sea trout have more street cred than most. When I was young a big trout would be 18", but now we are releasing trout over 19", because it's a rule. Big sea trout create lots of trout in our healthy waters and excellent sea grass environment.

Trout are one of the "bread and butter" fish for our guides and recreational anglers around the state. Speckled searout can be caught many different ways, but this time of year I look for rock piles and rocky points that are exposed during low tide that absorb the sunlight most of the day until the high water moves in and covers them. The trout will lay on top of those rocks and take advantage of the warmth, plus any bait that happens by. My favorite bait is a D.O.A. 5.5 glow jerk bait nosed hooked with a 3/0 bait hook. When approaching a spot be quit as you would fishing for redfish, because trout will leave town and not come back.

Captain William Toney

Homosassa Inshore Fishing