# Speckled trout Tactics



## keperry1182

I have recently caught my first speck on purpose. I don't know why it took me so long I just never could get the damn things to bite. Well I finally had some luck with a gulp fluke on a jig head bouncing it on the bottom. I am looking for some advice on lure selection and tactics for these guys. And if anyone is feeling generous a good fishing spot wouldn't hurt! I've been fishing the grass flats down at johnsons beach and I know about trout point by NAS but that's about the only succesful spots I've found. I'm in a kayak so I can get into some pretty skinny water if I need to.


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## rufus1138

ive had really good luck on doa jerk shad in chartrusse. also the mirrolure 17mr in shallow water, not sure about spots yet as ive been very hit and miss so far besides my docks in bayou chico, but as far as a destination spot for them im lost.


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## keperry1182

I know man, consistancy is my problem when I'm inshore. I have great days and terrible days but I can't seem to pattern them like I can the kings, spanish, bull reds, and sharks I target off the beach.


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## Austin

You can catch speckled trout on just about any flat in the area. The key to finding the fish are to look for signs of life, such as mullet jumping, baitfish, or schools of finger mullet. Fish the tides. If the water looks active, they are usually there. For an awesome experience, pick up a couple topwaters such as a Mirrolure Top Dog Jr, Super Spook Jr, or Rapala skitter walk. With these you will want to "walk the dog". I'm sure you can find several videos on this on youtube. There's nothing like seeing a big trout of redfish explode on a topwater lure! The best time to fish topwater lures is at sunrise or sunset. They do work in the day time, just not as well. 

Also, one of my "go to" baits when fishing over grass flats is a fluke, whether it be a bass assassin, gulp, zoom, or Zman. Rig this on a 4/0 wide gap worm hook (with no weight) or a 4/0 flutter hook (basically a worm hook with a small amount of weight built onto the hook). Fish these slowly with a twitch. These really look like a stunned or dying baitfish, and stay in the strike zone a lot longer, which can produce an aggressive strike. My biggest trout was caught on this bait, and they work at any time if the day. Hope this helps, good luck!

This is how you will rig the fluke bait with a worm hook. It is completely weedless. Just put the tip of the hook just barely into the back of the bait.


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## Drone82

Put in on the north side of Innerarity Point (PM for exact location if you like) and work the pier lights to the west. I'd say start out around 9 or 10 pm, give the fish time to come in to the light. The BEST bait that I have had experience with is the cheap-o WalMart speck rigs. Its the two-hook lure that comes in several different colors. Toss them past the light and drag them back through, medium speed. If you start hearing splashes out there, turn around and toss into the dark. Might hook a lady!


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## Magic Mike

I tore it up Sunday right off the point just east of the Shoreline Boat Ramp in Gulf Breeze. Went from 4:30ish to 7:30 and wore out some specks... kept two nice ones for dinner.

Easy launch with a secure parking lot and you only have to paddle a few hundred yards to get to the grass beds. I was using the 17mr mentioned above.

Hope that helps, good luck


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## rufus1138

these two spots have been on my hit list and ive just been waiting to find the right day, or night. definitely going to interarity point soon tho. thanks guys. those flukes pictured above are just like the doa jerk shad i mentioned, only the doa is brighter green with a little translucense and sparkle flecks in it, i know that thing kills.


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## keperry1182

Thanks guys, I've been eyeballin those flats by shoreline for a while, and all those docks.


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## Lexcore

:thumbsup: Thats one fish on my bucket list, thank you for starting this post I have come away with some good advice. Hopefully soon he will be off my bucket list. :thumbup:


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## Max_Power

I really like the MirrOdine 17mr.


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## Ocean Master

Max_Power said:


> I really like the MirrOdine 17mr.


 
So do I..!! My dock is close to Shoreline Park and I have been catching plenty just before dark using the Mirrordine.


