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Old School October takes place from October 1st - October 31st, 2022. Anglers may compete from anywhere where it is possible to catch Speckled Trout!
All anglers participating in the tournament will use DOA Shrimp. One pack of DOA will be provided with your registration.
The tournament prizes will be issued in a raffle format. For each Speckled Trout submitted greater than 20\", the angler will have one raffle entry. Upon conclusion of the tournament, all entries will be compiled and prizes will be drawn at random. The more fish you submit equals more raffle entries & therefore higher odds of winning.
Once registered, anglers will be mailed a package including a unique tournament token, a decal, and a pack of DOA Shrimp. This tournament token MUST be included in the picture of each submissions. Without this identifier your submissions will not be accepted.
TOURNAMENT RULES
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Old School October takes place from October 1st - October 31st, 2021. Anglers may compete from anywhere where it is possible to catch Speckled Trout!
All anglers participating in the tournament will use KWigglers Shrimp Tails. One pack of tails will be provided with your registration.
The tournament prizes will be issued in a raffle format. For each Speckled Trout submitted greater than 20\", the angler will have one raffle entry. Upon conclusion of the tournament, all entries will be compiled and prizes will be drawn at random. The more fish you submit equals more raffle entries & therefore higher odds of winning.
Once registered, anglers will be mailed a package including a unique tournament token, a decal, and a pack of KWigglers. This tournament token MUST be included in the picture of each submissions. Without this identifier your submissions will not be accepted.
TOURNAMENT RULES
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As an organization focused on the pursuit of trophy speckled trout, the Speckled Truth tries to do all that we can to enhance our understanding of our passion. Since 2017, the Speckled Truth has operated the “Dirty 30” Citation Program and expanded the program in 2018 to include the State Trophy Trout Citation Program. These programs facilitate data collection to allow us to better understand how to target and conserve the trophy class of the speckled trout population.
\n![\"\"](\"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2021/01/Hammer.jpg\")
\nTo operate the program, we are 100% reliant upon likeminded trophy trout fisherman to submit citation data, and the findings from the citation data are shared across the Speckled Truth community. In return for each submittal, we provide each angler with program specific tokens to memorialize the accomplishment and show our appreciation. As always, the “Dirty 30” and state citation stickers cannot be bought, only earned.
Any angler, regardless of state or estuary, can submit a speckled trout meeting the 27” minimum mark for the State Trophy Trout Citation Program or the magical 30” minimum mark for the “Dirty 30” Citation Program. Artificial lures and fish release are encouraged but not required.
\nGuides/Charter Captains CAN submit fish into the program. This includes clients or guests on a charter. As long as the submission criteria is met, we will mail the citation and sticker to the participant.
\nEach participant can submit multiple entries to each citation program, but we will only mail 2 stickers/citations per participant.
\nTo submit a fish for a citation, we need a picture to verify the length criteria have been met and details of the catch to support data analysis.
\nPlease ensure you take good quality pictures that clearly show the fish measurement. Bump boards, rod rulers and measuring tapes are all acceptable means. That said, if the only measuring device you have is a few cans of Bud Light or reference points on a rod, that will suffice as reference length if you give the fish the best chance at survival. We just ask that you provide a measurement of the reference item as verification.
\n![\"\"](\"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2021/01/Measurement.jpg\")
All submittals for the “Dirty 30” and State Trophy Trout Citation Program will be received by completion of our Citation Entry Form. All details of the required information to complete a citation submittal are consolidated on the form.
\nSpeckled Truth moderators maintain the right to accept or refuse any submission. No submission will be denied without sound dialogue between the submitter and Speckled Truth.
\nWe love sharing the passion for these trophies through our social media platforms. However, we are very cognizant and respectful of fishing spots/areas. If you tell us not to share on social media, we will not - that’s out of respect for you and the fish. However, we retain the right to share or not share pictures and content, as appropriate.
\nSo that’s it! A free-to-enter program to help us better gauge and understand this rare accomplishment. As always, we thank you for supporting Speckled Truth and our endless pursuit to safeguard our resource and provide you angling information to make you a better speckled trout angler.
Please reach out to us through our social media or at speckledtruthcitations@gmail.com if there are any questions or issues related to citation submittals.
\n","comment_id":"126","feature_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2021/01/Citation-Stickers.jpg","featured":false,"visibility":"public","email_recipient_filter":"none","created_at":"2021-01-18T21:33:35.000+00:00","updated_at":"2021-09-27T23:55:11.000+00:00","published_at":"2021-01-18T21:38:00.000+00:00","custom_excerpt":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"custom_template":null,"canonical_url":null,"authors":[{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"}],"tags":[{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff9a","name":"dirty 30","slug":"dirty-30","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/dirty-30/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffaa","name":"citation","slug":"citation","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/citation/"}],"primary_author":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"},"primary_tag":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff9a","name":"dirty 30","slug":"dirty-30","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/dirty-30/"},"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/citations/","excerpt":"As an organization focused on the pursuit of trophy speckled trout, the Speckled\nTruth tries to do all that we can to enhance our understanding of our passion.\nSince 2017, the Speckled Truth has operated the “Dirty 30” Citation Program and\nexpanded the program in 2018 to include the State Trophy Trout Citation Program.\nThese programs facilitate data collection to allow us to better understand how\nto target and conserve the trophy class of the speckled trout population.\n\nTo operate the program, w","reading_time":3,"access":true,"send_email_when_published":false,"og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"email_subject":null,"frontmatter":null},{"id":"60f88b43d6595517b508fff2","uuid":"51add76f-ac66-4a8b-a447-38c75ab26c48","title":"The Day Jerry Garcia Died","slug":"the-day-jerry-garcia-died","html":"“God, Family and Fishing, son, and don’t you ever forget it.”
\nGrowing up on the outskirts of New Orleans, little did I know that these 3 words would outline my life. My father's family mission statement aimed at priority targeted life's simplicities - I heard these often.
\nHaving two older siblings and a loving mother, I can tell you FAMILY came easy, but as for the other two they were synonymous. Every weekend, outside of playing baseball, I’d witness God’s love for the world by a glowing orange sun peeking over the horizon. Clouds in every make and model distorted beams of light, cascading shades in every color imaginable. After witnessing dozens of these on the Louisiana Delta it was hard to question the existence of a Higher power, so the only thing left to do was make a few casts.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/09/IMG_5136.jpg\")
In 1995, my Dad and I fished a lot. Aside from preparing for high school, the memory that stands out the most was the chalkboard next to the boat that kept track of our catch totals for the year - insanely enough it would teeter near 13,000 trout before years end. Fishing wasn’t a facet of life at that time, it WAS life. You see, years earlier my dad, after an extended absence from fishing, decided to buy a 16’ Weld Craft Aluminum boat, aptly named “Git’ Da’ Net!” - and as it turns out, we said that a lot.
\nAs for the trout? Gene pools from across the southeastern part of the state took a beating from Git Da Net and the Bush Boys. Shell Beach to Shell Island, Myrtle Grove to Mozambique point, Abu Garcia 5600 CI’s lined with 12lb Ande Clear Blue became the perfect tools for our artificial arsenal. Never letting up, sunrises on the West side of river would accompany a sunset on the East, split by a short ferry ride in West Point a La Hache. As a 13 year old, Heaven was Earth and Fishing was God. If the trout scales lining my sneakers weren’t enough of a reminder, the sting on my thumb and index finger from all the teeth marks hopefully came in a close second.
