Searching for Speckled Trout . . .
Seems like a trivial thing to do, doesn’t it?
I mean, sport fishermen pay fishing charters hefty sums just for one trip in search of these black-spotted fishy fare.
In order to be ready when a charter books, aspiring guides must continually fish in order to know where the fish are and to be ready when the call comes.
And there are sport fishing folks who have their own boats and just love to go fishing every chance they can.
Maybe some of you fall into one of the above categories — I have friends who fall within all the categories, for sure.
Since I usually can’t find anyone to go fishing on weekdays, I’ve been scouting for spotted sea trout by myself quite a bit this fall. However, last Saturday I found myself as a guest on someone else’s boat for a change, and that was very, very nice.
Can’t share that with you pictorially, because I forgot my camera. When I take my boat, I have my little routine that I follow, which ensures my camera makes it into the boat.
Then Sunday, I had the distinct pleasure of chartering the one and only BW reader, whose comments are more cryptic than Morse code:
B L U F L O Y D !
All the way from Chicagoland, Cabela’s Saltwater Series rod and reel and tackle bucket in tow, he arrived on our bayou with no plan and great expectations of slapping his crappie-catching skills on a few inland trout.
So we tanked up, loaded up, launched and left after the fog lifted. With Choupiquer rounding out the trio, we decided to head down to Bay Moncleuse and drift the reefs. Choupiquer and I had left ’em biting there a while back, if you recall.
And biting they were. It took a few casts for us to wake them up, but once we found their resting place, the bite was definitely on!
This one was exemplary of almost all the trout we caught: just keeper size–twelve inches.
There were a couple pockets of fish, and once we hit that pockets, we had triple hookups. Hookups is a term all the Big Boy Guides use and I’ve just been waiting for the day I could say “triple hookups”!!!
This was a triple hookup, but somebody’s fish sort of got unhooked! Can you look at the photo and figure out who that was? I’m taking the pic and fishing, of course!
It was great when we hit the hot spot, because a couple times while trying to take photos (and line still in the water) my popping cork vanished and the rod was being tugged away from me! Awesome! All I had to do was reel the fish in.
When we were on them, they were on those chartreuse sparkle beetles like white on rice! And when we drifted off of them, we knew it within a minute or two.
After a couple hours of trolling the reefs, the wind kicked up pretty good and made it nearly impossible to hold our course. We gave up on the trolling motor and let the wind push us over the last of the reefs while Blu finally got his rhythm down and snagged a few more throw-backs,
including this pretty little sheephead, which was his first. That made one more fish for his life list of species caught. He got really excited about the prospect of catching what he called “multiple species”, but his excitement was short lived.
With a dozen and a half trout in the box, we called it a morning and headed back to scrub the deck and clean the fish. We, using the vernacular, because Choupiquer did all the work while Blufloyd kept our ears busy.
I hope Blufloyd ends up having a trip he can at least post on his local fishing forum. Blu, you have my permission to snag a photo or two to use over there since you didn’t pull your camera out once. Not once. Shame on you.
It was great having Blufloyd, a seasoned fisherman, onboard BAB, and he didn’t even stomp his big foot on her floor one time. Not once. Lesson learned.
Until next time,
BW
Great pictures BW. Sounds like you had a wonderful day!
We were back at the landing way before lunch, so it was nice. They took me out for a great burger BEFORE cleaning the boat and fish. That was nice, too!
Nice! What a great day.
It was a great morning! Busy cooking for T-Day?
Definitely! I am worn out too. But, all I have to do is mix the prepared dressing ingredients and pop in the oven, finish the sweet potatoes and put the turkey in the smoker and I am done!!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Ok the secret is revealed, I tell people I slide down here for the food but it is really the triple hook ups and when BW throws her rattle cork over my rig. Huh?
Drove 57 to 56 southern route to Leeville today after Houma tour. Cornfields got nothing on this.
Lost on way back to Brady but cell gone saved me from repeat of 56 to 57 tour.
Ok about two years from retirement
so the widows and spinsters can start pestering BW for my personal email.. Not into tattoos or hickeys but triple hook ups on the water are sweet.
Gone not gone. Camera? Limited battery no charger.
G.I. Tomorrow I speck.
“phone” not gone. How was G.I.? When ya leaving? Where ya eating turkey? If still here on Thursday, I’ll bring you some from my sister’s. We’re going out of town or I would ask you over.
What a fun post – blufloyd, great you finally made it down. Looks like a great trip!
What I love is that I can write sentences like this: “Pretty sheepshead for sure. I see them a lot when I’m at work…” 😉
Are you bragging, little woman? 😉
I’ve got nothing to say but I’M JEALOUS!!!!! 🙂
You’re welcome any time! You know that! About to head out with a new friend in tow this morning. Pics later.
Blu was smart not having his camera charged. Taking photos would have cut into his fishing time! LOL.
No, no. I actually caught fishing WHILE I was taking pics!!!
Yeah, but we know you’re Wonder Woman. LOL! As for me, I can’t even breathe till the fish is in the box!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
So, when ya’ll coming? After I tell you I caught a limit in the lake?
2 hours from home. Raining and nap needed bad. 10pm. DCCDCs at MD reefer break in they are yours.
Turkey in mouth now. And Manda ham. 46 deg.
Why didn’t you leave them at Camp Dularge for me? Or send me a msg. and I would have met you to get them????? WHY oh WHY?
4 minutes away, sweetie. Bless your little heart.
I can’t break in. That’s the problem. And by the time I get to them, the carton will be empty.
Call Mark he got the combo you need.