Wade Fishing for Speckled Trout (The Complete Guide)
The best way to wade fish for speckled trout is using a 2500 series reel filled with 8 or 10 pound braided line and a 10 to 15 pound leader coupled this with a 7 foot medium action rod. You will also want to master fishing with a 3 inch paddle tail shad and a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig head under a popping cork.
If you are going to use live shrimp then you will want to fish them under a popping cork or a rattle cork with an 18 inch leader and a 1/0 circle hook. Follow the advice above and you will catch a ton of speckled trout the next time you go wade fishing for them.
The speckled trout a.k.a. spotted sea trout a.k.a. speck are one of the most sought after inshore species of fish.
This is probably because they are so abundant on the grass flats and relatively easy to catch. They are also very good table fare. Fillet and release into the grease!!!
This article will teach you everything that you need you need to know about wade fishing for speckled trout wherever you may live. It will cover all of the best baits, lures, tackle, tips and techniques.
One of the most intimate ways to fish for trout is wading. You are stealthily stalking the flats in search of a huge gator trout sunning itself. Suddenly you see one in a sandy pot hole and you cast your bait to it. It tentatively approaches it.
Then SLAM, FISH ON!!!! That is so much fun. I don't care who you are that is an amazing feeling.
I am an INSHORE FISHING GUIDE on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the grass flats and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In this article, I will teach you everything that I know about catching speckled trout wade fishing in Florida.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to catch more speckled trout wade fishing around docks.
The best way to wade fish for speckled trout is using a 2500 series reel filled with 8 or 10 pound braided line and a 10 to 15 pound leader coupled this with a 7 foot medium action rod. You will also want to master fishing with a 3 inch paddle tail shad and a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig head under a popping cork.
If you are going to use live shrimp then you will want to fish them under a popping cork or a rattle cork with an 18 inch leader and a 1/0 circle hook. Follow the advice above and you will catch a ton of speckled trout the next time you go wade fishing for them.
The speckled trout a.k.a. spotted sea trout a.k.a. speck are one of the most sought after inshore species of fish.
This is probably because they are so abundant on the grass flats and relatively easy to catch. They are also very good table fare. Fillet and release into the grease!!!
This article will teach you everything that you need you need to know about wade fishing for speckled trout wherever you may live. It will cover all of the best baits, lures, tackle, tips and techniques.
One of the most intimate ways to fish for trout is wading. You are stealthily stalking the flats in search of a huge gator trout sunning itself. Suddenly you see one in a sandy pot hole and you cast your bait to it. It tentatively approaches it.
Then SLAM, FISH ON!!!! That is so much fun. I don't care who you are that is an amazing feeling.
I am an INSHORE FISHING GUIDE on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the grass flats and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In this article, I will teach you everything that I know about catching speckled trout wade fishing in Florida.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to catch more speckled trout wade fishing around docks.
Wade fishing for speckled trout--GEAR
You need the right gear to go wade fishing for specks all day. Numero Uno is you have to protect your eyes and skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is a must have item to fish the flats all day.
You need them for two reasons: They will protect your eyes from the sun and allow you to sight fish for trout hiding under the water.
Polarized glasses get rid of the glare on the surface of the water which let's you see what's underneath the water. ie. big juicy gator trout.
An upper end pair of sunglasses will run you $250. A lower end pair with glass lenses will set you back about $25. There are really cheapo plastic ones with plastic lenses for $5. You have to decide what quality that you want to have but polarized glasses are a must for wade fishing.
I have a $250 pair of sunglasses that I got for a birthday present and they definitely work better than the cheaper ones. I am a cheap bastard but now that I know how much better they are I might splurge whenever I break the ones that I have.
You will also need to stock up on UV performance fishing apparel. The UV performance shirts have built in sunscreen to protect you from the sun. They also have moisture wicking technology to more efficiently evaporate your sweat to keep you cool on those hot days fishing the flats all day.
I wrote another article on this website that covers in detail how to catch a spotted seatrout. You can read that article by clicking right here.
You may want to invest in bib style waders. These will keep you dry while you fish. A decent pair of waders will run you about $200-300.