\nOne such trip that stands out from that year was an overnight trip out of Empire, Louisiana. Like many times before, our intent was to fish the row of passes from Bastain Island to Bay Long. These series of 6 passes during the summer months provided a spawning safe haven to an extremely large biomass of speckled trout. Depending on the moon phase and the tidal influence, fish would roam the bars and ledges looking for calories in advance of reproducing in the higher saline waters of the Gulf. From Late April to September, the boat had one directional heading when it left the skids. Wading rings and boxes rested underneath our boots tucked nicely against the front windshield. Camoflauged oyster stakes and crab trap floats tested your cognitive ability while navigating the pitch dark bays. A whisper of quick prayer was either asking for safety from the many hazards left by the oil and gas industry, or sincerest thanks for being able to fish the most productive waters in the lower 48. This trip was a little different though - my older brother was in town.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/09/IMG_5133.jpeg\")
My brother Cary is 10 years older than me. His experience and fondness of the Louisiana Delta was very similar to mine growing up and probably even more so. Memories of my grandparents camp in Cocadrie, Louisiana framed his love affair for the estuary. He and our older sister would spend lots of time on or near the water. Whether it was shivering under the front bow after catching endless amounts of redfish or experiencing the “ice chest” tallies of trout - he saw the fishery through a completely different lens.
\nDespite our differences in age we are close. From boxing with kitchen mitts in our Old Metairie home to playing “5 and dive” football in the front yard, he was everything I could ask for in an older brother. Sadly though, like most things in life, time moves on and so do our aspirations. After graduating High School, I never saw my brother much. He was either in the Pacific Northwest working at Glacier and Olympic National Park, or in Alaska working at a salmon canning factory. Aside from earning an Architectural degree from LSU, he traveled much of the country following the Grateful Dead. Crates of recorded live shows came from the tapes he produced on a handheld walkman. In the background, the iconic sound of Jerry Garcia’s vocals bled through the audio of the crowd as he sang Sugar Magnolia to Bob Weir’s iconic guitar.
\nEven though that was worlds away, somehow, August 9th, 1995 the stars aligned and my dad and his 2 boys waded the surf just outside of Chaland Pass in Empire. What started out as a finicky bite, turned to an absolute onslaught. Trout, every cast, fell for a purple and white cocahoe minnow on a tandem rig. The fishing was so good, my brother and I would try to see if we could “throw” our fish into our wading baskets. With success rates teetering around 1 out of every 8, we still managed to keep our 50 trout. It was endless and the action never let up. My dad laughed and my brother grinned with every hookset. It was truly my fathers family motto transformed into real life - a fishing family, together experiencing an other worldly bite.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/09/IMG_4413.jpg\")
Now, distanced by 25 years, that memory has transcended the course of time. Although neither of us live near New Orleans, we take solace knowing that our bond as family is stronger than ever. On a day cherry picked by the Man himself, we experienced the bountiful goodness we can only hope awaits us when we pass those pearly gates.
\nUntil then, though, Fishing, as it always has, earmarks the memories in our life. This one just so happened to be the day Jerry Garcia died.
\n","comment_id":"125","feature_image":"/content/images/2020/09/IMG_5137-1.jpg","featured":false,"visibility":"public","email_recipient_filter":"none","created_at":"2020-09-07T21:52:25.000+00:00","updated_at":"2020-09-07T23:12:29.000+00:00","published_at":"2020-09-07T22:17:32.000+00:00","custom_excerpt":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"custom_template":null,"canonical_url":null,"authors":[{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"}],"tags":[{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff85","name":"Speckled Truth","slug":"speckled-truth","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-truth/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff92","name":"speckled trout","slug":"speckled-trout","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-trout/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff80","name":"trophy 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shad","slug":"matrix-shad","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/matrix-shad/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff82","name":"softplastics","slug":"softplastics","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/softplastics/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffa4","name":"grateful dead","slug":"grateful-dead","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/grateful-dead/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffad","name":"inshore","slug":"inshore","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/inshore/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffa2","name":"saltwater fishing","slug":"saltwater-fishing","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/saltwater-fishing/"}],"primary_author":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"},"primary_tag":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff85","name":"Speckled Truth","slug":"speckled-truth","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-truth/"},"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/the-day-jerry-garcia-died/","excerpt":"“God, Family and Fishing, son, and don’t you ever forget it.”\n\nGrowing up on the outskirts of New Orleans, little did I know that these 3 words\nwould outline my life. My father's family mission statement aimed at priority\ntargeted life's simplicities - I heard these often.\n\nHaving two older siblings and a loving mother, I can tell you FAMILY came easy,\nbut as for the other two they were synonymous. Every weekend, outside of playing\nbaseball, I’d witness God’s love for the world by a glowing oran","reading_time":4,"access":true,"send_email_when_published":false,"og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":"The Day Jerry Garcia Died","meta_description":"Aside from logging close to 13,000 trout in 1995, this particular story is about an unbelievable day which just so happened to be the Day Jerry Garcia died","email_subject":null,"frontmatter":null},{"id":"60f88b43d6595517b508fff0","uuid":"72d1a325-7cd4-4b32-93d5-b0f40058f0d1","title":"Trout Talk w/ Our New Writer - Meet Hunter Quarles","slug":"trout-talk-w-our-new-writer-meet-hunter-quarles","html":"This is when I am supposed to say something eloquent and formal such as “hello everyone, my name is…” but I’m from Southwest Louisiana so “Hey y’all I’m Hunter” will have to suffice in the meantime.
\nI’m a 23-year-old native of Lake Charles, Louisiana that grew up fishing the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin which consists of many different estuaries including Calcasieu, Sabine, Prien, and many others. I’ve always enjoyed catching speckled trout, but I never really had the “itch” that I now have to consistently treat to keep mentally sane, shin-deep solitude usually does the trick. As Theodore Gordon once said, “The angling fever is a very real disease and can only be cured by the application of cold water and fresh, untainted air.” After quickly learning I can’t fish 24/7 365 days a year (Stupid, I know!) I had to find alternative methods to silence the ensuing madness, I found that a notebook and a pen provided ample tranquility. I stumbled upon “The Speckled Truth” a year or two ago and instantly became intrigued, there was a collection of ideas and opinions in an endless sea of science-backed information that would take a considerable amount of time to digest. In addition to this already useful trout encyclopedia, the “Dirty 30 Citation Program” was created by the guys at Speckled Truth to collect data on the “holy grail of big trout fishing” a 30"+ sow.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/08/IMG_4935.jpg\")
Speaking of the devil I recently read something interesting in a book titled “World Class Texas Trout Tomorrow…” written by Scott Murray, an angler and active conservationist on the Texas Coast. An average nine-year-old female seatrout is 30.8 inches in length and 10.23 pounds while an average nine year old male is 20.4 inches in length and 2.9 pounds. Only about .03% of the sea-trout population are nine-year old females, sounds more like “Finding Big-Foot” than fishing to me! Why do the majority of trophy-trout purists suddenly become self-proclaimed philosophers you ask? Well if you had to describe your journey to a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, you’d probably use descriptors out of your IQ range too! The mere thought of a double-digit trout sends my eager brain into frantic overdrive, a firework show of synapses to be more specific. The process of transferring these pre-conceived notions and hopeful tomorrow’s onto paper has made me question my sanity a few times, I’m not going to lie to ya!
