# Big Trout



## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

Ive been trying for years to catch a big trout (over 8 lbs or 30"). Ive fished Baffin Bay, Chandeleur, Lake Calcasieu, Biloxi Bayou marsh south of Lake Borgne and Perdido Bay and caught lots of trout just never big ones. The biggest was about 5 lbs. Where and when would you suggest going to have the best chance of catching a true trophy?


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## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

Wirelessly posted

Titusville fish mosquito lagoon and Indian river. That's where you want to go to catch a true gator. Thats also where the world record was caught 17lb 7oz. Good luck!
Chad


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

Right now there are some 7 and 8lbers being caught in Pt St Joe. However, Chad is right. Mosquito lagoon is probably the most famous big trout spot.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

You can also catch them in North Banana River NMZ in that same area. There are plenty of monsters to go around.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Interarrity Pt. Bridge on the ICW*

Ok, it was in March 1973-74 or so but I caught more than a dozen over 8# while fishing under the bridge. All were caught on large Pinfish, Pigfish and Croakers. The biggest weighed 10-8. Pinfish smaller than your hand only caught 6 pounders. This was in a period of less than one week. I wish I knew what conditions precipitated such a catch of big fish.

Butch Frith showed me how to catch them.

Back in those days, "Catch and Release" had not been invented.


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## CallMeEddie (Nov 25, 2010)

Lake Pontchartrain train trestle. Try different depths around the supports until you locate where they're holding, then hang on. The lake record for trout is 12 pounds.


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## 7M (Jan 5, 2008)

More and more 30" plus fish are being caught in the panhandle. You just have to fish for the big sows. Stay away from the schoolees. Shallow in the spring. Stealth. Don't expect to catch lots or fish. Did I say shallow.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

7M said:


> More and more 30" plus fish are being caught in the panhandle. You just have to fish for the big sows. Stay away from the schoolees. Shallow in the spring. Stealth. Don't expect to catch lots or fish. Did I say shallow.



Big Bait equals Big Fish! C2


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## minkmaster (Apr 5, 2008)

Caught one bout 4:30 in the morn by bridge going to Perdido Key and she weighed 6 lb 9 ounces on berkeley scale. Just to let ya know. She was slipped back in the water. I just can't filet trophy fish.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I have caught many 30+" right here at home in Al. FT Morgan, Little Lagoon, Big Lagoon, etc all have have plenty of big specks if you adjust to a headhunting gameplan and use larger baits, both artificial and natural.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Big Specks*

I commercial hook and line fished along with my late Pa-in-Law and we caught literally washtubs of BIG! Sow Speckled Trout.

We caught our own live bait, (mostly pinfish and croakers ); some as large as the palm of your hand. The trout that we caught had no trouble ingesting These large baits. 

Of course; it was nice to use his 'honey holes'; locations gathered over several decades/generations of fishing.C2


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## minkmaster (Apr 5, 2008)

I am not saying big fish only hit at night but my confidence soars for almost all species fishing under the moonlight. I can be way stelthier at night and seems smaller fish hit less too.


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## speckhound (Feb 7, 2012)

I went to the New Orleans Boat Show a few years back. A guide from St. Charles, LA had a booth there. He had an ice chest with the previous days catch. There was not a fish in the cooler that was less than 10 lbs. So while you can get a single here or there around here, in west LA and Texas, you can truly find those trout schooling.


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## Kayakbob (Dec 18, 2011)

If fishing during a full moon helps catch big specks at night I have a friend who has a son in law in Minnesota who is a big Muskie throphy guide. He takes clients out at night from say ten pm to three in the am. The friend told me the records that his son in law keep caught more monster muskies five days be for and four days after the full moon. During this period he is booked months in advice. He is got this moon chart down to such a science he can almost predict the time during the night they might catch a monster Muskie. They take pictures, weight and measure the fish maybe tag them and let them go.

So why cant we do the same fishing at night with zara spooks in the zones we think the fish are in or under the lights. Last fall I was at the little lagoon and went over to a fellows old boat and he opened up his ice chest and saw nothing but big female trout at least four to five pounds. He was fishing from one am to about 9 am.

Just wished I new where the big females spawn in April and May in eastern Baldwin County or the East end of the Mobile Bay where I live. If I did I would go after them wade fishing or with my kayak. bob


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## Kayakbob (Dec 18, 2011)

Hi Chris where is the big lagoon locate and when is the best time to fish it? I found a good site for understanding Speckeld Trout fishing in this area. I will post it for you to look at. http://www.inshorefishingalabama.com/Speckled-Trout.htm

bob


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## saltbomb (Feb 15, 2010)

Try St. Joe bay or crooked island sound. Seen plenty of big trout come out of those places.


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## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

captken said:


> Ok, it was in March 1973-74 or so but I caught more than a dozen over 8# while fishing under the bridge. All were caught on large Pinfish, Pigfish and Croakers. The biggest weighed 10-8. Pinfish smaller than your hand only caught 6 pounders. This was in a period of less than one week. I wish I knew what conditions precipitated such a catch of big fish.
> 
> Butch Frith showed me how to catch them.
> 
> Back in those days, "Catch and Release" had not been invented.


 
Have a very smilioar story but it was the summer of 92. We fished big pinfish at the middle of the 3 miles bridge on the bottom and crushed some monster specs for about a week every night. Solid 6+ lb class fish. 

Tried it again over the years and never had any success.


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## BlackJeep (Jun 13, 2010)

Anyone have any favorite artificials for covering lots of water to locate these bigger trout? As far as trying to locate where big fish are, I can't see covering lots of water slapping big croakers everywhere. I'm sure they can't take that much punishment.

I've often sacrificed quality for quantity and have ended up fishing with small baits and smaller fish tactics which don't seem to cut it for larger trout.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

There are plenty of "spinnerbaits" for reds and specs, but they're cheaper to make yourself. Go get a pack of cocahoe minnows whatever color you want, I like the purple with yellow tail, put it on a 1/4oz jighead, and also purchase a couple of spinners like you would find on a beetlespin or spinnerbait and put that through the eye of the jighead like a spinnerbait. These cover lots of water and since they're farely large in size tend to attract bigger trout. I also like a blue and silver rattletrap to cover water.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> There are plenty of "spinnerbaits" for reds and specs, but they're cheaper to make yourself. Go get a pack of cocahoe minnows whatever color you want, I like the purple with yellow tail, put it on a 1/4oz jighead, and also purchase a couple of spinners like you would find on a beetlespin or spinnerbait and put that through the eye of the jighead like a spinnerbait. These cover lots of water and since they're farely large in size tend to attract bigger trout. I also like a blue and silver rattletrap to cover water.


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Save me one Jonathan,...... gotta check them out.


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