Downsizing for Speckled Trout
Keith Lusher 04.01.24
One of the most challenging aspects of speckled trout fishing is having to adjust to rapidly changing conditions. This spring we’ve seen no shortage of changing weather. High winds, barometric pressure swings, and drastic drops in temperature have speckled trout anglers guessing here in Southeast Louisiana.
I recently made a trip to Lake Pontchartrain where I found myself trying to put together a pattern after experiencing a “no-bite” morning. I have to admit that I wasn’t surprised by what I experienced after a cold front that passed through the day before. We’ve been experiencing temperatures in the upper 70s for the past week and the speckled trout bite has been on fire in Lake Pontchartrain. But with the recent temperature swing of 30 degrees, the trout seem to have shut down. On this morning I tried everything: different color baits, jigging, tightlining, live bait, and even trolling, but the trout just weren’t having any of it. By 9:00 A.M. I was faced with the dilemma of quitting early and saving the day, or continuing to try and figure out these fish.
I chose the latter and began rummaging through my tackle box for something different. Then it hit me! I spotted a small 2.75-inch plastic shad that I used for crappie fishing. It was a Lil’ Tuffie Swimbait made by Rambling Angler Outdoors. The bait resembled a silverside minnow perfectly, so I threaded it on and motored down the canal to find my next spot.
I came upon a small ditch in the marsh with water flowing out of it. There wasn’t much surface action so I didn’t expect much. I casted into the mixing line of water and let the drop-shot rig sink. I then slowly reeled in and bam! I waited all morning to feel that thump and there it was! I set the hook and landed a 13-inch speckled trout. After tossing it into the ice chest I cast out to the same spot in the middle of the mouth of the small ditch and repeated the technique of barely moving the swimbait.
Once again I felt a thump and landed another 13-inch speck. I sat in that one spot and caught 15 speckled trout (and several others which I tagged) and it was all due to a simple change in lure size. The tiny swimbait which served primarily as a crappie fishing lure, did the trick and saved my trip. The downsizing was all that was needed to entice the lackadaisical trout to bite!