My waders are board shorts and an old pair of sneakers. BUT I'm a cheap bastard. You have to figure out what works best for you.
The video below will show you more speckled trout fishing tips and techniques.
Wade fishing for speckled trout--TACKLE
You will definitely want to invest in a decent rod and reel. You will want a 2500 series reel loaded with 8 pound mono filament line and a 7 to 8 ft. medium action rod.
The only time that I use mono is for trout fishing. The stretch that mono gives you helps stop the trout's mouth from tearing. The benefits are twofold. You won't injure undersized fish as often and you will keep the slot sized trout from tearing loose. Every other rod that I have is loaded with braided line except for my trout outfit.
I have fished with lots of different brands of rods and reels. They are all relatively speaking the same based on certain price points. In other words, a good 2500 series reel will cost you around $100 to $150. You can spend a lot more if you want to but around $100 will get you a good one.
What will change based on higher price points is the number of bearings. More bearings = smoother reeling.
You will also get tougher metal or ceramic gears. The cheaper reels will have plastic gears that will strip out easily if you get a big fish on.
You will also get a better drag system. This is very important for the right mix of tension and give when you are finessing a big fish in.
A decent medium action 7 to 8 ft. rod will set you back around $50 to $75. Again you can spend a lot more if you want to but that is about what I expect to spend for a new one.
The video below covers the best cork presentation for lures and live bait trout fishing.
Wade fishing for speckled trout--GRASS FLATS
Speckled trout and grass flats go together like football and chicken wings. Any healthy grass flat that you can find around the state of Florida will have trout on it. It you your job to get them to bite your offering.
The best live bait for catching trout on the flats is live shrimp. I would suck to be a shrimp. Everything in the sea likes to eat you.
You will want to present the shrimp under a popping cork just like in the video above.
Another great bait for larger trout is a pin fish. You definitely have to use a cork because a pin fish will always swim straight into the grass if you don't.
Another great bait is a pilchard, scaled sardine or any other white bait. You will not usually have to put these on a cork unless the hook is pulling them down. They will usually stay out of the grass until they get too tired. Then throw them on a cork.
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A finger mullet is another good one. They will also stay on top until they get too tired.
The best unscented lure is the DOA Cal white soft plastic shad with a paddle tail. I like to use a 1/8 ounce red jig head. This is such an easy lure to find fish with. Just cast it out and reel it back slowly with a couple twitches every 10 feet or so.
I wrote another article on this website that is all about the best baits and lures for catching speckled trout. You can read that article by clicking right here.
The best scented lure is the white Berkeley Gulp shrimp imitation with a red 1/8 ounce jig head. This lure does not swim so a twitch, twitch, reel, twitch, twitch, reel works very well as a presentation for speckled trout.
Big trout love big top water lures. My favorite walk-the-dog style of top water lures are a Zara Super Spook and the MirroLure Top Dog. The all white or a natural color combination work best for me but there are dozens of color choices. Many trout fishermen swear by pink and bright orange for big gator trout. Whatever works for you.
The video below teaches you all about how to walk-the-dog when wade fishing.
Wade fishing for speckled trout--OYSTER BARS
The oyster bars are another favorite hang out for speckled trout. If you can find yourself a nice tidal creek that runs from some grass flats up into an oyster bar/ mud flat type of environment then you will find trout.
Trout will run up those tidal creeks with the incoming tide to feed on shrimp, mud minnows, finger mullet and anything else that is available around the oyster bars and mud flats. The good news for you is that the red drum and black drum will be doing the same thing.
It's a good day when you cast for a trout and end up with a redfish or black drum instead.
The best set up for this type of fishing is a deep cut between two oyster bars and an oyster bar and a mud flat. Whatever one of these set ups that you have it is a perfect place to hunt for speckled trout.
The best live bait is a shrimp under a split shot. This simple rig will catch you countless trout. Just cast the shrimp up current and let it bounce on the bottom past you and repeat. Fresh dead shrimp will work just as well as live shrimp in this scenario.
If the trout are not in the bottom part of the water column, then use a popping cork with the shrimp under it. Don't forget to pop the cork every 20 seconds or so to attract the attention of the fish.
