The speckled seatrout is one of the most sought after fish in the inshore saltwater and coastal areas of Louisiana. They are excellent sport and great eating and can be caught in great numbers when they are on.
A wide variety of lures and baits will take speckled trout of all sizes. Topwater chuggers work well in low light conditions like morning and evening, while sub-surface lures will fill in the gap between these two times.
There is an endless variety of leadhead jigs and soft plastic lures that imitate the natural food items of the trout with uncanny lifelike features.
Bait imitations work well, as do shrimp look-a-likes. Using jigs in various ways can let anglers fish a variety of water depths and current speeds. Tipping a jig with a small piece of shrimp can help trout get in the mood if they show reluctance to eat your jig. Tandem jig rigs can be a great way to entice a bite and often catch them two at a time.
Live baits will take trout, and the options include finger mullet, pogies and shrimp. Any forage fish in the area should work and sometimes it is best to “match the hatch” or give them what they are used to eating.
Trout can be caught in a wide variety of habitats in Louisiana. Brackish ponds, coastal marshes and coastal reefs and structures can hold trout. Redfish, Spanish mackerel and flounder are often a welcome by catch when trout fishing. They are caught with similar methods, and their habitats regularly overlap.
Trout are very easy to fillet, and there is nothing like a fish fry with a cooler full of fresh trout. The meat is white and delicate and hard to beat when it is cooked fresh.
Louisiana has the winning combination of “trout o’ plenty” and amazing recipes to fry it up and enjoy a fresh fish dinner.
It’s true what they say, it does taste better when you catch it!