\nA level-headed gentleman once said, “The Charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of that which is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope,” which resonates with my “trout-itch”. It might take five rough drafts and a few Miller Lites to halfway make sense but it’s authentic and written with passion in hopes that you (the readers) stay intrigued and learn a thing or two along the way. I’ll be speaking with some of Calcasieu’s most prolific anglers as I dive into the notorious history of the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin, a gulf-coast renowned trophy trout fishery.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/08/IMG_4934.jpg\")
My goal isn’t to sit here and preach seldomly regurgitated opinions or boast occasional fish stories, the goal is to reach as many like-minded anglers as myself and form a conservation-oriented coalition so that future generations have the same opportunities and experiences we are presented with. I’d like to think that if you’re truly passionate about catching seatrout this should present no argument, this whole “well nobody left any buffalo for me!” idea is a plague amongst the fishing community. “You said you weren’t going to preach.” I know… I know… I just want to say that ditching the stringer at the dock doesn’t make you a tree-hugger, a common misconception amongst Team Zip-Loc.
\nI like to refer to the current saltwater fishing community in Southwest Louisiana as “a house divided” which must soon find a symbiotic approach towards the future of our estuaries before we’re faced with completely irreversible affects. So, when Capt. Chris asked me if I’d like to start writing a monthly piece for them, it was a no-brainer! A platform such as “The Speckled Truth” holds indefinite reach across the Gulf-Coast/East Coast saltwater fishing community which is exactly what’s needed to effectively spark a new-found interest in “The Process”. Capt. Mike McBride explains this process as “learning the formulas of nature and putting together as many elements as we can for a better chance at success” which coincides with lure fishing as well! The sense of accomplishment that comes with selecting an appropriate color, bait-profile, and lastly presentation enticing a seclusive sow into inhaling my lure outweighs the reading on the boga’s in my opinion. As a millennial that caught the tail-end of a once fabled Calcasieu-Sabine Basin I’ve adopted a “let em swim” mindset early on with hopes and aspirations for a sustainable comeback trophy seatrout population.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/08/photo-nov-18--9-42-48-am_Original.jpg\")
Once you (the readers) become familiar with the peculiar science of seatrout and their timely habitual movements especially during spawning season, you will look at them more respectively. At the end of the day I’m all for fish fry’s and cold cervezas but this “Mister Twister Prover Mentality” solely for dock shots and Instagram likes has got to go, there’s an ample population of corky-killers (redfish) if you’re that mad at em! Find your process and you will slowly begin to realize why I would rather be shin-deep with a 15+ MPH norther gradually turning my extremities purple than just about anywhere else. There is just something special about standing in sub 50-degree water with a stomach full of acorns watching gray ducks get acrobatic over the Rosso infested marsh.
\nI hope you all enjoyed; I’m already looking forward to next month! Until the next one, tight lines but most importantly “Let Em Swim!”.
\n-Hunter
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brown","slug":"paul-brown","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/paul-brown/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffa1","name":"louisiana","slug":"louisiana","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/louisiana/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffa0","name":"hunter","slug":"hunter","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/hunter/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffab","name":"trout talk","slug":"trout-talk","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/trout-talk/"}],"primary_author":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"},"primary_tag":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff85","name":"Speckled Truth","slug":"speckled-truth","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-truth/"},"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/trout-talk-w-our-new-writer-meet-hunter-quarles/","excerpt":"This is when I am supposed to say something eloquent and formal such as “hello\neveryone, my name is…” but I’m from Southwest Louisiana so “Hey y’all I’m\nHunter” will have to suffice in the meantime.\n\nI’m a 23-year-old native of Lake Charles, Louisiana that grew up fishing the\nCalcasieu-Sabine Basin which consists of many different estuaries including\nCalcasieu, Sabine, Prien, and many others. I’ve always enjoyed catching speckled\ntrout, but I never really had the “itch” that I now have to consis","reading_time":4,"access":true,"send_email_when_published":false,"og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":"Trout Talk w/ Our New Writer - Meet Hunter Quarles","meta_description":"Hunter Quarles is Speckled Truth's newest contributing author. Every month, Hunter will be publishing an article that shares the passion of trophy trout!","email_subject":null,"frontmatter":null},{"id":"60f88b43d6595517b508ffef","uuid":"28fdc354-d7b9-45ed-8f95-00dcd61cf9d5","title":"A Single Barrel and a Floating Fatboy","slug":"a-single-barrel-and-a-floating-fatboy","html":"The teeth marks tell the story, the bourbon is to hopefully help communicate that story.
\nUnder a glowing lamp in my South Texas Home, I’m surrounded by stories. Personified in various shapes, colors and profiles, these artificial lures bear the brunt of a deep fishing underbelly located just below the surface. Through epoxied eyes, we’ve exposed them with good intent to some of the most savage and violent things. They wear those scars.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/07/Single-Barrel.jpg\")
One bait in particular that stands out is a very colorful Floating Corky Fatboy, aptly named Texas Turnip. From the faint pink presence on its upper half to a glowing yellow chin, this bait looks fishy. However it’s most notable feature is the distinct violet stripe running down its dorsal. To a big trout angler, profile and capability generally wins over color, at least from what I’ve seen, but this one is a little different. The Corky’s famous exaggerated eye glares emotionless and the blend of colors command a presence, so off she goes to the business end of a loop knot.
\nWe often hear fishing transcends time - I wouldn’t argue otherwise. I still remember my dehydrated fingers configuring that knot and the gentle easterly breeze kissing my cheeks. Although nautical twighlight was well underway the cloudless sky made you question whether it was Texas or some flat located on the west side of Heaven - jaw dropping being the understatement.
\nFor years I’ve fished Floating Fat Boys and, more often than not, I’ve considered them a complimentary bait to wary fish uncommitted to topwater. However that day, I learned their distinct and precise capability - big profile, skinny water and super aggressive fish.
\nIn the days leading up to this trip, life’s questions started to mount. A pandemic environment with social unrest looming, it was only fitting that a distant hurricane located in the northern Gulf, brought water levels up well beyond their mean. Bogged down by my own personal thoughts, I yearned for clarity - so off I went.
\nAs I slid into my waders I debated whether I should target deeper structure or focus my efforts up shallow. Remaining indecisive, a small slick out deep was the apparition I needed. The searing smell of watermelon quickened the pace of my pursuit and my lure choice of a small soft plastic was the investigator for hire. Admittedly, I’m no stranger to this area but given the fact it was early summer, my decisions went fully uncommitted. After almost an hour with a few dink trout and an eager young redfish, I quickly thought that the the previous apparition was some sort of twisted joke crafted by the devil himself. Unlike him though, I remained true to my convictions to a Higher power and believed that some Big Fish were up skinny - I had faith.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/07/TACO-1.jpg\")
For years I’ve always wadefished with 2 rods. I keep telling myself that it’s easier and more efficient to wade with just one, but year after year I feel that subjecting myself to such clumsiness is worth the effort. In short, today was that day. As I abandoned the deep stuff, I swapped my finesse gear for something with a little more power. Now soundly wedged between me and my wade belt I unsheathed the Texas Turnip.
\nCorky Fatboys are so unique. Their pliability, density and hardware are unmatched in the saltwater fishing world. Nose and tail bends applied by anglers up and down the coast from Virginia to Texas match not only their persona but the fish’s as well. On this day, I chose a slight downward tail bend with a perfectly straight nose so I could keep the bait just above the grass in the barely present water column. As I gave her one more QC (Quality Check) her eyes and bright, shiny red hooks screamed “Put me in coach!”
