Lemon Bay Specks & Spots

Laying it out...No Fish Tale Here!

Angling Lemon Bay, Englewood, Florida for Sea Trout (Specks) and Red-Drum, a.k.a. Redfish or Spots, is a real adventure, this time of year as we are in mid-spawn, so the Spots are extremely active whither following the pack, (females bunched and tailing alike a school of mullet), or hanging in the pots in wait for a meal. Catching Specks to Spots in the Slots is a real challenge, unless you know the secret; finding pristine flowing grasses, with spotted oyster beds with an outflow of nutrients, crabs, shrimp and water, moving towards the two openings, found here, in Lemon Bay, Florida, out to the Gulf of Mexico. Our catching of Lemon Bay Specks to Slots was a real treat to fish, as we wadded along and noticed the starfishes, sea urchins and even sea horses all across the fresh saltwater flat. The in to out flows of Stump Pass to the north and Boca Grande to the south make Lemon Bay one of the best areas to angle when in search of Specks to Slots for the table or in catch release.

 Wadding Lemon Bay

Redfish (Spots) is a member of the drum family, whose cousins include the Atlantic Croaker, spotted Seatrout (Specks), and black drum. As they say, birds of a feather, so it is natural these fish, hang together and feed much alike, making them the perfect target to fisherman looking to hook it up with two of Florida's top game-fish, without a endless search across a vast flat to estuary or bay; when you find one and more are to follow. Catching Specks to Spots is best and easiest for novice to pro alike to use live shrimp, finger mullet, dollar-crabs or small yellow-tailed Pinfish; either free-lined or under a slip to popping cork, to which I prefer the pencil-like snap float. The Popping cork is just that, a cork that sounds much like a feeding trout as it Plops the top of the water in its attack of prey. I personality believe it can do the opposite too, pop to much and spook the fish; so what is too much? I'll stick with a Cajan style cork myself; personal preference.
Best baits are:

• live medium to large shrimp
  
• finger mullet
  
• dollar crabs
  
• two to four inch yellow tailed pinfish
  
  
  
   23 inch Speck
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18 inch Speck

Spot with Spots; nice Slot limit Red!

Increasing Trout Limits but No More Hammers/Tigers Workshop

More Trout Less Sharks Workshop

SPOTTED SEA TROUT

Mel Larsen's Tiger Shark; Venice Pier

Venice Pier Hammerhead

The Florida Wildlife Commission is reviewing possible new regulations on Spotted Sea Trout and Sharks. They will be seeking public input at the following meetings on the Trout issue: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Jacksonville Public Library Southeast Branch, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd., Jacksonville, and July 6 at the Brevard Agricultural Center, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, Fl. The FWC also is considering loosening some recreational bag limits for spotted sea trout and shortening the closed season. The closest trout workshop to the Keys takes place June 28 in Naples. A call-in workshop will be held July 12.
Anglers may be asked to protect two of Florida's biggest marine predators, the tiger shark and great hammerhead shark.
With concern about possible declining numbers of the two shark species prompted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to schedule a 6 p.m. June 22, Wednesday workshop and comment session at the Harvey Government Center at 1200 Truman Ave. in Key West. Other possible rules being considered include requiring use of circle hooks for recreational shark fishing, and limits on shore fishermen using chum to attract sharks.
Public meetings to discuss possible changes to shark fishing rules will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Brevard Agricultural Center and June 30 at the St. Johns County Auditorium, 4020 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine.
The FWC will have call-in phone workshops for those unable to attend the public meetings. The workshop for sharks will be from 6 to 8 p.m. July 7. The workshop on spotted sea trout will be from 6 to 8 p.m. July 12. Contact the FWC at 850-487-0554 to register for either one of the call-in workshops.

State of NC Stops Trout Fishing because of Cold

A ban, lasting until at least Feb. 11, when the Marine Fisheries Commission will consider opening the closure at its meeting in Pine Knoll Shores, went into effect, today at noon, 01/14/2011, for all speckled trout to protect fish stocks, from being easily caught from the cold. The trout, just like our Snook here in Florida become lethargic, come to the surface to warm up. The State of North Carolina Fish & Game now sound like NOAA in that they too are of putting themselves into a lie. Lethargic fish do not bite, so how are they an easier catch, unless one is scooping them up with a dip net, which is already illegal? Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Rob Bizzell says “the decision comes after 'cold stun' events in rivers, bays and creeks along the coast. When the trout are stunned by cold temperatures, they come to the surface to warm up, making them easy to catch.” I wonder what is really behind this ban, any thoughts?

Sowing the Seeds to Freedom

Victory in saving our right to fish, to taking a walk in your favorite park starts by standing up and speaking out in sowing the seeds to freedom!Stand Up America and Shout, Do Not Tread On My Rights, I believe in the US Constitution not the UN and its declaration of rights!

I am a Tea Bagging Whig but that has nothing to do with the price of freedom if I do not stand up and voice my opinion to all that will listen! Your rights are being stripped away, slowly as to the point you do not even notice. The Obama administration and its socialistic style agencies under the direction of one who should know of scientific methods and methodologies, yet the head of NOAA is not a leader but a puppet, following an agenda that is gnawing at our countries foundations. They are coming in the back door where only a bunch of DUMB OLE FISHERMAN reign. But we are not so stupid as they think and through us, a revolution has begun. Join us in preserving what we have, before it is all gone under United Nation rules. Can't happen; it began with the President signing in the Clear Act. Join Up! Fight for your Right!