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## BY Ryan

Any top water dancing mullet for me. Either walking the dog or twitching just below the surface will give me my limit most days. It seems to change each year for me though fishing these bayous with live bait. One year small pinfish are king, then mullet, then shrimp. I pretty much have to relearn them each year.

I'm not the biggest fan of using large lures with multiple treble hooks attached to a worked up gator trout in the kayak though. I don't have room in mine to floor them and I usually pay the price.


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## keperry1182

Just a little follow up, I took the rig above out yesterday and caught a few down on the flats at johnsons beach. I am going to try trout point when the weather clears up. That rig really killed them when I got it right and I think I saw nearly every one of them take the lure right at the top of the water. It took a minute for me to get the retrieve they were looking for, but when I got it they started smashing it up. Thanks for the tips. I tried some of the other tips as well but that gulp fluke on the worm hook is what got them going yesterday.


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## rufus1138

ive always ended up using an agonizingly slow retrieve for them, was this ur tactic or were you popping it.


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## keperry1182

I started out by letting it sink, and then kind of popping it which was painfully slow and that didn't do any good. So I sped up but not much and it brought the lure up to about 1-2 feet under the surface and kind of twitched it or walked the dog a bit. I would retrieve a bit and rest a bit and when I would rest it, it would sink a little and almost always as soon as I twitched it right after the rest the fish would hit it. So I guess a medium retrieve with a twitching (side to side) action with a few rest periods on the retrieve of a couple of seconds. I was trying to mimic a struggling bait fish I guess. The way they dart around for a second and then kinda sink a little.


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## rufus1138

yeah got ya.


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## 16983

If you get tired of trial and error, you could take a charter with Flatspro. He'll put you on the right track.


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## grgrobards

I've caught more specs on 17mr than any other lure. Red head with white body or one with a pinkish cast.

Greg


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## Yobenny

Is this the 17 you are referring to?


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## wflgator

Good tips guys, keep um coming!


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## Magic Mike

Yobenny - That is the one I use... it works well


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## grgrobards

Yobenny,

That is an excellent pattern. Give it a try. I have also had good luck with at 17mr that is darker and has a pinkish cast along the sides and bottom. Don't remember what it is called, but it has been very productive. Start with the white with red head though, I don't think you will be dissapointed.

Greg


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## Yobenny

Artificial is way not my style, I like flippin live shrimp flat line but I used to catch them myself and I ain't about to pay anybody $3.50 for a dozen shrimp that only half of are worth flipping. So I guess I am going to have to go this direction.
I know everybody has a favorite line up and that changes as do conditions, but could yall write down like the best 5 baits to have with you at all times?
Also what live baits besides shrimp?
I have a nice net, but stuff like finger mullet to me will catch a big fish but its a lot of soaking involved. I have caught some nice specks on pins but that too is soak city. 

1. Live Shrimp
2. Live Shrimp
3. Live Shrimp
4. Live Shrimp
5. Live Shrimp


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## rufus1138

1: mirrolure 17mr
2: mirrolure 9mr
3: DOA shrimp in sparkle penny/glow
4: DOA jerk shad in sparkle chartrusse
5: DOA curl tail grub in sparkle penny/glow
6: Heddon Super spook jr. any color
7: mirrolure 111 mr any pattern.


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## jbs_bama

I've had success using the Mirrolure 27mr. I've caught good size specks and reds on it. I've used the one with the black back/silver belly.


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## rufus1138

jbs_bama said:


> I've had success using the Mirrolure 27mr. I've caught good size specks and reds on it. I've used the one with the black back/silver belly.


forgot what that one was named, i also have that same color, looks like a finger mullet.


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## Yobenny

Is there any rhyme or reason for color choices? 
Cloudy windy = THIS, clear sunny = THAT, sunny murky = THAT etc etc...