\nNow with the wind at my back I methodically threw onto a shelf lined with lush seagrass. Mullets skipped happily nearby but as the sun became less existent, care free quickly turned to a matter of survival. Dinner plate sized slicks, earmarked those less fortunate and their oily residue a great target for my lure to explore. With more and more falling victim to a roaming Wolfpack, the Thump that followed, made me question the sanity of my baits willingness to subject itself to such a savage world. Although it came back empty, the back hook neatly placed above the loop knot certainly remains one of the angling worlds greatest mysteries. Now realigned and my slack reeled in, I make another cast 10’ to the left. A 2 twitch cadence and a slightly elevated rod tip, I hear her trash talking on the descent. This time not so lucky, a healthy 28” trout finds extreme offense to her communication style. With remarkable dissent, she hits the bait so hard that the braided line jumps sending a shock wave all the way to your spine.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2020/07/8-1.jpg\")
For over 30 years I’ve targeted trout, getting more serious with every passing day - I can assure you that the “Thump” is the apex of a trophy trout fishing world. A myriad of lures in my personal fishing kingdom try to emulate, with some getting close, but my Corky’s, both active and retired, stare down their counterparts with undeniable bravado. After all they’ve been exposed to the meanest of the mean without ever backing down.
\nNow with light completely non existent and multiple fish over 25”s to include that 28, mosquito’s encourage my retreat to a fully functioning AC. No doubt I found my clarity that evening. Even in the waves of the smallest bay, turbulence both in life and in fishing is always overcome by standing tall, being honest and always trusting that something larger than yourself is in control - Trust being the key word.
\nAs for the bourbon? It’s a smooth Texas Single barrel that has a great finish, but sadly the ice has melted and it’s all but gone minus one sip. As I look around peering through the downward light the lures hanging on my wall all have stories to tell. This one in particular though was not just about big trout pulled up on a shallow flat, or a floating corky Fatboy but about courage and how we navigate this unsettled word. The parallel here is that we share many of the same scars from our earthly life - ours being above and theirs below. Its when we go fishing that our worlds collide and we gain greater perspective as to our purpose in life. Even though I don’t envy my lures and the situations I put them in, they may argue the same - it’s all about understanding. This day was all about clarity and the teethmarks communicate that - hopefully the bourbon found the words.
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30","slug":"dirty-30","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/dirty-30/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffaf","name":"corky","slug":"corky","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/corky/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffa3","name":"fatboy","slug":"fatboy","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/fatboy/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffb0","name":"paul brown","slug":"paul-brown","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/paul-brown/"}],"primary_author":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"},"primary_tag":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff85","name":"Speckled Truth","slug":"speckled-truth","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-truth/"},"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/a-single-barrel-and-a-floating-fatboy/","excerpt":"The teeth marks tell the story, the bourbon is to hopefully help communicate\nthat story.\n\nUnder a glowing lamp in my South Texas Home, I’m surrounded by stories.\nPersonified in various shapes, colors and profiles, these artificial lures bear\nthe brunt of a deep fishing underbelly located just below the surface. Through\nepoxied eyes, we’ve exposed them with good intent to some of the most savage and\nviolent things. They wear those scars.\n\n\n\nOne bait in particular that stands out is a very colorfu","reading_time":5,"access":true,"send_email_when_published":false,"og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":"A Single Barrel and a Floating Fatboy","meta_description":"In every serious trout anglers arsenal, some lures stand out. If only those lures could talk they might share what some of those teethmarks mean to them...","email_subject":null,"frontmatter":null},{"id":"60f88b43d6595517b508ffed","uuid":"0b896291-a70a-4e47-bf83-9b5fa3b2b2a7","title":"Yellow Ascent; The Tale of a Father and a Trophy Speckled Trout","slug":"yellow-ascent-the-tale-of-a-father-and-a-trophy-trout","html":"Comfort.
\nRooted in familiarity and often demonstrated through action, this simple word unites the old and the new.
\nIn the waning light, giving way to a western sky, my dad joined me on one of my Texas flats looking for a big bite. As a 73 year old father of 3, the only thing he loves more than speckled trout fishing is his family. With more than 6 decades of experience, and tens of thousands of bites under his belt, one bite has eluded his angling life. Yet still driven and blessed by enduring physical capability, we agreed to fish that afternoon on the hypersaline waters of the Upper Laguna Madre. Unfortunately for him, this meant a 0330 rise and a 9-hour drive while I made the 3 hour jaunt from the city of San Antonio after working a half day and snagging a quick lunch.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/02/20190116_095452.jpg\")
Excited by what the day and weekend held in store, my mind raced with possibilities - I’d venture to say his did the same. Days out from a new moon, solunar and tide charts confirmed that fishing would be above average. In addition, perpetual review of the ever-changing wind forecast presented a settling southeasterly and better yet, a steady barometer. In short, we couldn’t wait. So to pass the time, I pressed play on my dash and recited 5 decades of the Rosary; an act I know my dad started this same day before the tires exited his gravel driveway. It is what we do (It is our ritual- our duty). Growing up under his angling mentorship, we started every trip giving thanks. If fishing wasn’t spiritual enough, starting the day in peaceful meditation definitely brought it up a notch, and as it turns out, these 15 minutes help reshape perspective and provide clarity to the fast paced life we live.
\nIn the less than luxurious setting of a Valero gas station, we shook hands like men and acknowledged the time since our last visit. It was good to see him. Revealing a slight limp, he fetched his gear for that afternoon wade and despite a quick examination; his passion for a big trout removed the wrinkles on his facial exterior. To an outsider, they would see an old man going fishing, but to me I saw a “young at heart” angler excited to get on the water – so off we went.
\nAfter a quick drive curtailed by catching up, we donned our waders and walked to the flat. Greeted by a less than gentle east wind, we noticed that mullet were present in the off colored trout green water. Past success led me to believe that a big fish was present. So to sample that theory, I decided to throw a slow-rising jerkbait and encouraged him to do the same.
\nAstute to the angling nuances of chasing trophy speckled trout our senseless chatter turned to whispers and hand signals the moment our boots hit the water. Walking side-by-side in thigh deep water, I motioned to him to work the shallow contour off to his left, while I focused on the deeper shell to my right. Fortunately, a more than healthy fish confirmed our efforts to being efficient and stealthy. As a father and son, we’ve fished a lot together. We no longer needed to verbally acknowledge each other’s presence. Instead, we let the wind driven waves communicate our closeness. Progressing through the flat, less than a dozen fish decided our offering was appetizing enough to pursue, so we pressed on.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/02/20190201_155916.jpg\")
Questionable silence accompanies time on the water. Despite a million things working in conjunction and peripheral forces providing external noise, human intuition hears the slightest thing. In this particular instance, it was a mullet flip on the shallow side of the flat and in a curious fashion; my dad decided his lure should investigate. Turns out that was a good command.
\nAfter 3 downward twitches and a 2-second pause, his jerkbait succumbed to the rush of water produced by an above average trout. Now captured in a yellow cavern, he decided to set the black nickel hooks to secure his presence. In short order, she disagreed and physically portrayed her displeasure with an unforgettable headshake – it was the fish he was after.
