Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By NEIL TAYLOR, Times Corresondent
Published September 17, 2007

What's hot: Shorter days and frequent rains have dropped coastal water temperatures significantly. For trout fanatics, it's a good time to find the larger speckled trout feeding aggressively again. The bite usually begins just after sunrise. With cooler waters, the bite is lasting well into the day. If you don't have a lot of time, low light conditions are the best: 8-10 a.m. and 6-8 p.m.

Tackle and tactics: Usemedium or light spinning tackle. Lighten up on leader line for trout. Try 4- to 10-feet-deep grassy-bottom areas that have good to strong tidal movement and plenty of bait schools. Work an eighth- to quarter-ounce lure near the bottom, moving it slowly. With a lot of floating weeds, soft plastics rigged weedless produce better results. Set the hook quickly when you feel the strike to avoid gut-hooking. Speckled trout are the most fragile of the inshore species and have the highest postrelease mortality rate. Crimp down barbs, fish with a tight line and do not handle the fish. A dehooking tool used on a fish that is left in the water helps a majority survive.

Neil Taylor charters kayak fishing trips in the Tampa Bay area and can be reached at (727) 692-6345.

[Last modified September 16, 2007, 20:20:17]