The best lure for this environment is the Berkeley GULP white scented shrimp imitation with a 1/8 ounce jig head. Just cast it up current and bounce it on the bottom back to you.
If you don't get any bites just put a popping cork on and repeat the process that you used with the live shrimp.
A gold spoon and a white soft plastic shad with a paddle tail and a red jig head will also work extremely well in this environment.
The video below will show you these techniques during an oyster bar fishing expedition.
Wade fishing for speckled trout--DOCKS
Docks are another great place to find big speckled trout. You are allowed to wade around other people's docks as long as you do not touch them or anything else above the high tide line on the shore. If you do that you are trespassing.
In my area a lot of the grass flats have been killed because of pumping too much fresh water from inland into the Indian River Lagoon. This has forced more speckled trout to seek the shelter and hunting grounds of the boat docks in the area.
They seem to be the larger trout that are around the docks. The best live bait for these trout is shrimp, pilchards, scaled sardines or any other white baits. I like to present them free lined from up current. Just let the current take your bait to the dock pilings that you are targeting.
This will minimize your chances of spooking any fish that are there. If your bait is not cooperating with you just add a popping cork and let the tide take it to the fish.
I wrote another article on this website that covers in detail the best ways for dock fishing. You can read that article by clicking right here.
If the big gator trout are around, then use a finger mullet free lined. The great news is that snook and redfish will probably also be around the docks. You might just get yourself an inshore slam.
The best baits are the same ones mentioned above. The white Berkeley Gulp shrimp and the white DOA CAL with a red jig head. Just make sure to be down current when fishing with lures. You will want to cast up current because the fish will be facing into the current.
First thing in the mornings and as the sun is setting is a good time to try your walk-the-dog style lure next to the dock pilings. Trout and snook will slam this lure early and late in the day.
Wade fishing rules for docks:
- Don't touch the docks or anything moored to them.
- Don't walk above the high tide line on the beach.
- Don't be a douche and fish a dock with people on it.
Wade fishing for speckled trout: BEST TEMPERATURES
Speckled trout are cold blooded just like a snake or a turtle. This means that they cannot regulate their own body temperatures like a mammal can. They have to find water that is the right temperature for them to survive.
If the surrounding waters get too hot or too cold and they can't get away from those temperatures, they will die. When you are fishing for trout in the Winter months you will have to fish deeper channels or places with warm tides coming from the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. Often those water will be warmer than the inshore waters in the mornings.
In the hot Summer months the reverse is true. You should fish the shallows early before the water gets too hot. Once it gets to hot you will have to fish the deeper cooler waters.
As a trout fisherman, you will need to know where to find the right temperatures for speckled trout.
The video below explains the optimal temperature range for specks.
Speckled trout are cold blooded just like a snake or a turtle. This means that they cannot regulate their own body temperatures like a mammal can. They have to find water that is the right temperature for them to survive.
If the surrounding waters get too hot or too cold and they can't get away from those temperatures, they will die. When you are fishing for trout in the Winter months you will have to fish deeper channels or places with warm tides coming from the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. Often those water will be warmer than the inshore waters in the mornings.
In the hot Summer months the reverse is true. You should fish the shallows early before the water gets too hot. Once it gets to hot you will have to fish the deeper cooler waters.
As a trout fisherman, you will need to know where to find the right temperatures for speckled trout.
The video below explains the optimal temperature range for specks.
Bonus Video--Wade Fishing for Flounder
Conclusion:
Wade fishing for speckled trout is an excellent way to get close to monster speckled trout. It is very fun and stealthy. You can get extremely close to sight fish very large speckled trout when you are wading.
For some reason, many people do not fish for trout this way and that is a mistake. I have personally caught more than a thousand speckled trout just by wade fishing around oyster bars and channels between islands from the Everglades up to the panhandle of Florida.
It is a cheap and much more intimate way to target speckled trout or any species of fish in Florida. I hope that this article helps you catch more trout or at the very least have a lot more fun trying the next time you decide to target them.
About the author: The author of this article insists upon everyone calling him Maximus The Trout Slayer Extraordinaire, but everyone ignores him. We call him Mike the co-owner of FYAO Saltwater Media Group, Inc.
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