\nExperts say reflexes start to fade the older you get, clearly they never studied aging anglers. Like he’d done so many years in the past he played the fish with skillful precision. As she ran left, he followed with a high rod, adjusting his drag to ensure the hooks stayed right where he set them. As she ran right, he followed. Ensuring not an ounce of slack disrupted this moment, he focused like never before despite a self-proclaimed failing mind. As a spectator, I secured my equipment to help land the fish. Standing shoulder to shoulder, he looked to his left and said, “My hearts racing!” Channeling his fatherly example, I encouraged him to stay calm and keep the line tight, the same way he did for me decades earlier. As the trout grew near, the intensity transferred from him to the fish as she made one last ditch run. Successfully navigating her wily intent she soon ended up on the business end of a Boga grip - he did it!
\nTo say that moment was special is an understatement. Joyful grins, accompanied by numerous high fives and HD pictures ensued, but that wasn’t the apex. Instead, it was the comfort of a fatherly embrace. A feeling I’ve been fortunate enough to grow accustomed to, yet standing in the newness of Texas waters forged by an experience few will understand.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/02/20190201_165859.jpg\")
A picture shows an 8lb trout, without a doubt a new personal best. But to me, I see unconditional love and passion a father has for fishing and his family – I’m blessed.
\nSpeckled trout, as I’ve said before, have this uncanny ability to bring out certain emotion. However, in this particular instance, 28 ½ inches brought comfort to a father and son wadefishing on a South Texas flat. I’ll never forget it and neither will he and that’s comforting to know.
\n","comment_id":"119","feature_image":"/content/images/2019/02/20190215_001301.jpg","featured":false,"visibility":"public","email_recipient_filter":"none","created_at":"2019-02-15T05:39:30.000+00:00","updated_at":"2020-02-18T18:23:15.000+00:00","published_at":"2019-02-15T06:09:00.000+00:00","custom_excerpt":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"custom_template":null,"canonical_url":null,"authors":[{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"}],"tags":[{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff85","name":"Speckled Truth","slug":"speckled-truth","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-truth/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff92","name":"speckled trout","slug":"speckled-trout","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-trout/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff80","name":"trophy trout","slug":"trophy-trout","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/trophy-trout/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff91","name":"conservation","slug":"conservation","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/conservation/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ffac","name":"fishing","slug":"fishing","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/fishing/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff8c","name":"wadefishing","slug":"wadefishing","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/wadefishing/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff86","name":"lures","slug":"lures","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/lures/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff7f","name":"Texas","slug":"texas","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/texas/"},{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff9d","name":"jerkbaits","slug":"jerkbaits","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/jerkbaits/"}],"primary_author":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff70","name":"Christopher Bush","slug":"christopher","profile_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/12924437_947603118688371_7568678954179837931_n.jpg","cover_image":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/content/images/2016/12/received_10211284562329374.jpeg","bio":null,"website":null,"location":"Rockledge, FL","facebook":null,"twitter":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/author/christopher/"},"primary_tag":{"id":"60f88b42d6595517b508ff85","name":"Speckled Truth","slug":"speckled-truth","description":null,"feature_image":null,"visibility":"public","og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":null,"meta_description":null,"codeinjection_head":null,"codeinjection_foot":null,"canonical_url":null,"accent_color":null,"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/tag/speckled-truth/"},"url":"https://admin.thespeckledtruth.com/yellow-ascent-the-tale-of-a-father-and-a-trophy-trout/","excerpt":"Comfort.\n\nRooted in familiarity and often demonstrated through action, this simple word\nunites the old and the new.\n\nIn the waning light, giving way to a western sky, my dad joined me on one of my\nTexas flats looking for a big bite. As a 73 year old father of 3, the only thing\nhe loves more than speckled trout fishing is his family. With more than 6\ndecades of experience, and tens of thousands of bites under his belt, one bite\nhas eluded his angling life. Yet still driven and blessed by enduring","reading_time":4,"access":true,"send_email_when_published":false,"og_image":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_image":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"meta_title":"Yellow Ascent; The Tale of a Father and a Trophy Trout","meta_description":"In this story, relive a father's quest for the endless pursuit of a personal best trophy speckled trout. ","email_subject":null,"frontmatter":null},{"id":"60f88b43d6595517b508ffec","uuid":"d4cc07c7-a386-4f08-a992-2a6b0cdc0d9a","title":"Product Review: Deathgrip Jigheads","slug":"product-review-deathgrip-jigheads","html":"During a time of reflection I’ve realized that I haven’t done a product review in quite some time. Resulting from a number of reasons, the only excuse I’ll offer is it’s winter in South Texas and the trout are chewing. The last few months have not only been spectacular for me, but many others from North Carolina to the Lower Laguna. Nearly 60 trout have been registered in the State Trophy Trout citation program to include one that I entered on 11 November. Resting at nearly 27 ½” this beautiful fish fell for a 6” Egret Sand Eel paired with one of my new favorite tools in the toolbox, a DeathGrip Jighead.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/01/20181208_123920.jpg\")
Jigheads come in a myriad of shapes, sizes and colors, but one aspect I think we often overlook is function. On this cold, rainy and windy day a good friend and I found the right class of fish layed up in thigh deep water postured over a shell/mud mix. Although bites didn’t come easy, they came often which leads me to the review in this article. Being observant, the first fish (a healthy 25 ½”) caught by my buddy, gave us an indication that despite not being in “deep” water they were resting on the bottom - indicated by pink agitated lesions on the chin. Now with a general understanding of fish posture, I quickly loop knotted a 1/16oz Death Grip with a larger profile soft plastic and shortly thereafter, a subtle tick and a ferocious headshake validated my decision.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/01/14456_1542554559900-1.jpeg\")
In reality, it’s the tandem that led to success but personally I think the jighead was the key component. Aside from exceptional hook quality, it has a super unique keeper that not only adds longevity to your soft plastic but extends the glidepath of larger darter style baits. Traditional jigheads frontload all of the weight on the front of your lure, but these disperse the weight evenly from the front through the shank of the hook. When threaded with a soft plastic, especially longer profiles (5-6”) it offers more of a horizontal descent versus straight up and down. In shallow water situations with an abundance of shell and rock this can help you fish the column more efficiently. By having that extended glide path, your offering won’t dig into the jagged substrate, but instead let you focus your efforts on each part of the water column.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/01/20181208_123455.jpg\")
As previously mentioned, these jigheads are super nice. Made by Capt Lane Zimmer, a full time charter captain from South Louisiana, he recognized the need for a quality jig head to use with his clients. Now packaged and sold in stores, he offers 5 sizes, 1/16oz, 1/8oz, 1/4oz, 3/8oz and 1/2oz.
\nPoured on stout 2/0 black nickle hooks, they are sold in packs of 5 for $4.99 which is comparable to other brands of equal or lesser quality.
\nIn Deathgrips defense, the most unique quality can also be it’s down side depending on your viewpoint. Since the keeper extends throughout the body, a threaded softplastic can and has lasted upwards of 50+ trout. However, if trout aren’t responding to that plastic color or profile, a change can be cumbersome and once a plastic is removed its simply unusable. To counteract that issue, I do a few things. First, I simply retie a fresh jighead threaded with a new color or softplastic brand. While wading, I typically have a pack of 1/16oz or 1/8oz in my wading jacket along with a few packs of softplatic brands I feel will be productive that day. This makes for quick accessibility and allows me to be more efficient. While on a boat, I pre-rig a few colors on various sizes, and retie as appropriate. I know this is an extreme case, but unthreading a plastic from these heads is pretty cumbersome….trust me!
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2019/01/20180821_120159.jpg\")
As mentioned in my opening story, these jigs, especially the 1/16oz really do offer unique fishability. They’ve quickly become my all purpose light jighead while fishing skinny water with big tails. I strongly encourage you to take a look at Capt Lane’s products and consider adding them to your arsenal.
