# Biggest Speck Recorded for 2015... So Far



## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Weighing in at a hefty 5lbs 25 and a half inches long this yellow mouthed Beast matched with four 18in contenders were some scrappy specks in the time of 1700 until dark with the tide rollin in and a breeze that wouldnt hold up the Jerk bait was put to the test and knocked it out the ball park folks, presentation is the name of the game in muddy sloppy water none of these fish came near the bank. I had watched 3 other boats all fish my same spot to no success, back off the bank cast 100 miles away from the boat and find your cadence. This day of 29Jan15 I declare mohgan Gator Day

Tight Lines

LT. Zko next time we need to fish on the same boat


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Sweet fish! Congrats man. Some nice slots and got rewarded with a good one. Nice job. Sorry I missed it.


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## Lieutenant ZKO (Jan 19, 2015)

He looked bigger in person...


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## Lieutenant ZKO (Jan 19, 2015)

Haha I don't think it was the boat. It was my presentation and lack of experience that lead to me getting SKUNKED. I had a top water lure too. Never thought to throw it.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Nice box of specks, keep in mind almost all trout over 4-5lbs are females---breeders. Need them swimmin to make more trout. Not busting your balls, just letting ya know. I only keep em if they are deep hooked and chances of survival are slim.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Dude.... that's gonna be tough to beat for sure! You put in the time & you deserve it!


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Great looking fish. 

Now, new goal, 8 lbs. 29 inches.


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

grouper22 said:


> Nice box of specks, keep in mind almost all trout over 4-5lbs are females---breeders. Need them swimmin to make more trout. Not busting your balls, just letting ya know. I only keep em if they are deep hooked and chances of survival are slim.


Yup...male trout rarely get over 18". Same thing with "bull" reds - most are female.

Those big girls are baby making machines.

Like grouper22, I only keep the big ones if they have destroyed themselves with a hook. They DO make some fine fillets though!

Keep up the good reports.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

Woo hoo ! They get bigger ! When u hit 7 lbs plus , u done sompn !:thumbup: I've seen an 11 # er off of Deer Point !


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## onemorecast (Feb 16, 2009)

Good eats!!!!!


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## onemorecast (Feb 16, 2009)

Good eats!!!


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Josh;

Great fish!

NOW you now why I target trout almost exclusively...wait till you get something close to 30"...it's scary!

 I will encourage you to photo and release those big girls. Not trying to rain on your parade, just think about releasing to breed instead of ending up on a plate. Eat the smaller males, lol.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

barefoot said:


> Josh;
> 
> Great fish!
> 
> ...


Bruce
Never kept a Gator till now, Iv only caught a small hand full of specks over 24" but for some reason this one was calling me in for some chow hahaha, I hear you though:thumbsup: 

sure was scary trying to land that fish without a net, I tried swinging her in but my drag slipped and she just hit the boat and fell back in, my heart stopped. I finally grabbed her and landed the fattest speck I've seen in a while:thumbup:


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

lol, I know exactly what you mean.


The big ones are notorious for rolling at the boat, that's where most are lost.

The 1st time I lost a huge spec. boat side, I bought a net. It has saved me many times since then.

Nothing wrong w/ keeping a big trout, you get caught up in the moment.


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Bruce
> Never kept a Gator till now, Iv only caught a small hand full of specks over 24" but for some reason this one was calling me in for some chow hahaha, I hear you though:thumbsup:
> 
> sure was scary trying to land that fish without a net, I tried swinging her in but my drag slipped and she just hit the boat and fell back in, my heart stopped. I finally grabbed her and landed the fattest speck I've seen in a while:thumbup:


Go grab you an EGO net... best ones around


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Nice trout ! Piss on the nay sayers !


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## mystic fishermen (Sep 4, 2014)

woo thats a fat boy


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## salty_dawg (Mar 21, 2013)

Nice!


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## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

Beautiful fish!


