# Question for Speckled Trout Experts......



## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

After several attempts, I did manage to land only one of these aggressive Trout after several violent tail slaps, by stopping or dead sticking the topwater lure.
A fat 3 pounder......ICM


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Anytime that fish behave that way - go to something other than topwater.. As much as I love it when there's topwater action - most days I make a point of having only one angler using topwater and my second angler tossing a small leadhead with a Gulp tail or a small bucktail tipped with a tiny bit of shrimp...

Fish that just nip or boil (or tail) on a topwater will kill something sub-surface that's follows behind it.... and that's not just the trout... 

By the way - the very first topwater bait I'll hand a beginner is a simple stick bait with a prop at each end... I tell my angler to let it sit then snap it so that the props turn hard for about six inches -then just let it sit for a bit - then repeat... When a trout finally has had enough of that it will do its best to kill that plug (whether it's moving or not...)... Mirrolure still offers the #21 lure, a stick bait with props - but these days it comes with freshwater hooks... which we change out as they begin to rust....


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

You stated it in the first paragraph- “slick calm bluebird day”. The smaller trout are more voracious and ignorant so they will typically eat just about anything when the bite is on. The larger females aren’t as silly and will make that telltale slurp sound when they aren’t as dedicated to killing something on top, especially a topwater that can now be easily inspected due to the conditions. When there’s some ripple or better yet chop on the water the bigger girls will be more prone to really blow up on a topwater. Mirrolure topwaters aren’t my favorite for trout but they’ll work. I like to fish a Spook One Knocker in the Baby Trout color when I want to weed out the smaller trout and have a better chance of hanging a big one without going too big like a full sized three hook Super Spook. The One Knocker is a great in between the Spook Jr and full sized Super Spook and has one big BB that knocks instead of rattling. I’ve hunted and caught hundreds of trout well over 25” up to a 36” plus that I’ve been stalking and figuring out for over 5 years now. She comes out on a big sand flat next to the ICW every February for a few days and hangs out.


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

I was fishing the a Spook one-knocker in Speckled Trout color.
I also like your answer but still doesn't explain why they were slapping the lure out of the water with their tale. They were close enough to see that happening. This wasn't just a missed hook up, but several explosive knocked clear out of the water blow ups, coming down & slapped out again & again.......ICM


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Big trout can knock topwaters right out of the water without getting hooked. If it is smaller trout then your hooks are probably not sharp. Secret#1: VMC Cone cut hooks. For big trout Secret #2: Yo-Zuri 3.5" sinking crystal minnow jerk bait. For the place Secret #3: Zephyr Cove / Sand flat next to ICW.







LOL


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Snakesurf said:


> Big trout can knock topwaters right out of the water without getting hooked. If it is smaller trout then your hooks are probably not sharp. Secret#1: VMC Cone cut hooks. For big trout Secret #2: Yo-Zuri 3.5" sinking crystal minnow jerk bait. For the place Secret #3: Zephyr Cove / Sand flat next to ICW.
> View attachment 97170
> LOL


I’ll let you slide since them’s surf trout...haha
When they don’t eat tops chunk a Fatboy


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

Not a hook sharpness problem, not a smaller topwater lure issue.
Will take your advise on the Yo-Zuri 3.5" sinking crystal minnow jerk bait. Thanks.
Prefer Rapala X-Raps suspending jerk bait, lately MirrOlure lipped L-29 has also worked great. Had both tied on & with us.
But I wanted to only catch them on topwaters. Perfect conditions are sometimes rare.

Saw them, even caught the biggest close to 3# dead sticking after getting slapped several times.
Got my confirmation from a local expert & master Trout angler Capt. Lee Parsons yesterday in a phone call.

Mystery solved Trout tail slap lures to kill bait fish. Or annoying lures invading their comfort zone......ICM


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## FlyBy (Jul 12, 2013)

I was fishing the waterway just east of Lockwood's Folly inlet one Memorial Day weekend. Water was 12' deep, you know where I'm talking about. Kept seeing a tail, too far away for the fly rod. As it got closer I cast toward it with a glass minnow fly. Tail kept coming up, fish finally hit three times before I hooked it. Gator. Size two hook.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

If I consistently have them slapping or short striking on topwater, I'll sometimes change to a floating subsurface like a Mirrolure 7M or a lightly weighted soft plastic and get the eat. Other times I keep throwing that topwater because I like it and the blow ups are fun.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Ice Cream Man said:


> Not a hook sharpness problem, not a smaller topwater lure issue.
> Will take your advise on the Yo-Zuri 3.5" sinking crystal minnow jerk bait. Thanks.
> Prefer Rapala X-Raps suspending jerk bait, lately MirrOlure lipped L-29 has also worked great. Had both tied on & with us.
> But I wanted to only catch them on topwaters. Perfect conditions are sometimes rare.
> ...