\nAs we progress to a season with longer days and milder temps, I can’t express enough the need to stay versatile during this time dictated by old man winter. So until then, keep grinding and good fishing!
\nTight lines and God Bless.
\nChris
Last year was a resounding success for the Dirty 30 Program. As stated we had 59 entries in the inaugural year across 5 of the 9 different states (TX, MS, AL, FL & NC), but like anything there is always room for improvement. Since our focus lies purely with data collection, there is something to be said for capturing trophy trout just mere inches from that magical 30” mark. As a result, we’re starting a Trophy Trout Program for 9 different states (TX, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, SC, NC & VA). Before I get into some program specifics, I want to say that this program is completely separate from the overarching Dirty 30 Program, which is a compilation of all the 30” trout regardless of state affiliation.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/10/Complete-State-Ad-copy.jpg\")
PROGRAM DETAILS
\nUnderstanding completely that a 27” or greater trout from the South Carolina coast is as impressive as a 30” Texas giant feeds directly into growing our data set. By capturing both, regardless of estuary, we now have a larger sample size of fish in a similar class. By having a larger sample size provides us greater fidelity to how we target, and even more important, how we manage this special subset of fish. As a result, we created this program for trout 27” or greater but less than 30”. The program will start 1 Oct 2018 and run through 30 Sep 2019.
\n*As aforementioned, this is a program for each of the 9 states:
\nVirginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas
HOW DO I ENTER A FISH?
\nLike the Dirty 30 Program, each entry is free and can be submitted in a variety of ways.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/10/Texas-copy.jpg\")
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED?
\nIn order for us to accurately capture your catch we will need to provide the following:
\nIMPORTANT: Fish/Pictures without a measuring device will NOT be accepted
\nWHAT DO I GET?
\nFor each valid submission, each participant will receive a State Sticker specifically drawn by Brandon Finnorn at The Bonnie Fly (www.thebonniefly.com) For fish caught/submitted on estuaries with bordering waters (Biloxi Marsh, Sabine, etc…) the State Sticker will be issued for the waters where the fish was actually caught, not the home address of the participant.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/10/Florida-copy.jpg\")
OTHER PROGRAM DETAILS
\nAs with the Dirty 30 program, we are embarking into the unknown of how this will truly play out. However, after witnessing the incredible support all of our followers displayed I have no doubt that this will be as equally as successful and popular.
\nSo now with a basis of guidelines set, I wish each of you a productive Trophy Trout Season.
\nTight lines and God Bless!
\nChris
![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/10/LA-Sportsman-Thumbnail.jpg\")
Last October we launched our Dirty 30 Citation program. Semi uncertain as to the participation across the fisheries, we were pleased and appreciative of all the love it received. Now almost a year later, we’re putting the finishing touches on making this program bigger and better. However, before we look ahead to 2018-2019, I’d like to examine some of the data and theorize on a macro level what we’ve found during the program’s inaugural year.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/09/Dirty-30-Page-1-copy.jpg\")
In 2017-2018, there were 57 official entries into the citation program. With a data set that spanned 365 days, my intent was to determine trends for “seasonal harvest” “method of harvest” “location of harvest” and catch and release and theorize any and all correlations supported through data analysis. So without further delay let’s proceed.
\nIn full transparency, I personally theorized that most trout 30 inches or larger would be caught during the coldest months of the year. Personal experience, along with a myriad of articles, Television personalities and social media profiles steered me to that conclusion. As a result, I broke down the entries into “seasons of harvest” to see if there was any fidelity to my initial notion. Fall ranged from Oct – Dec, Winter, Jan – Mar, Spring, Apr – Jul, and Summer, Jul – Sep. Looking at the official list, it was surprisingly even across the board. Fall had a total of 14, Winter did have the most with 16, Spring had the lowest at 12, and Summer had a surprising 15 fish entered. The month(s) with the most entries were December and June with 10 total entries a piece.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/09/FB_IMG_1537713709420.jpg\")
In addition to seasons of harvest, I asked each participant to provide me the lure or method of choice (Live or artificial). 40 of the 57 trout were caught on artificial lures, but even more telling was the method of harvest per time of year. Of the 14 fish harvested in the fall, 13 were caught of artificial, of the 17 caught in winter, 14 were caught on arty’s. Spring was split 6 and 6 and summer had 1 more fish caught on live bait than its plastic counterpart (8/7).
\nLocation of harvest, as you would imagine, would either be Florida or Texas and the overwhelming majority were from either of those states. Other states represented were North Carolina with 2 and Nick Creamer held it down for Alabama with the only Dirty 30 in the Heart of Dixie. Florida registered 9 Dirty 30’s, the majority coming from the East Coast. While Texas anglers registered 45 citations that ranged from the upper coast all the way to the lower Laguna Madre. Having said all that, I ask you as you read this, to keep in mind that this program is only as big as the reach of Speckled Truth. With it being such a young program and Speckled Truth as a brand having pockets of reach across the fisheries, it can skew the data to a certain state or area. As you would suspect, our biggest following is in Texas but as we and the program continues to grow I can only hope to see more participation from all states, but I’ll leave that to each of you to spread the word! (hint/hint)
\nThe last item worth noting was the catch and release ratio. Of the 57 fish entered, 42 were released to fight another day. Aside from a fundamental shift in mindset to conservation this data hopefully proves that there is a great appreciation and respect for fish this size. Keeping that in mind, it is worth noting the correlation between method of harvest and catch and release ratio. Of the 17 that were harvested with Live Bait, 8 were not released – 47%. Of the 40 that were harvested via artificials, 7 were not released – 17.5%. Well aware that this is a sensitive topic, I’m purposefully choosing not to offer any insight. Instead, I’d like to encourage all anglers to be responsible with our resource. If a fish is clearly not going to live, keep it. If she is good to go, please consider releasing her to fight another day. I’ve always said it’s about “Self Disciplined Conservation” – take what you need, release the rest! Now that I’m off my soap box, let’s tie some of the data together.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/09/FB_IMG_1537713664100-1.jpg\")
Despite being such a small data set it offers some uncharted insight into understanding these big fish. As an artificial only community with a passion for these trophy fish, my aforementioned thought about colder months tends to hold true. Of the 30 trout registered between Oct and Mar, 3 were harvested using Live Bait. With live bait fisherman and bait in general leaving the scene this means the artificial only angler has a higher percentage of catching that coveted Dirty 30. Another item to examine is the number of trout registered each month. Fall, for example, had 2 trout a piece entered in Oct and Nov, but Dec had 10 total registered. Theories of water temperature decline/incline may prove this is a valid speculation. Jan and Feb also saw decent numbers (Jan – 5; Feb – 3) but another spike in March, 8 total, may validate something about higher swings in water temp could activate feeding behavior. Moon phase, sulunar activity among many other factors also play a big role but with such a small data set it’s to hard to tell. The only thing we can do is keep growing the data set and the only way to do that is keep growing the program.
\nSo as we anticipate a new Dirty 30 citation year please know the foundation started this year and it could not have happened without your support. Anticipate an article with updates on the 2018-2019 program in the next few days and we look forward to making it bigger and better!
\nTight lines and God Bless!
