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Outdoors

Seeing spots

By DAVID A. BROWN
Published February 24, 2007

It's been a month, but the spots will soon return. That might sound like a pessimistic optometrist, but it's actually a statement about the Nature Coast's spotted seatrout fishery.

In truth, the trout never left. It's the ability to keep these tasty fish that anglers have been missing during February's management closure throughout Florida's northern zone. On the gulf coast, that includes waters north of the Tarpon Springs area.

But starting Thursday, Nature Coast anglers holding valid saltwater licenses, or fishing with licensed guides, will once again enjoy the privilege of keeping their limits of legal trout. With warming vernal conditions and burgeoning food supplies, anglers can expect good trout action.

Trout favor fertile pastures of swaying seagrass, especially where sandy potholes create transitional zones. Meadows of wispy vegetation hold a bounty of baitfish and crustaceans while offering concealment for the predator's security.

Trout also feed around oyster bars, where they pick off pinfish, shrimp and even the small crabs hiding among the jagged shells.

Good tidal flow and quick access to the safety of deep water rank as key factors in trout habitat.

Top tactics

For overall trout efficiency, it's tough to beat the venerable lead-head jig. Dressed with grub, shad or curl tails, or affixed with lanky soft-plastic jerkbaits, jigs are easy to rig and easy to cast.

They also offer considerable versatility. Experimenting to determine fish preference is simply a matter of pulling off one tail design or color and trying something new.

Because trout typically feed in groups, tandem rigs can be effective at simulating a small cluster of baitfish. Doubleheaders are common, but even if only one trout looks your way, the double dose of food impersonation works wonders.

Tackle stores usually sell tandem rigs, but you can easily make your own. Start with a 2-foot piece of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, slide a jig to the midpoint, double over the line and tie a simple overhand knot to create a dropper loop off the main leader.

Tie a second jig to one end of the leader and rig a swivel to the other end for attaching your main line. Scoot this rig across sandy potholes and you'll likely encounter plenty of interest.

Jigs also work well under popping or rattling corks. Set the cork height to keep the jig moving just over the top of the grass. Give the cork a couple of good jerks and the chugging sound mimics that of a feeding trout. When others come to investigate the opportunity, a jig dancing through the water column usually draws an immediate attack.

Hard baits such as slow-sinking or suspending minnow patterns will fool trout, as long as you can keep the lures out of the grass. Trout will maul a topwater plug, especially right at daybreak when visibility is still low.

Handle with care

Legal trout must measure between 15 and 20 inches. State law allows licensed anglers one trout over 20 inches a day, but any other oversized or undersized fish must be released alive.

When you catch a fish you can't keep, take care to release it in the best condition possible. That starts with gentle handling.

Trout have delicate physiques and tight grips can cause internal injuries. If you have to hold a trout, pinch the fleshy "chin" area where the gill covers unite beneath the lower jaw. This provides a firm hold without hurting the fish.

Avoid touching the eyes or gills, and try to minimize slime loss. A trout's protective coating helps it move through the water, while insulating the fish from disease and infections.

For a no-touch release, hold the leader in one hand and use long-handled hook pluckers or needle-nose pliers to remove the hook or lure.

A device called a "hook-out" tool comprises a metal stem with a small crook at one end and a wooden handle at the other. Hold the leader, grip the bend of your hook with the tool, invert the hook and let gravity pull the fish free with minimal stress.

Fast Facts:

New weather site

Competitive anglers can test their speckled trout skills against each other in the Citrus County TroutMasters tournament set for March 3 in Crystal River. Participants fish from safe light until 4 p.m. with a weigh-in at Pete's Pier. The entry fee is $25 per person, and the event vows a 100 percent payback in prize money. Catches will be judged by aggregate weight (five-fish maximum) with a separate prize for the tournament's heaviest trout. A captain's meeting at Pete's Pier starts at 6 p.m. Friday. A fish fry will follow. For information, contact Randy Hodges at (352) 795-916.

[Last modified February 24, 2007, 07:33:36]