Seeking some insight in how to locate larger trout from anyone knowledgeable on the subject. Do they follow the same patterns as the more plentiful regular 16ish inch trout and they are just few and far between or is there a different pattern of life once they hit a certain maturity level? For the gentlemen that land these fish regularly, what are you looking for on the water in locating them?
Wish I could help more, but for me 2+ lb trout are not common. What I can tell you is I have the best luck for bigger trout Nov- Dec. Deep holes slow retrieving a live shrimp on a jig head (red). Or using a variety of plastic grubs one hour before and after high tide throwing towards the grass in an area that drops off deep. I’m by far no expert on it, but I’ve caught several nice evenly sized trout together, but I think the really big ones are loners. 
After all that, finding a spot to catch spot tail, shark, and some other fishies is given freely, you won’t get many people to tell you there Trout holes. 
Trout fishing for me was a seek and find thing … even some of my best friends are very shy about taking someone else to a good trout spot.
Jacksonville, Florida.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
Fred is right. You need to move and find the average fish. Then search around the outer edges for that larger fish. IMO if you are catching cookie cutter fish that large trout you seek isnt in that school, he might be just outside the school in deeper water. Also try larger bait and slow your retrieve or just let the current do the work for you.
Big bait=big Specks. 5"-8" live bait on a carolina rig. Croaker is the best, but Mullet, Menhaden even Pinfish will work. Clip their tail fins a bit so they can’t pull as hard. Best time for BIG Trout is May-June? During the spawn. Late evenings to just after dark during a full moon phase. Find a grass edge near deeper holes and cuts. If you MUST throw artificials? Again go big. Skip the 1/8-1/4oz jig heads. Move up to 1/2-3/4oz. (for hook size) with a nice fat padle tail or swim bait with a Slow roll, bottom bounce retrieve. You will not get as many bites, but the ones you do should be better fish.
As a foot note, I have become a die hard Surf fisher. In the surf, targeting larger Specks, I take a 8"-10" Whiting, fillet it, and cut the fillet into 1/2" - 3/4" strips 4"-6" long. Hook them on a bottom rig in the thick end and the wave action and curret create the action. Has produced quite a few 20"+ Trout.
I am not an expert either, but I know what has worked for me.
Good luck! Just keep the lines out.
“There’s a fine line between fishing and standing in the surf like an idiot.”
I caught this big boy a couple years ago on an incoming tide in November up the Wando a bit on a nice chunk of mullet. Carolina rigged pretty deep and bounced it right up into the structure.
Are you targeting them on bait or arties?
All gator trout are female. Males rarely get bigger than around 18".
They are loners, mostly.
The best way in my opinion to catch a gator on bait is to put a largish menhaden or mullet on a popping cork and let it swim over shells at high tide. Just let the struggling fish do its thing and wait… boring!
I fish arties only. Personal choice. I like the challenge. Big ones are often caught on top or on suspending plugs. The bigger the trout, the softer the bite. I’m gonna disagree with dparker on the jigs. You want a subtle presentation on a jig to fool the wary big girls. Your rig and feel must be dialed in. I fished many holes in the same spot with the same rig next to Ralph and he consistently pulled the bigger fish out. I probably was getting bit, but didn’t feel it or missed it. I’m getting better but I’ll never catch up 
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
Come on Surf or Fish, tell the truth someone esle caught that fish and you just got a picture with it.
Nice fish man,
quote:
Originally posted by OptikerAre you targeting them on bait or arties?
All gator trout are female. Males rarely get bigger than around 18".
They are loners, mostly.The best way in my opinion to catch a gator on bait is to put a largish menhaden or mullet on a popping cork and let it swim over shells at high tide. Just let the struggling fish do its thing and wait… boring!
I fish arties only. Personal choice. I like the challenge. Big ones are often caught on top or on suspending plugs. The bigger the trout, the softer the bite. I’m gonna disagree with dparker on the jigs. You want a subtle presentation on a jig to fool the wary big girls. Your rig and feel must be dialed in. I fished many holes in the same spot with the same rig next to Ralph and he consistently pulled the bigger fish out. I probably was getting bit, but didn’t feel it or missed it. I’m getting better but I’ll never catch up
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
If this man is giving you advice on gator trout, I’d pay attention. Just saying.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
Where is David Yates when you need him?
I fished with a guide down in Ft. Pierce Fla. in Mid April this year. He has outstanding success free lining small live croakers for big trout. I don’t expect that we have the same fishery here as down there, but the bait and technique are worth a try. After all, they are the same species in Fla. as in SC. He catches those small croakers with a rod and reel under a bridge at night. He’s got it dialed in. I’m waiting on the taxidermist to deliver the 31 inch 10# gator my wife caught. Should look awesome on the wall. I’ll tell people that I caught it “up in the Wando” on a Trout Trick!
