# Post freeze condition speckled trout



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Need to find trout green water and bait. Trout did not die this time.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

I think you're on the mark with the comment about fishing more natural colored/profiled baits. Also, maybe try slowing down your retrieve and also fishing bigger baits. In my experience, fish in colder water don't want to waste a lot of energy by chasing smaller baits--they'd rather eat one big bait than 5 smaller ones.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

DBStoots said:


> I think you're on the mark with the comment about fishing more natural colored/profiled baits. Also, maybe try slowing down your retrieve and also fishing bigger baits. In my experience, fish in colder water don't want to waste a lot of energy by chasing smaller baits--they'd rather eat one big bait than 5 smaller ones.


The water gets crystal clear in places in the winter here and I’ll see a few big trout in the skinny gin clear areas but they like the off colored water so they can ambush bait more easily and the darker water retains more heat when it’s colder. I was out with my son Friday and caught trout in 3-4’ water that was what we call trout green. Only thing in the shallow gin clear water was redfish and a few dead sheepshead. Typical this time of year. Find the trout green water, bait and slicks and you’ll find trout.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

In NC >> they head for the deep holes back in the creeks because the creeks are warmer than the flats or big water areas


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

topnative2 said:


> In NC >> they head for the deep holes back in the creeks because the creeks are warmer than the flats or big water areas


Here they get trapped in the back lakes if the temp and water drops too fast and die.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Here they get trapped in the back lakes if the temp and water drops too fast and die.


No tide on the mainland side of the pamlico sound area.....except what is caused by the wind blowing.....the fish run to the back creeks and stay there


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

topnative2 said:


> No tide on the mainland side of the pamlico sound area.....except what is caused by the wind blowing.....the fish run to the back creeks and stay there


Hard north winds drain the bays here and I’ve seen water levels drop 36-48” in less than eight hours coupled with a 60 degree temperature drop.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Interesting seeing trout reports - from three different states... and all of us dealing with colder waters... In the Ten Thousand Islands part of the Everglades coast I've just read one report that said - trout were everywhere they fished , catching and releasing as many as fifty fish - mostly undersized... This is the time when they begin to come in out of the Gulf down here in paradise. I put my anglers on them by working current flows between outside islands mostly - when we're not up a river somewhere about a mile or two in from the Gulf... 

Our trout fishing is very simple since all we're doing is working leadheads with plastic tails or bucktail jigs - across the current always and just fast enough to keep from snagging bottom in three to five feet of water, mostly.. Get one bite and it's the usual thing that you found a bunch of them - of the same size...


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## MikeCockman (8 mo ago)

topnative2 said:


> No tide on the mainland side of the pamlico sound area.....except what is caused by the wind blowing.....the fish run to the back creeks and stay there


Pamlico sound is one I haven’t heard in a while. I lived in Beaufort County for 20 years or so. The fishing there vs The gulf here in N.Fl, is night and day difference though. Tidal swings in winter are crazy. Many times Reds will get trapped in the creek holes, trout not so much.


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## MikeCockman (8 mo ago)

lemaymiami said:


> Interesting seeing trout reports - from three different states... and all of us dealing with colder waters... In the Ten Thousand Islands part of the Everglades coast I've just read one report that said - trout were everywhere they fished , catching and releasing as many as fifty fish - mostly undersized... This is the time when they begin to come in out of the Gulf down here in paradise. I put my anglers on them by working current flows between outside islands mostly - when we're not up a river somewhere about a mile or two in from the Gulf...
> 
> Our trout fishing is very simple since all we're doing is working leadheads with plastic tails or bucktail jigs - across the current always and just fast enough to keep from snagging bottom in three to five feet of water, mostly.. Get one bite and it's the usual thing that you found a bunch of them - of the same size...