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## rufus1138

probably some science can be applied but i have found that speckled trout will hit both the penny/glow doa shrimp and glitter flecks help everything, they also like chartrusse jerk shad bodies. reds hit on the curl tail glow and sparkle grub as well as all the others. on hard baits i try to choose something that looks as realistic to a pinfish or mullet as possible.


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## Magic Mike

Yobenny... I was a live bait person myself (exclusively) until I got my kayak... I have only used artificial out of it so I don't have to drag around a bait tube/bucket. I will hesitantly admit, I'm outfishing live bait with the MirrOdine lure.... hands down. Though much of it could be contributed to the "stalkiness" of a kayak. I still won't discount the live bait methods that are tried and proven for me... so here is my ranking.

1. MirrOdine 17mr
2. Live Shrimp
3. Live Pinfish
4. Live Bull Minnows/finger mullet
5. Super Spook Jr.


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## Yobenny

Whut color spook and why?


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## rufus1138

the spook line of lures has an extremely loud rattle, when the top water game is on its hard to beat the splashing rattling call of a super spook jr or classic, ive got black and neon green wich works good at night under the bridge lights but i doubt color would make a difference.


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## Magic Mike

My spook is brightly colored as well... neon yellow and white (?) I think. It has done pretty good for me. Haven't struck out using it yet... always hooked something. And it's pretty cool to watch them nail a topwater lure


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## SurfRidr

I'm a total noob when it comes to saltwater, but I did reasonably well early this past week with a Yum Money Minnow swim bait. Caught several on that bait, using a weighted wide gap hook that is specifically designed for that swim bait. Long cast, sink all the way, then intermittent retrieve with occasional jerk or twitch. I only got to take home 2 out of 4 fish because they were too big. Not a bad problem. 17", 21", 21", 22" in about 3 hours of working the flats. Caught one on a squarebill crankbait in chartreuse sexy shad color as well.


Alas, I have to head back home to North Carolina. Thanks to all the folks who gave help and feedback, PFF has helped me a lot getting started with the saltwater. See you guys later this year, probably late summer / early fall.


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## LSP552

Hello, new guy to the forum here.

I fish South Louisiana’s marshes and bays, so some of this may not apply to Pensacola/Destin areas. I hope to test that later this year. I visit the beach in Destin every year, and like to charter an off-shore trip when I do. However, I’m thinking seriously about pulling my bay boat the next time I come.

I love to fish top water early and late in day during the spring/summer and have had really good results with the Mirrolure Popa Dog.

I generally fish soft plastics more than anything and my two favorites are the Riptide 3” mullet and the Matrix Shad. Both brands have very good action and come in a variety of colors. I prefer the Matrix Shad for action, but my choices between the two for any given day is color driven. Jig size is dependent on current and water depth, but I usually end up with an 1/8 or 1/4 oz unless fishing deeper holes, bridge pilings or have a lot of current.

Rattling corks and popping corks are very effective here and used with both live shrimp and plastics (swim baits/minnow and shrimp imitations). If using a cork, I prefer a rattling cork for trout and a popping cork for redfish. The Cajun Thunder brand rattling cork works well. I usually resort to a cork only if the fish aren’t cooperating. The beads make a clacking noise that imitates shrimp and is effective in attracting fish. I use a 1/16 oz jig if fishing a plastic lure under a cork. The lighter weight allows a little better action when you pop the cork. If cork fishing a live shrimp, place a small split shot weight a few inches above the unweighted hook. This provides just enough weight to keep the shrimp down but not impede the action.

In very shallow water, fishing over oysters or around grass beds, I really like the Zoom Salty Super Flukes. The Red Shad color has been the most consistently productive but naturally that is no longer available in the Zoom. The Salt Water Assassin is available in that color and so is the Bitters Skip Shad (Fluke). Another good trout jerk bait is the Norton Sand Eel. The Black Magic is a special killer color in stained or dirty water.