Sol Mate
Mako 20B
225 Optimax
I support Optikers statements, valuable advice. I have only caught one male trout over 18 and it was a big fat 19 and almost 4 lbs but plenty of females from 18 to 23, 23 is my largest and it was about a 4lb female. Almost all of my trout over eighteen were caught on shrimp in the surf on the first cast(weird), the others were caught in folly creek on finger mullet using the old double up technique which is putting 2 of what ever bait on 1 hook on a knocker rig, also works great for reds. I’ve never got into a school of trout with fish consistently bigger than 17 but have caught multiple fish over 17 in one area close in time but I don’t think they were schooling like dinks. Trout are smart my friend used to have one close to the mid 20’s hang around his dock and we could get it to eat tossed in baits but would never hit a line we wasted a lot of time trying to catch it, it was a frequent visitor. I saw one in the mid 20’s swimming by last year when I was catching 16’s on tt’s and my friends girlfriend caught a 26er a few years ago in stono or kiawah cant rember, so we do have big trout just they’re very elusive. Castle pinkney with minnows or mullets is another spot I have had success with trout, the mt p side, the end toward the jetties has a mud ledge by the grass that can be productive, I forget which tide was best though.
Also did y’all see the article in the August issue of Coastal Angler pg 43 where the new world record sea trout was caught and in the process of being IGFA recognized. It was 34.25 inches and over 14 lbs caught on the Indian river near Melbourne, Florida with guide Capt Peter Deeks and caught by Luke Ledbetter of Alabama. Deeks who runs Native Sons Guide Service says its been a good year for big trout. It was caught in pot holes in the grass with finger mullet that was free lined. I couldn’t find a link and didn’t want to post a picture that’s not mine but there are pics in the article and these are the links it gives on www.nativesonsfishing.com and Deek’s Instagram @captpeterdeeks.
I throw primarily hard baits when targeting trout. My primary bait of choice is mirro lure TT 808. Trout slam the bait and I usually find they are on the larger size than those taken with grubs. As for 2 lb plus trout deep holes with large baits.
17 MAVERICK HPX-V
WOW, fishersofmen, you hit the “jackpot” with elusive advice on an elusive fish!
Here is my plan for big roe trout:
*Late April to late May
*High tide about 2 or 3 hours after sunrise
*A grass point at the junction of a big creek with the main river
*An oyster bed/mud flat extends on out beyond the grass point
*Deep water is on at least one side of the grass point
*High incoming tide (clear water)
*A few days before the full moon
*Live shrimp or small fish set chest deep under a popping cork
*An egg sinker above the leader to keep the bait near bottom
*Early morning
Get there early before the “competition” arrives. Anchor a long cast from the point.
The incoming tide will be pushing bait up against the grass point. Often, the point will be “live” with bait and feeding fish.
Figure out which way the cork will drift and toss the cork near the grass so that it drifts across the point over the junction of the grass/oysters. Pop the cork, which causes the bait to jump off the bottom, then let the bait settle back to the bottom. Repeat.
When the cork goes around the point, let it go down the other side a little ways. Reel in and repeat.
Several anglers can fish the point in “musical chairs” fashion, taking turns casting to the same starting point. Nice, big “Mama” trout, full of roe, can be caught like this.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
Dear 40…That was the guide I fished with in Ft. Pierce, Fla. this past April. Peter Deeks is a rock star fishing guide who also has 6000 acres…that’s THOUSAND, of prime hog, alligator, and turkey habitat in central Florida. He’s guided some of the most famous professional fishermen in the world, and has clients fly in from all over the world to hunt and fish with him. If you were to “friend” him on Facebook, your face would fall off looking at the fish his clients catch on a daily basis. What is amazing is that if you fish with him he would be one of your best friends in a few hours…as long as you’re not a whiner or an A-hole. If I won the lottery I’d pay several million dollars to make this kid my personal outdoor guide. He’s that good…no bull, just fact.
Sol Mate
Mako 20B
225 Optimax
Thanks for all the sound advice that I think everyone benefited from.
Excellent thread with advice I’ll read and re-read. Trout of normally been a by product of live bait fishing for flounder & reds for me. But, I just caught the trout bug this summer after finding a few fish in the 22-24 inch range. I’ve continued to study this report: http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/pdf/SpottedSeaTrout.pdf
and believe it helped.
I just landed my PB yesterday at 25" on a Bondonkadonk. Report is in the ToTheNorth_Little River section of this site.
Now, all I want to do is topwater fish for trout but I’m sure there will be days that other methods are required so you experts, please keep posting.
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
quote:
Originally posted by bossdog1I fished with a guide down in Ft. Pierce Fla. in Mid April this year. He has outstanding success free lining small live croakers for big trout.
I had a Florida guide that told me that Croaker are notorious for eating trout eggs and thus a natural enemy of female trout, and that their croaking calls the trout in from quite a distances. Makes sense to me.
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
Baby Croaker are def the ticket. I saw multiple 5/6 pounders caught one day fishing the gulf Miss/Louisiana. My personal best is from there. 27"…estimated 6.5 pounds. My biggest in SC is 23"…Winyah Bay. Both on live shrimp.