Pretty much the same up here in N.Fl. Creek mouths with good flow and deeper mouths usually produce the best. We call em schoolies, cause if ya catch one 15” trout or red for that matter, everything else will be 14-16” as well. Not hard to catch 40-50 fish in no time once you find em.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Finding a million dink trout that eat everything you toss in the water is not what some of us consider finding the trout. The ones we are after eat these for a snack.


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## MikeCockman (8 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Finding a million dink trout that eat everything you toss in the water is not what some of us consider finding the trout. The ones we are after eat these for a snack.


Oh I agree 100%. Personally I consider them a trash fish, right there with pin fish. 
I don’t target anything under 25” personally


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

MikeCockman said:


> Oh I agree 100%. Personally I consider them a trash fish, right there with pin fish.
> I don’t target anything under 25” personally


I’m glad I’m not the only crazy one that chases the big girls for a catch and release. Dink trout are fun for kids, beginners and meat haulers that unload them with a track hoe and pile them on the docks in Louisiana for hero tourist photos. My son is 8 now and three years ago if we caught a couple of dink trout he would tell me it’s time to go to a spot where the real trout are. Get them started early on artificial lures and the long rod and they won’t grow up to be googans…I took him fishing Friday with his new Shimano baitcaster I got him for his 8th birthday and he fished it all day without one backlash. One of the proud moments in my life. Next is getting him proficient with his 7 weight fly rod.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

MikeCockman said:


> Oh I agree 100%. Personally I consider them a trash fish, right there with pin fish.
> I don’t target anything under 25” personally


If you fished the IRL here in east FL you would smile and giggle if you found that many trout. Don't turn up your noses at that future generation of trout....ours are mostly gone now.


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## MikeCockman (8 mo ago)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I’m glad I’m not the only crazy one that chases the big girls for a catch and release. Dink trout are fun for kids, beginners and meat haulers that unload them with a track hoe and pile them on the docks in Louisiana for hero tourist photos. My son is 8 now and three years ago if we caught a couple of dink trout he would tell me it’s time to go to a spot where the real trout are. Get them started early on artificial lures and the long rod and they won’t grow up to be googans…I took him fishing Friday with his new Shimano baitcaster I got him for his 8th birthday and he fished it all day without one backlash. One of the proud moments in my life. Next is getting him proficient with his 7 weight fly rod.


That’s awesome!! 
Same story with my (just turned 9yo) daughter. She’s got more youth citation fish through “Catch a FL Memory” than most adults.. I did start her off with the dock demon stuff but that was @ 2-3yo. She’s been using a 5’ 6” custom rod I built her paired with a 1000 FFP spinner for about 3-4 years now. All artificial. I’ll give her my casting rods occasionally and she does good with them, but she’s not casting them on her own yet. I love watching the videos of her catching fish when she 4-5yo. Those smiles and reactions are priceless.


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## MikeCockman (8 mo ago)

mwolaver said:


> If you fished the IRL here in east FL you would smile and giggle if you found that many trout. Don't turn up your noses at that future generation of trout....ours are mostly gone now.


Yeah it’s sad to see what was once a thriving fishery struggling like it is. Thankfully our Trout/Red population here in the bend/forgotten coast area is pretty solid still.


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## omegadef (Jul 10, 2011)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> The water gets crystal clear in places in the winter here and I’ll see a few big trout in the skinny gin clear areas but they like the off colored water so they can ambush bait more easily and the darker water retains more heat when it’s colder. I was out with my son Friday and caught trout in 3-4’ water that was what we call trout green. Only thing in the shallow gin clear water was redfish and a few dead sheepshead. Typical this time of year. Find the trout green water, bait and slicks and you’ll find trout.


One thing that was very odd was pelicans dive bombing the flats. Almost never see this and it was happening all day. I'm thinking they were eating trout.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

omegadef said:


> One thing that was very odd was pelicans dive bombing the flats. Almost never see this and it was happening all day. I'm thinking they were eating trout.


Brown or white pelicans?