Glad you got your answer! 
What does it take to qualify as a master trout angler?


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

I'd throw and unweighted fluke style plastic on a weedless hook, keep the rod trip high so it will break the surface when you twitch in and then let it fall back down.


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

SomaliPirate said:


> If I consistently have them slapping or short striking on topwater, I'll sometimes change to a floating subsurface like a Mirrolure 7M or a lightly weighted soft plastic and get the eat. Other times I keep throwing that topwater because I like it and the blow ups are fun.


It's all about the seeing the "eat" & topwaters blowups are the best.
You got that right.
We had a limit of Trout already by then. 
Got to challenge myself when ever possible.......ICM


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Glad you got your answer!
> What does it take to qualify as a master trout angler?


Not there yet, will let others tell you when I do reach that higher state of enlightenment My Mantra is _"The attitude of topwater gratitude......"_ Namaste

Purity of mind, soul whispering Zen state of being, enlightenment, one with the world is my guess. Or something like that? .......ICM


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## DeepSouthFly (Sep 7, 2016)

I've often experienced this. IMO though super calm slicked out days aren't the very best conditions for topwater speck fishing. I like a little bit of a breeze and small chop. Makes it a little harder for them to zone on the bait and I usually get better hookups with windier conditions. 
Like some of the others touched on, when they are slapping at it try a subsurface twitch bait. I like the Mirrodine or something like that. 

I'm like you though. If I speck fish, I always start with topwater plugs. I enjoy the missed strikes just as much as the hookups. I like to work the plug is sparatic twitches. Pop pop pop, pause, pop pop, pause, pop pop pop pop, pause. Trout will hit it on the pause usually. Learned that from ole CA. 

But sometimes man it just be that way. Tides, pressure, etc. Things like that play more of factor in trout more than redfish IMO.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Ice Cream Man said:


> I was fishing the a Spook one-knocker in Speckled Trout color.
> I also like your answer but still doesn't explain why they were slapping the lure out of the water with their tale. They were close enough to see that happening. This wasn't just a missed hook up, but several explosive knocked clear out of the water blow ups, coming down & slapped out again & again.......ICM


They were just messing with you!


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

Man why you guys giving away my top secret "switch to a jerkbait" strategy? I patented that. 

But seriously, any time I am getting repeated blowups or non-committed strikes or looks I switch to a Mirrodine, jerk shad, whatever your preferred slow suspending presentation is. That's the ticket. I always have some sort of sub surface suspender tied on one of the rods in the boat, its the most versatile rig you can have. If you carry only two rods, they should be a topwater and a suspender. You can always let the suspender sink and work close to the bottom, or keep it up high in the water column, so it can cover a wide range of depths. Then you can throw that Rapala Skitterwalk in the gold and orange color on top. If they dont eat one of those then pack up your shit and hit the tiki bar cuz they ain't bitin.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jimsmicro said:


> Man why you guys giving away my top secret "switch to a jerkbait" strategy? I patented that.
> 
> But seriously, any time I am getting repeated blowups or non-committed strikes or looks I switch to a Mirrodine, jerk shad, whatever your preferred slow suspending presentation is. That's the ticket. I always have some sort of sub surface suspender tied on one of the rods in the boat, its the most versatile rig you can have. If you carry only two rods, they should be a topwater and a suspender. You can always let the suspender sink and work close to the bottom, or keep it up high in the water column, so it can cover a wide range of depths. Then you can throw that Rapala Skitterwalk in the gold and orange color on top. If they dont eat one of those then pack up your shit and hit the tiki bar cuz they ain't bitin.


Haha


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

Ice Cream Man said:


> Here's some background of the conditions.
> Green clean water, fished both high rising & falling, 3rd. morning of a full moon tide.
> No wind, slick, glass like water, bluebird sky. Morning after a heavy overnight rain storm.
> 
> ...


Topwater plug with a subsurface trailer lure, bucktail, grub, paddle tail, jig ect..