\nChris
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/09/Banner--2--1.jpg\")
The feeling of the Corky “thump” is subtle yet profound. Among trophy trout angling circles it’s a feeling that is known well. It’s a bite transformed into a mythical persona and one that gains steam in conversation when the thermometer retreats from the summer heat. In this second entry of our 4-part series we’ll examine the sink rate and sink profile of some popular Paul Brown Products. We’ll also decide if time of year transcends this bait from ordinary to extraordinary.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/07/FatBoys.jpeg\")
As an early 80’s baby growing up in the city of New Orleans, I was fortunate to remember a time before social media. As I’ve written before, days on the delta weren’t measured by likes and shares but seared into a camera’s film instead. Countless negatives at my parents’ house proved that we liked to fish…a lot. Better yet, magazines and other periodicals gave us insight on a monthly prescription vice the Google key word searches we now live by. In one of those magazines, I remember hearing and reading about the legendary Paul Brown Corky. As I matured and the dawn of the internet I remember visiting www.wadefishing.com In this early internet site, I remember reading posts and gawking at pictures of Texas anglers with larger than normal trout. One thing I distinctly remember was as temperatures cooled, big trout pictures became more prevalent and it never failed that the “Corky” was the lure of choice.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/07/wadefishing.jpg\")
Fast forward to today’s angling climate, it’s clear to see that the dawn of the information age set the foundation to a notional “Corky Season”. In other words, when temperatures got colder, the more effective these baits became. Now with a cult-like following, Paul Brown’s lures litter social media starting 1 October and linger into the better part of spring. So why is that? Are these baits that much more effective in the winter vice summer? In this entry, I want to explore that possibility by examining sink rate and sink profile for a variety of Paul Brown products in various salinity and water temps. Lets first explore how sink rate.
\nSimilar to my first entry, Sink Rate and Sink Profile for Soft Plastic Profiles, I set up a 10 gallon tank at my house. In the tank there is no current and it was filled with normal tap water. I then filmed 5 descents of 6 different lures. These lures were the Fatboy, Fatboy Floater, Corky Original, Devil, Soft Dine and Soft Dine XL. Establishing the foundation, I did this at 0 ppt (parts per thousand) and 71.9 degree water – which means the water column is void of all density. Below is the average of the 5 descents and measured in seconds/foot:
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/07/Water-Temp.jpg\")
Having now established a baseline, I then added a 1.5lbs of Kosher Salt to the 10 gallons. Per my calculations every 1lb of salt equals 10 ppt’s. Also, I chose Kosher salt because I wanted to ensure I was using pure salt with no other additives. In addition to the salt, I also decided to chill the water, using ice, to the lower 50’s to emulate what would be true winter time water temps. Below are the results at 15ppt and 52.3 degrees:
\nTaking it one step further, I wanted to emulate a hypersaline (+30 ppt) estuary like those in Texas and Florida. In order to do that I added another 1.5lbs of salt which is now a total of 3lbs to 10 gallons. Keeping the temperature the same, I measured the descents again and below are the results:
\nNow that we’ve measured sink rates at various salinities and water temps its clear to see that all Paul Brown Products sink slower as salinities go up and water temperatures go down. As anglers, having a sound understanding of the baits sink performance is critical in a sterile environment. This means as wind, tide and water clarity (more particulate in the water column) factor into the equation it may impact sink rates even more. In other words, if I’m wading Port Mansfield in February I can target some skinny water pretty effectively because I know in a sterile environment a Fatboy will sink close to 2 and half seconds/foot. Again factoring in wind and water clarity, it may be even slower which leads to this being an optimal choice for targeting big fish in skinny water.
\nNow that we’ve examined sink rate, let’s look at sink profile.
\nLike sink rate, sink profile is also paramount to visualizing what your presentation looks like to your targeted fish. Also like Entry 1, I filmed each descent and will discuss these after each embedded video.
\nFATBOY
\n\nThe Fatboy is known for its “wobble”. This sort of built in characteristic is what separates this bait from all the others. As you can see in the video, it clearly wobbles side to side as it sinks. Better yet, it sinks perfectly horizontal which give a great profile for big trout to target. It’s sink profile did not change between salinities, just the sink rate.
\nFATBOY FLOATER
\n\nContrary to popular belief this bait doesn’t float, except at 30 ppt and 51 degrees. Even then it will only float for just about a half second before it starts its descent. Unlike a regular Fat Boy though it doesn’t possess the wobble and instead sinks tail first, albiet really slow when the water gets cold and salty.
\nORIGINAL
\n\nOut of all of the Paul Brown Products tested, the Original had the most consistent sink rate – varying ever so slightly. It also had the most consistent sink profile. Upon entry, it typically righted itself almost immediately and had a very subtle wobble unlike its bigger brother, the Fatboy.\nDEVIL
\n\nThe Devil as you would suspect had the most unique sink profile and like that of the soft plastics previously tested, its sink profile emulated a darter style bait. Every time it entered the water it sank head slightly forward and tail up. In addition, it gently glided through the water column even with no current. It’s profile also did not change with increased salinity levels.\nSOFT DINE
\n\nThis was an interesting find for me because I was really surprised at how much a regular soft dine wobbled upon descent. In stature, this is a much smaller profile than a Fatboy but it possessed all of the same characteristics – horizontal descent, no glide and a ton of wobble. For me that was good to see because it offers a great alternative to its bigger profile cousin.
\nSOFT DINE XL
\n\nLike the regular Soft Dine, I thought it would have a pronounced wobble, but shockingly it didn’t. Instead it had a regular sink profile – little to no wobble and a horizontal descent. It also glided a little more than the regular.
\nAs aforementioned, images on high gloss pages in the mid 90’s presented the notion that these baits transcended their performance once the temperatures fell. For me, now with tangible evidence, it’s safe to say that Corky Season is indeed a real thing. Let’s examine why for a minute.
\nThe first is water levels. Regardless of estuary, water levels in the winter time typically get lower. However, with a lowering water level mean, these baits slow their descent rate tremendously as the water gets colder. In other words, this means that you can still fish these baits consistently and confidently where trophy trout roam – skinny flats earmarked with deep water nearby.
\nThe second, and most important, it imitates a finfish. Trophy trout in the winter time in South Texas can be found in surprisingly skinny water. Also in the winter time, most other forage for big trout have now vacated the shallow flats, leaving typically mullet and other small trout as their main forage. So confidently fishing a bait that performs better in a shrinking water column coupled with a mullet profile imitation, can lend itself to some epic winter time trophy trout action.
\nHaving said all of this, I’m not dismissing the notion that these baits don’t work year round. I’m just saying the characteristics these baits possess in the winter time vice the summer lend themselves to being that much more productive.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/07/9157_1511270054518-1.jpeg\")
Despite having a sound understanding and a tremendous amount of success with these baits I can honestly say I’ve learned a lot by doing this experiment. Watching each descent coupled with now having tangible sink rate data, I can confidently go back in memory and see why one of these was successful. It goes without saying that these baits perform differently given the water temp and salinity levels in your estuary, and whether you fish from North Carolina to South Texas I encourage you to reflect back as to why these may have been successful.
\nAs we continue to navigate the summer heat and look forward to the cooler temperatures ahead, I encourage you to look forward to the possibility these baits possess. After all, it’s not that much longer of a wait. So until the next entry, Hard Plastic suspend style baits, never stop learning and keep pluggin’.
\nTight Lines and God Bless!