The Flukes can be rigged a number of ways, including on a traditional jig for deeper water use. In very shallow water you can rig them with a weedless worm hook or a weighted worm/flutter style hook. Someone posted a picture earlier of how to rig a Fluke weedless with just the tip of the hook sticking over the back. That works well, but another method is to rig the Fluke upside down, where the curve and point of the hook is in the pocket. This increases the weedless capability and provides the same action. There is no difference in the ability to hook the fish either. The lighter the weight on a jerk bait, the better the action.


The Flukes/jerk baits work best when fished slowly. A slow twitch will look exactly like a skittish baitfish and you can toss it in the grass and over shallow flats without getting hung up.

Ken


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## keperry1182

Just an update, thought it necessary since you guys have dropped a TON of knowledge for me here. I started out on the flats by jonsons beach with the chartreuse gulp flukes and I consistantly caught fish. Once I got that down I switched to the hardbaits that were suggested, and I switched spots but cant post the spot because it was given in confidence. I started with the mirror lure suspending twitch in chartreuseand it was game on, I caught a trout nearly every cast all in the 20 inch range I was aabsolutely killin um. I really wanted to stick to artificial without the corks but I know shrimp and a popping cork can be deadly as well. Again I really appreciate the advice it really helped.


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## grgrobards

keperry1182 said:


> Just an update, thought it necessary since you guys have dropped a TON of knowledge for me here. I started out on the flats by jonsons beach with the chartreuse gulp flukes and I consistantly caught fish. Once I got that down I switched to the hardbaits that were suggested, and I switched spots but cant post the spot because it was given in confidence. I started with the mirror lure suspending twitch in chartreuseand it was game on, I caught a trout nearly every cast all in the 20 inch range I was aabsolutely killin um. I really wanted to stick to artificial without the corks but I know shrimp and a popping cork can be deadly as well. Again I really appreciate the advice it really helped.


 Thank you for asking in the first place. We all benifit from these discussions. Good luck and tight lines.

Greg


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## Lexcore

Do wire leaders makes a different in catching fish? such as speckle trouts?


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## barefoot

Lexcore said:


> Do wire leaders makes a different in catching fish? such as speckle trout?


IMO...yes. Trout have exceptional eyesight and MAY shy away from wire leaders.

I hesitate to say you won't catch one using wire...but I'd be surprised if you caught a large one.

Try fluorocarbon instead. I use 15# and have no problem w/ abrasion, etc. PLUS if you encounter skipjack, blues or something w/ teeth the fluoro. will help save your lures.


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## gtuck13

Just like to say u guyz have put out a lot of good information im getting into the inshore thing and love targeting reds and lately have been having good luck with the specks. That 17 MR in black with silver and orange belly has been a hit for me. One question do you guyz think the jerk shad and other plastics will kill the flounder here? I'm thinking yes.


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## DarthWader50

This is a great thread you guys have going... Been to Johnson beach twice and it's only produced one redfish in both trips. But we were fishing from shore. Reading this makes me want to give it another shot in a yak/boat... Any tips on which end of Johnsons beach produces more? I've pretty much only fished with a couple hundred yards of where the road ends going towards the pass.


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## keperry1182

DarthWader50 said:


> This is a great thread you guys have going... Been to Johnson beach twice and it's only produced one redfish in both trips. But we were fishing from shore. Reading this makes me want to give it another shot in a yak/boat... Any tips on which end of Johnsons beach produces more? I've pretty much only fished with a couple hundred yards of where the road ends going towards the pass.


 I put in at that little kayak launch to the left and head out to the left from the launch. The grass starts immediately and I usually just start exploratory casting from there. i seem to catch the trout when I cast past the edge of the grass and bring it back in over the grass. If you can stand you'll see that there are "potholes" or little holes without grass, I tend to catch fish on those as well. Once you get past that little island and into the channel where those houses have thier docks I catch them when I cast past the drop off and bring it back up to the shallow part, I am sure they hang out right on the drop for cover. Just cast a lot! lol


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