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## LastCast (Jun 13, 2012)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I’m glad I’m not the only crazy one that chases the big girls for a catch and release. Dink trout are fun for kids, beginners and meat haulers that unload them with a track hoe and pile them on the docks in Louisiana for hero tourist photos. My son is 8 now and three years ago if we caught a couple of dink trout he would tell me it’s time to go to a spot where the real trout are. Get them started early on artificial lures and the long rod and they won’t grow up to be googans…I took him fishing Friday with his new Shimano baitcaster I got him for his 8th birthday and he fished it all day without one backlash. One of the proud moments in my life. Next is getting him proficient with his 7 weight fly rod.


My philosophy has always been, if you get a kid used to carrying a fishing rod their hands, they don't have the room for bad things to hold on to


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Brown or white pelicans?


trick question...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

mwolaver said:


> trick question...


Not really, it was an honest question. White pelicans are migratory and worthless to look for to find fish. They swim around in circles more than anything. Brown pelicans are around year round and if they are on the water you can usually find fish in the area. They are dive bombing schools of mullet most of the time.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Not really, it was an honest question. White pelicans are migratory and worthless to look for to find fish. They swim around in circles more than anything. Brown pelicans are around year round and if they are on the water you can usually find fish in the area. They are dive bombing schools of mullet most of the time.


But white ones don't dive...to my knowledge. I think he said "dive bombing pelicans" or something.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

mwolaver said:


> But white ones don't dive...to my knowledge. I think he said "dive bombing pelicans" or something.


It was a trick question and you are ruining it. 🤣


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## omegadef (Jul 10, 2011)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Brown or white pelicans?


brown


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## Mcsnook (May 15, 2020)

After the big freeze here in ECF I witnessed white pelicans eating floating dead mini snooks


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Mcsnook said:


> After the big freeze here in ECF I witnessed white pelicans eating floating dead mini snooks


Because they are lazy. The brown ones are the real workers.


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## FlyrodC (Apr 29, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Not really, it was an honest question. White pelicans are migratory and worthless to look for to find fish. They swim around in circles more than anything. Brown pelicans are around year round and if they are on the water you can usually find fish in the area. *They are dive bombing schools of mullet most of the time.*


Smack, can I ask how you approach fishing this type of occurrence? I have observed and flyfished the outside edges of large groups of diving brown pelicans and haven’t caught squat. Types of flies I’ve thrown are large whitish streamers that are supposed to be decent mullet imitators.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

FlyrodC said:


> Smack, can I ask how you approach fishing this type of occurrence? I have observed and flyfished the outside edges of large groups of diving brown pelicans and haven’t caught squat. Types of flies I’ve thrown are large whitish streamers that are supposed to be decent mullet imitators.


In winter bigger pink lures and streamers/baitfish imitations are solid. If the fish are there and you get it in front of them they will eat.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

When birds (pelicans or any other birds..) are diving on bait you really need to get up close and actually see what they're working since they'll dive on anything from mullet on up to tiny glass minnows (bay anchovies)... At least that's what we see day in and day out along the coast of the Everglades.... It's the size of the bait and their profiles that you really need to know to be able to "match the hatch" as they say in freshwater fly fishing... That's my take on it at any rate.

Remember as well, just because the birds are on bait doesn't mean there are hungry fish working that same bait.... I try to make a point of watching closely enough to see whether there are fish strikes along with bird strikes in any bait schools we're looking at.... 

Hope this helps... "Be a hero... take a kid fishing"


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## FlyrodC (Apr 29, 2018)

Gents, both of those posts make sense, thanks a lot for the responses! I’ll take a more observant approach next time I see them which should be in a month or so up here on the Big Bend.

Funny that pink was mentioned as I’ve been limiting trout around oyster bars with pink/chartreuse Clousers before and after the freeze. A couple spin fishing buddies used a pink Vudu and a bright pink Sluggo type thing and when I showed them a couple holes, they were catching keeper trout every cast. As was I…


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