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> Bruce
> Never kept a Gator till now, Iv only caught a small hand full of specks over 24" but for some reason this one was calling me in for some chow hahaha, I hear you though:thumbsup:
> 
> sure was scary trying to land that fish without a net, I tried swinging her in but my drag slipped and she just hit the boat and fell back in, my heart stopped. I finally grabbed her and landed the fattest speck I've seen in a while:thumbup:



You don't need a net. Here's how I do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oirTeo4St8E


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## Fisherdad1 (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't think anyone was naysaying. Guys were just saying that they let the big girls go. I do the same unless I'm in a tourney. i think the point is that this is a good opportunity to let everyone know (the poster and all the readers) that those big girls are very important. Generally big fish produce exponentially more eggs than smaller fish. A 5 year old speckled trout produces about 5 times as many eggs as a 1 year old. It's an even more dramatic difference in other species. A 24" red snapper produces as many eggs as 212 17" snapper!! I also don't think the texture and taste of the big ones is not as good (of course I do keep a big snapper, since we can only keep two. Maybe that's a little hypocritical). 
So as a policy it is a good practice to release the big girls. BUT an occasional breeder kept is not going to make the trout stocks collapse. Congrats on the nice fish!
Fisherdad1


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> You don't need a net. Here's how I do it.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oirTeo4St8E


Nice fish! The same way I do it. Never used a net, even wading. Like to give the fish a fighting chance. Just grab behind the gills and lift.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> You don't need a net. Here's how I do it.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oirTeo4St8E


Beast 
yep that's how I did it hahaha


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Heh, I used to think it was 'unmanly' to use a net, until I lost a 6 1/2 lb. largemouth after two passes beside the boat about a half hour before the end of a tournament, came in second and had to listen to smack talk from the guy who won it. The difference in the prize money would have bought a lot of landing nets. Then there is the occasion when one breaks off your favorite plug right beside the boat and the manufacturer has stopped making that model.....forever. Finally, there is the Cobia. What fun it is for a big one to 'gator roll' off a gaff or be brought onboard green and then beat the boat to shards. Not a hard transition to make to the net and I'm not a bit ashamed of using one. 

Best net on the market for big redfish and good size trout is the Cabela's Custom Landing Net - Magnum Rubber size (hold the jokes). It's got a 20 x 23" Hoop plus some stretch. Has a telescoping handle that goes from 48" to 96". The rubber protects the fishes skin slime; while touching them with a dry hand probably kills more than any other thing besides red tide. Plus the rubber is so easy to remove a hook from it is like night and day from the old thread nets. They are expensive at just around $69.; but what if you lose a 30" or 32" trout at the boat for lack of a net or get a gang hook through your thumb or somebody else on the boat gets one in their hand and wants to stop fishing and hang out in the doctor's office.?

On the subject of taking fish that are big spawners, each person has to make their own decisions. The way I see it, there are two schools of thought. One says that big females have thousands more eggs but there is also the case that younger fish that are female have many more years ahead of them, to spawn, than the older ones and may produce more eggs from that point forward. It's a personal decision. 

I've caught my share of Marlin and have done my best to revive all and have succeeded with the exception of three fish; but, if I ever catch a Grander....I'm sorry but I'm gonna 'grease' her and hope it's somewhere that the natives are happy to cut her up and throw her in the oil. Just my two cents.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Nice post slim. As far as tournaments go, we use a net in all tournaments period. When money is on the line you have to boat the fish to get paid. When I am fun fishing it is just part of it to lose one in my opinion. I've lost a few big trout before, but also landed a lot more than I've lost so it goes with the territory. Wetting hands before handling trout is important, and we usually wet the measuring board down to.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

You sure that's not a baby tarpon?.....good stuff bro...


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## Bh7558 (Jun 17, 2013)

That's my average size


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Bh7558 said:


> That's my average size


You know the unwritten law. Pictures or it didn't happen. No one's gonna believe that's your average size unless you're showing off a bunch of photos broski.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

Jeffbro999 said:


> Nice fish! The same way I do it. Never used a net, even wading. Like to give the fish a fighting chance. Just grab behind the gills and lift.


That doesn't help a fish u are releasing.:no:


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