The Best Times to Catch Saltwater Trout

Spring

• It's the time of year that gives speckled trout anglers the very best opportunity to land a genuine wall-hanger. In springtime, speckled trout like to congregate near drop-off points, depressions, oyster beds, sandbars and often under the protection of piers. Speck fishermen will find saltwater trout within the shallows, and using artificial lures is common in many locations. Anglers cast soft plastic jigs and other lures around the perimeters of grass, stumps, points and ripples.

Summer

• Speckled trout are active in the summer months, especially during the early morning hours and the time around sun and after dusk. Trout spend some time inside small schools chasing after live shrimp and baitfish while in the high temperature of the day. Trout will often collect around structures and inlet mouths where strong tidal flow delivers food.

  From May to July, large schools of speckled trout move near the shore and hover inside eddies and strong currents. The most productive technique of fishing for specks in the summer is drift fishing. Concentrate on places over oyster beds and areas where a sand or rocky bottom exist.

Fall/Winter

• Speckled trout prefer water temperature conditions between 60 and 80 degrees. In the winter, when the water temperatures dip under 65 degrees, the trout will depart the cold-water flats and assemble deep within the currents and bottom tides of the ocean.

  In December, speckled trout become lively within marshes in an effort to fatten up during the winter. These sensitive fish discover minute changes in temperature of water and react to particular warming trends of the season. One of the speck's favorite locations is frequently near a deep-water route that opens to a shallow oyster reef close by. This habitat permits the fish to proceed deeper when the water cools (deeper water is usually milder) and to lay wait on prey including shad, menhaden and other finfish.

Light and Sound

• Saltwater trout are repelled by intense light and sound. These fish will be more active in the shallows during periods of low light. During sunny days, they will keep to cooler waters in the shaded sides of the bank. In lakes with boat traffic, trout feed mainly after dark. The best fishing in these lakes typically takes place near midnight, when the water has calmed from the day's turmoil.

Fishing for Specks

• Speckled trout will travel to underwater structures, even while in the shallows. Like other saltwater fish, trout like to position themselves near sandbars, oyster beds and in flats. Speckled trout pick drop-offs close to deep water or near the drop's edge, especially if these fish can find mangrove cover. Anglers might want to trout fish near bridges, docked fishing boats, rock heaps and jetties, as these areas tend to become hot spots of saltwater trout.