Coastal Outdoors

Last month’s issue featured an article on Georgia’s Spotted Seatrout, “A Life History By Coastal Resources Division Marine Fisheries Section Staff”, because as usual, I was late penning this article and missed the editorial deadline. Many apologies!!

This is the first in a series of articles on the speckled (or spotted) seatrout in an attempt to enlighten and educate you on one of the most often targeted and tasty sportfish along Georgia’s coast.

I begin by making a disclaimer that I am not a Marine Biologist, nor have I conducted any scientific research on this species. I will share my beliefs of what I have gleaned from a lifetime of study, observation, and experience with speckled seatrout (trout). What I am is an avid recreational angler who loves the sport and challenge.

I own and operate The Serious Sportsman, a tackle shop devoted to providing my customers with proven tackle and techniques in Kingsland, Georgia. My favorite species are trout, flounder, and redfish. Enough…

I believe one of the most often overlooked aspects of fishing for any species is lack of knowledge regarding your target species. I firmly believe the more we know about our prey, the higher the probability will be for finding and catching them. So this first article is dedicated to understanding trout better.

I have read research papers on trout from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and without reservation can say that much of this research is contradictory, yet probably statistically valid. Therefore, I will draw from this research what is constant and consistent with my observations of trout, at least in Southeast Georgia.

Trout begin their lives as larvae along the outer beaches and ICW, dependent upon water temperature and salinity, generally beginning in May or early June. However, trout may carry roe throughout the year. As larvae, trout are swept into our estuaries with the currents, as are shrimp larvae. This is Mother Nature’s way of establishing the food chain.

As juveniles, trout feed primarily on shrimp and other small crustaceans. Their growth rate is dependent upon forage availability and water temperature. On average, a trout will reach 10”-12”s in length between the ages of 1 and 2 and reaches maturity at this stage. Our 13” minimum size limit for keeping trout is partially based upon this fact in the hope that the trout will spawn at least once before being caught and kept, therefore, replenishing the stock.

An interesting statistic regarding reproduction is that a 20” trout will produce approximately 10 times more roe (1,000,000 eggs) than the smaller less mature trout (100,000 eggs). Therefore, if you already have enough for dinner, please release these larger more fertile fish, as they are the future of trout fishing.

As trout mature, they form schools, much as we do, based on size and sex. Haven’t you ever noticed when you get into school trout that they are almost always nearly identical in size and body characteristics? One explanation for this is that trout are extremely carnivorous and will eat each other. Experiments with hatchery-raised trout in Texas confirm this, as one of the problems encountered was cannibalism. Self-preservation mandates trout differentiate based on size and sex.

If you are fishing for that “once in a lifetime trout”, remember that when the “schoolies” move in, your chances are diminished unless you change your strategy. It may only be necessary to deepen up or fish a few feet to one side, as stratification within the water column is sometimes all the space needed between schools.

Once trout reach maturity, they begin their migratory routine, which I believe is similar to that of salmon. Research has shown that trout migrate primarily east and west with less than two (2) percent migrating north or south. This small percentage of north/south migration is believed to be nature’s way of replenishing the gene pool among varying schools, as trout schools tend to be estuarine specific with different schools inhabiting each creek.

Each school of trout has a well-defined migratory route that they follow each and every year. It is a common belief that trout are a winter fish only and leave the area during the warmer months. In South Georgia, a trout’s migratory route is approximately 20-40 miles, while in other areas their range has been documented as small as 4-8 miles. Therefore, trout are present year-round in coastal Georgia with some of the best fishing during the spring and summer months. The only things that change are the trout’s location, density of the schools, and number of anglers pursuing them.

Trout movement is based upon water temperature, salinity, and clarity, moon phase (tidal stage), weather, forage availability to name just a few. These movements are fairly predictable once you establish and understand the proper variables. Each of these factors affects either the daily or seasonal migration. Probably the most influential of these factors is water temperature because it determines the trout’s relative position east or west within the seasonal migration. The magic water temperature seems to be around 70 degrees. Beginning with the rising water temperatures of spring, trout begin to migrate east toward the sounds and beaches where the water temperature and salinity are most appropriate for spawning. They stay here throughout the summer months. As the water temperature begins to drop in the fall, trout begin to migrate west from the beaches and sounds back into the river systems and estuaries where they seem to form larger and more densely populated schools. This migration pattern parallels that of one of the trout’s favorite meals, the white shrimp.

The growth rate and size of trout is determined primarily by many of the same variables that motivate the trout’s migration. Research has shown that the majority of trout under 3 lbs. feed primarily on the white shrimp and other small crustaceans, while 90% of the diet of trout in excess of 3 lbs. consists of small fish such as the croaker, finger mullet, mud minnow, pinfish, and menhaden (pogey). In addition, one of the least understood or researched variables affecting growth and size is DNA or the genetic coding that more or less predetermines the individual characteristics of each fish. Some research has shown that trout in the Indian River, Mosquito Lagoon estuary in Florida are genetically different from trout found anywhere else in the world. There, biologists have identified a distinct gene pool and believe trout in this estuary grow ½ lb. more per year and live on average 2 years longer than trout found elsewhere. This would explain the Indian River’s reputation for repeatedly producing trout in excess of 10 lbs. and possession of the world record 17 lb. 7 oz. trout caught May 11, 1995 by Craig F. Carson fishing out of Ft. Pierce, Florida. Unfortunately, trout in S.E. Georgia do not possess this gene. Area research shows our trout live approximately 7-9 years with a growth rate of about ½ lb. per year with growth possibly slowing in the 3rd year to approximately ¼ lb. per year. Georgia’s current state record trout is 9 lbs. 7 oz. and was caught by Tommy Hall while fishing Christmas Creek on Cumberland Island.

While researching trout, I discovered an interesting correlation regarding weight. Surprisingly, female trout are, on average, identical in length and weight to the northern walleye. I have found the following chart to accurately estimate the weight of female trout to within 4 ounces 95% of the time.

Male trout tend to weigh 20-40% less per inch than female trout from 16 inches on up.

Now that we have an established school of mature trout, we can begin following them year round as they follow their instinctive migration route. Areas to check out include all shallow water structure adjacent to deep water cover, creek mouths, oyster beds, docks, rock piles, jetties, bends in the rivers where backwater eddies occur, or other area that might provide trout with an ambush point for their prey.

Creek mouths prove to be more fruitful on the ebb (falling) tide as forage is washed out of the creek and surrounding marsh. Oyster beds are more productive on the rising tide as baitfish move up on top for cover.

Docks and pilings can be productive at all tidal stages dependent upon location within the migratory route. Jetties can also be productive on all tidal stages. Look for wash-through low spots that might sweep bait to an ambush point.

During the late spring and summer months, fish closer to the sounds and beaches for trout. Cloudy overcast days produce more consistently than bluebird cloudless days as the majority of trout activity along the beaches occurs from daylight to around 9:00 A.M, decreasing as the sun grows higher in the sky. Beginning in the fall and throughout the winter months, fish progressively further inland and deeper as the trout moves further east and goes deep to escape the rapidly cooling water.

I strongly suggest to anyone wanting to get serious about fishing to begin a logbook separated by month. List all of the variables you believe affect the trout’s movement for each and every trip you take including what you caught, where, and what time of day it was. List bait type, size, etc. The more detail the better. Over time you will accumulate the necessary details that will allow you to better predict the location of trout throughout the year.

Authored by John King, August, 2000 for Coastal Outdoors Magazine