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

Thanks for all the advice.
*“Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own” Bruce Lee*

For me it's not about filling the box with fish....... ICM


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Ice Cream Man said:


> Thanks for all the advice.
> *“Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own” Bruce Lee*
> 
> For me it's not about filling the box with fish....... ICM


Me either, quality, not quantity and the big girls are let go to let grow.


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

No Bait / Lures Only said:


> Topwater plug with a subsurface trailer lure, bucktail, grub, paddle tail, jig ect..


This man knows


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

My inquiry wasn't about catching fish, but the strange way those Trout were attacking my topwaters. I can catch fish & know when to go subsurface.

Like yesterday topwater only produced 1 Red & 1 Trout, the other 14 Trout ( all about a 1.5 # to 2# - CPR ) were caught on a variety of surface lures.
It's fun putting friends on fish, like yesterday convincing a buddy to ONLY fishing topwaters & hard plastic lures. A new convert to the MirrOlure Family..... ICM


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## Ice Cream Man (Jul 16, 2017)

Well it happened again today. Aggressive blow up that pop my lure out of the water, followed by 2 or 3 more violent blow ups.
Cast back with 5 to 6 violent blow ups.....And he ate......Here's proof ........
A 24 1/2" citation Trout that weighed 5 plus pounds.....
You got to believe.........ICM


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Those days on the water when it is calm like glass and you just know they are there. We called that a Jumpin Minnow mourning, because at that time between Zara Spook bass lures and before the Top Dogs, we had the Rebel Jumpin minnow. All Star rods and Shimano Bantam reels, we cast the Jumpin minnows to glorious explosions and fish acrobatics and when that would cease, begin that special lure that only a few blessed knew of; the “Corky”. For when the topwater action stopped the suspended action began.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Snakesurf said:


> Those days on the water when it is calm like glass and you just know they are there. We called that a Jumpin Minnow mourning, because at that time between Zara Spook bass lures and before the Top Dogs, we had the Rebel Jumpin minnow. All Star rods and Shimano Bantam reels, we cast the Jumpin minnows to glorious explosions and fish acrobatics and when that would cease, begin that special lure that only a few blessed knew of; the “Corky”. For when the topwater action stopped the suspended action began.


Standing on the second bar casting towards the beach, it’s crazy to see a 6-7 pound trout rocket up in 4” of water to hit a plug before the wave recedes. I have a bunch of “antique” plugs including Rebel Jumpin’ Minnows!


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Standing on the second bar casting towards the beach, it’s crazy to see a 6-7 pound trout rocket up in 4” of water to hit a plug before the wave recedes. I have a bunch of “antique” plugs including Rebel Jumpin’ Minnows!


This was about East Galveston bay on the south shoreline back in 1986 to 88. Smack, you are sharper than a tick dick in an ice storm about trout in the first trough at the beach. I have seen so many people walk right through the big trout to get out to the second or third sand bar to water up to their neck, just to catch a bunch of undersize or barely legal trout. The biggest trout I have ever caught at the beach were in that first trough. You could stand on the beach and cast 20' or up to the sandbar and get big blow ups. I guy I grew up surfing with in Matagorda also caught em like that (Jesse A). The technique of casting with the wind on your back in the surf toward land is a well seasoned anglers move. The Jumpin minnow is an antique now? Shit, I'm getting too old.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Snakesurf said:


> This was about East Galveston bay on the south shoreline back in 1986 to 88. Smack, you are sharper than a tick dick in an ice storm about trout in the first trough at the beach. I have seen so many people walk right through the big trout to get out to the second or third sand bar to water up to their neck, just to catch a bunch of undersize or barely legal trout. The biggest trout I have ever caught at the beach were in that first trough. You could stand on the beach and cast 20' or up to the sandbar and get big blow ups. I guy I grew up surfing with in Matagorda also caught em like that (Jesse A). The technique of casting with the wind on your back in the surf toward land is a well seasoned anglers move. The Jumpin minnow is an antique now? Shit, I'm getting too old.


They don’t eat silver spoons, red and white Hogie touts, green back, silver side 52MR or Tuxedo Queen Cocohoes anymore so I bet the Jumpin’ Minnow wouldn’t work any more either...


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

They're still eating Academy worm bar shrimp!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Snakesurf said:


> They're still eating Academy worm bar shrimp!


You must have stocked up because no one has a worm bar any more! Not even The Tackle Box mom & pop shop here.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

I did on the colors that worked the best, actually have a couple bags left that are in good shape. They are still making them though (H&H, ect.).


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