Speckled Trout are Disappearing

[KLBTJTALLY1]

Just a heads up to those Georgia folks and beyond that plan vacations and trips on trout fishing in the Gulf like Florida and Louisiana.

The trout are disappearing. My friends and I that live in North Florida haven't managed to catch hardly any trout in the past year. This winter which is usually good has been tough to just plain bad. Louisiana which has had historic trout levels in the past and limits at 50 forever dropped to 25 per person in 1988 and recently down to 15 in the last couple of months. The numbers in the Gulf seem to be down everywhere.

Just a friendly note to folks about what's going on before you make that trip and plan on catches from the past. I know trips aren't always about what you catch but they sure make it better.

 

[notnksnemor]

They're still there.
You just have to fish with something other than Gulp's.

 

[Gator89]

They're still there.
You just have to fish with something other than Gulp's.

If you can find some grass, you can still find a mess of trout.

 

[slow motion]

THERE ARE NO TROUT. STAY AWAY.

 

[Jim Baker]

There are no Deer in Georgia either, Please stay home.

 

[ryanh487]

Last time in steinhatchee the trout were there, but those daggum puffers were faster.

 

[KKrueger]

Sounds like some of the areas of Louisiana are getting saltier and that the trout are picking up. I'm aware that the limits have tightened up but hearing a lot of optimism about numbers improving independent of that change.

 

[twtabb]

Sounds like I need to go check this out first hand. I think going several times to different locations would help the validity of my findings.
Anyone know of a grant I can apply for to help me with my research on Decline of trout populations and how they taste after swimming in peanut oil for about 10 minutes.

 

[slow motion]

Sounds like I need to go check this out first hand. I think going several times to different locations would help the validity of my findings.
Anyone know of a grant I can apply for to help me with my research on Decline of trout populations and how they taste after swimming in peanut oil for about 10 minutes.

Probably going to need an independent control group. I'll volunteer some time as a taste tester.

 

[talisman]

Trout fishing can be very slow at times and there are lots of contributing factors

 

[campboy]

There are no Deer in Georgia either, Please stay home.

I can verify this

 

[notnksnemor]

I just hope they aren't using the same survey methods they use for ARS and Triggerfish.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Probably the same dude who figured that the bank fishermen landed 100k lbs of gag grouper from shore.

 

[notnksnemor]

Probably the same dude who figured that the bank fishermen landed 100k lbs of gag grouper from shore.

Few years back I talked to a Capt. that chartered some ARS surveyors.
He offered to take them to some of his spots to sample and they refused.

They had a set of pre-determined coordinates to sample.
They would fish the area for 30 minutes and if an ARS wasn't caught, it was noted and they moved on to the next spot..

He said most spots were over bare sand bottom.

 

[Redbow]

All species of fish have suffered here big decline with Croakers, Spots, Gray Trout all species really. But the netters keep coming and no-one will do anything about it. Just rake everything clean and leave nothing, works every time.

 

[buckpasser]

I think trout fishing is way worse than it was 30 years ago where I fish (Econfina area). There are certainly a lot more people, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a multi-person limit caught, by anyone but air boaters.

 

[notnksnemor]

I think trout fishing is way worse than it was 30 years ago where I fish (Econfina area). There are certainly a lot more people, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a multi-person limit caught, by anyone but air boaters.

I think the fish population is still strong, the habitat has changed.
Eel grass has been in decline for many reasons over the years and I think the trout have adapted to it.
They're still there, just not where they used to be.

 

[buckpasser]

I think the fish population is still strong, the habitat has changed.
Eel grass has been in decline for many reasons over the years and I think the trout have adapted to it.
They're still there, just not where they used to be.

I see a pile of fish that we don’t catch, so I wasn’t implying they were rare or anything, but the fishing is still much less productive IMO, for the average guy anyway.

 

[twtabb]

I can remember fishing the econfina all weekend with three very knowledgable men and only catching one keeper trout. This was in late 80’s. We threw it back because something must have been wrong with that fish if it was the only one we caught.

On my last few trips we have caught two man limit of trout. The last trip we caught over 20 reds to go along with the two man limit of trout. We don’t catch them every time we go but most of the time.

My daddy said he loved to go fishing catching was nice also.
There is a little bit of him at mouth of Econfina. He loved that place.

 

[MudDucker]

I can remember fishing the econfina all weekend with three very knowledgable men and only catching one keeper trout. This was in late 80’s. We threw it back because something must have been wrong with that fish if it was the only one we caught.

On my last few trips we have caught two man limit of trout. The last trip we caught over 20 reds to go along with the two man limit of trout. We don’t catch them every time we go but most of the time.

My daddy said he loved to go fishing catching was nice also.
There is a little bit of him at mouth of Econfina. He loved that place.

Back in the 80's, i used to wear the trout out from Econfina all the way to Pepperfish key. Forgot the rock and left a grove in it, but fortunately, no prop or lower.