Im looking for some sage advice on how y’all go about locating speckled trout?
I spent the weekend chasing reds around lower stono and did pretty well, but I get shamed every time I head to deeper water to look for trout.
Ive been trolling up and down the grass banks of the main stone and kiawah rivers, casting popping corks, paddletails and DOAs. Ive been trying to focus on shell banks or creek mouths at a higher tide. How far off the grass line and how deep are these trout normally holding? Should I be focusing on the main rivers or back in some larger creeks?
Ive also tried jigging a few deep drop offs in creeks with grub/jig head combos. Found several spots with docks in a deep bend of a creek and thought for sure there would be some fish on the down current side, but no bites.
How about trolling creeks or grass lines, pulling grubs or mirrolures to find them. Anyone have success with that?
The few trout spots I know of have been shown to me by friends and when I have to move I realize I suck at finding them on my own.
Sounds like you’re doing the right things. How is the water clarity where you are fishing? I have noticed in the last couple weeks that the main river is much cleaner water than in the creeks with all the rains we have had. And guess where the fish have been? Main river. Plus, with the floods and rain the creeks have much more fresh water than usual.
Now that being said, with the cold air we are having, this will cool the waters and I would not be surprised to see the fish start moving into the creeks.
I like to troll and do it my way.If I know the depth of the creek I tie a big float on the line.Then I put a 1/4 oz grub of a color and type i like .If the depth is say 6 feet in the creek i would tie on 5 feet of leader.The float keeps the grub off the bottom but close enough to get hooked up.If I know i am bumping the bottom i just speed up a little.I know it looks stupid but it works for me.
The trout bite was non-existent yesterday. Literally. Even with live shrimp. My sources tell me it’s going to stay turned off until the full moon and flood tides have passed
I would like to add a couple questions to the above if I may:
Given than trout are relatively sensitive to cold water it seems counterintuitive that trout head further upstream as the water temperature drop rather than stay close to water attenuated by ocean temps. I’m assuming this must be part of the spawning cycle. Be that as it may; as the water gets cooler and cooler, will these smaller creeks that the trout move into be places that branch off the main rivers further and further inland, or will they also move into smaller creeks close to the ocean as well?
Assuming I am fishing an area that has clearish moving water near a drop off with oyster lined banks and assuming that I am reasonably competent in my lure presentation (TT or gulp on the lighted possible jig to maintain occasional contact with the bottom) and I am getting absolutely no action should I:
a.Start up the motor and move to another location entirely (.5 mile or more)
b.Continue to move around the same area with similar characteristics
c.Take up golf
Thanks
Yes, it seems illogical, but most trout move into the deep holes (with structure) in the creeks as the water cools below 60. When the water gets to 50 or below, they can be in very shallow stretches of smaller creeks. At this point, shallow water warms quicker than deep water closer to the ocean. Trout spawn May-September, so this movement has nothing to do with reproduction. They will return to the main rivers in late April. With this being said, there are some that stay on the main river flats during the winter, but they are very susceptible to predation from dolphin during the winter’s coldest water temps.
Catching trout usually means covering LOTS of water. They move a lot, so utilizing a trolling motor or just slow trolling is the most effective way to find schools. Trout are feeding aggressive this time of year, so when you are on them, you get a bite quickly.