Trout Fishing Tips

If you're an avid spotted seatrout fisherman, February is a key month to remember.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has designated February as a closed month for spotted seatrout (also called "speckled trout") in coastal waters of the state’s Northeast and Northwest seatrout regions.

Simply put, anglers may continue to fish for spotted seatrout in the affected areas during February, but all fish must be immediately released unharmed.

Northeast Seatrout Region waters include state waters north of the Flagler-Volusia County line to the Florida-Georgia border, and adjacent federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters. Northwest Seatrout Region waters include all state waters north and west of a line running due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway, which is approximately 1.17 nautical miles south of the Pasco-Pinellas county line to the Florida-Alabama border, and adjacent federal EEZ waters.

During all months except February, anglers in the Northeast and Northwest seatrout regions may keep no more than five spotted seatrout measuring from 15-20 inches total length, with one trout exceeding 20 inches total length. The bag limit in the state's South Region is four fish per angler per day.

Labels: Florida Trout Fishing Records, Speckled trout, spotted seatrout

With warm weather predicted in Nassau County this weekend, trout fishing is expected to be excellent.

Captain Jim Johnson (a.k.a. Tight Lines) recommends live shrimp or mud minnows will be the live bait to use whether fished from a float rig or from a jig with the minnow hooked behind the lips. The live shrimp should be hooked through the tail. The north and south jetties, Tiger Basin and the Bell River are just a few of the local trout fishing favorites.

Do not forget speckled trout fishing closes in February and reopens March 1.

For more Florida fishing tips, click here.

Labels: Florida Trout Fishing Records, trout fishing tips

If you ever searched Florida's Fish and Wildlife web site for the state's trout fishing records, you know how frustrating it is. That's because Florida lets the International Game & Fish Association (or IGFA) keep their state records.

I recently emailed Florida's Fish and Wildlife department to ask what the current records were and here is what they told me. As of 27 November 2006, the current Trout Fishing Records for Florida are:

• Spotted Seatrout - 17 lbs 7 oz., caught on 11 May 1995
• Spotted Seatrout (Fly Rod) - 12 lbs 7 oz. caught on 5 March 1984

Both of the records listed above were caught in saltwater.

Labels: Florida Trout Fishing Records, trout records