\nChris
Growing up the son of a trout fishing machine, my classroom outside of school was located somewhere on the Louisiana Delta. Weekend after weekend, I’d garner first-hand knowledge of how to target our favorite quarry while wearing out the route down LA23. During each of those trips, my dad not only taught me how to read the water and choose the correct presentation, but seared into my memory of “visualizing where my bait was and what it was doing.” In this 4-part series of articles, I’d like to bring my dad’s train of thought to life. From sink rate analysis to underwater video profiles – the goal is to give you a better understanding of what’s going on below the surface with various techniques.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/06/9517_1513288249897--2-.jpeg\")
In this first article, I’d like to focus on jigs paired with Soft Plastics. If you’re a follower of the page you may remember my recent article Jig Head Selection and Soft Plastic Profiles. In that piece, I elaborated on how jig head styles paired with certain profile baits can bring out unique qualities of the soft plastic. Taking it one step further, I’d like to focus on sink rate and descent profile and see those qualities in action and how they may differ from profile and brand.
\nWhat this article will not do is delineate one supreme bait that everyone needs to buy. Instead, it’s to equip you with the knowledge of a bait, or brand, before you take it out of the package. Let’s face it, all soft plastics catch fish, but they don’t catch fish all the time – knowing when to throw a certain bait is half the battle. So without further delay, let’s begin.
\nCOVERING IT ALL
\nIn these reviews, I’ll cover sink rate, sink profile and give some general observations from the aforementioned and the underwater footage.
\nThe 7 soft plastics I chose are:
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/06/The-Lineup.jpg\")
I chose these to get a good mix of length and body type. Also, before someone asks, salt was added to the water and the water temperature was 75 degrees. Additionally no current was added to the tank, and completely understand tide and wind could impact the performance from the information gathered.
\nTo determine Sink rate, I timed the descent from surface to bottom using individual videos from 5 different attempts. I did this separately so I could focus on each task individually (i.e dropping the bait and timing the descent). To keep it controlled, I used a 1/16oz Death Grip Jighead on each soft plastic. The idea was to see if there was a noticeable difference in descent time.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/06/Death-Grip.jpg\")
For Sink Profile, I tried to capture in slow motion video, any nuances a bait displayed upon descent. Video’s of this are added below.
\nAgain, this first article of the series will focus on soft plastics paired with jig heads, but series 2-4 will be Paul Brown Products (Fat Boys, Original Corkies, Devils and Soft Dines), Hard Plastic Suspend Baits (Yo-Zuri, MirrOlure and Unfair) and finally Soft Plastics paired with leadbelly swimbait jigs.
\nSINK RATE
\nContour, Depth and Texture are paramount for us as anglers. Individually they harbor certain qualities but together they determine our success. Texture is pretty easy. From oysters, sand, mud and grass -knowing what you’re fishing is invaluable. This can dictate type of retrieve as well as your cadence for whatever technique you choose.
\nContour and Depth, on the other hand, typically complement each other. Contour is specific to bottom angulations like Drop offs, Flats or extending points. While depth dictates the amount of water over that specific geographical feature. Understanding this can optimize your presentation selection, which will maximize your baits time in the strike zone. This is why sink rate is so important.
\nBelow is a list of the sink rates for each soft plastic I chose to test.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/06/Sink-Rate-List.jpg\")
As you can see by the results, the Ghost Minnow by far had the quickest descent through the water column. To me, that was no surprise mainly because of the body profile. Darter style baits like that of the Ghost Minnow and the Cajun Lure are designed to allow you to fish deeper despite going lighter in jig head weight. That was the initial thought going into the study and as it turns out the numbers didn’t lie.
\nOne surprise that stood out to me was the KWiggler and the Down South Lure (DSL). Initially, I thought those numbers would’ve been inverted (KWiggler being faster than the DSL) but as you can see DSL was a shade behind the Darter Profiles.
\nAnother surprise was how different the 2 paddle tail style soft plastics varied in sink rate. The Matrix shad was much faster than the Bayou Chub, and the only thing I can attribute that to was the descent profile. The Bayou Chub didn’t have as tight of descent like the Matrix Shad. More on that below…
\nSINK PROFILE
\nFor this particular section, I’ll let the videos do the majority of the talking. At the end I’ll offer some observations but I must say watching a bait twitch and fall in slow motion is beyond addicting. Enjoy!
\nMatrix Shad
\n\nAs you can see the Matrix shad has excellent action on the rise vice the descent. Also notice how compact the bait stays when it drops. To me this video clearly shows why this is such a versatile jig, and why people are productive fishing it in 2 to 20’ of water.
\nEgret Bayou Chub
\n\nLike the Matrix shad, the Bayou Chub has great action on the rise, but on the descent you can see why it falls slower through the water column. After twitching it up, the soft plastic is so thin and pliable that the bait literally folds before it makes its descent. As a result of that pliability, it does offer more action than the matrix shad on the descent.
\nDown South Lure
\n\nMichael Bosse, the owner of Down South Lures, hashtags “swims on the fall” on all of his social media posts and after watching this bait in slow motion, it clearly #swimsonthefall. Not only that, it has a great descent rate, medium profile and superb action. Needless to say I can see why it’s littering the Speckled Truth Dirty 30 Citation List.
\nKWiggler BTS
\n\nThe biggest thing that stood out to me with the KWiggler was how it fell through the water column. Twitched like all the other baits on the list, not once did it fall in the same predictable manner. Instead, it sometimes fell nose first, tail first and even glided side to side. To me, it’s clearly not a deepwater bait, especially with the slowest descent time. Having said that, if your fishing shallow flats looking for an unpredictable horizontal descent, the KWiggler BTS will provide that capability.
\nGambler Flap’N Shad
\n\nA freshwater bait in most saltwater anglers wade boxes its clear to see why this bait produces. The bait has great action both on the rise and the fall, but it’s distinctly better on the rise. The tail sweeps so much while it ascends, but on impact with the bottom, the pliability offers continued action. It also fell in a predictable manner and had a pretty solid sink rate despite being a 6” soft plastic.
\nCajun Lure T-John
\n\nOne thing that stood out to me with the T-John was how much action it had while the bait was being twitched. For such a short, stout bait, the plastic is still pretty pliable and affords not only the desired darting action but secondary action as well.
\nCapt Lane’s Ghost Minnow
\n\nBesides being the fastest on the sink rate chart. It also topped the descent profile by having the least action. Not to say that’s a bad thing, it’s just something to consider while working this bait. Don’t expect secondary action, instead work it with intent to get a reaction strike from deepwater trout.
\nGENERAL OBSERVATIONS
\nTo start, I’m a trout geek. I truly enjoy these studies and learning as much as I can about all facets of this trout fishing game. Having said that, I confirmed a couple of things statistically, like darter profiles having a faster sink rate and KWiggler’s wanting to stay horizontal on the descent. On the other hand, I learned a tremendous amount about how soft plastics respond in the water. One surprise was how tight the Matrix shad stayed on the rise and fall despite having such a big paddle tail. Another was the exaggerated flutter of the Gambler while ascending and on impact after the fall. However, my greatest take away was how much action the DSL packed on the rise and the fall in such a short amount of time (sink rate). In other words, if I’m fishing a knee deep flat I know that I can optimize the action of my offering by throwing a DSL. It not only will allow you to cover water, but the bait will kick from the second it hits the water till the time you pick it up for the next cast. In a similar sense, there are times when it can have too much action. This can be especially true when throwing to wary fish - just something to keep in mind.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/06/2018-04-23_08.57.32-3.jpg\")
CLOSING IT OUT
\nAs stated in the introduction, there is no magic soft plastic. Instead I encourage you to focus on the unique qualities each bait/profile offers and study when and where those qualities will be effective. So until Entry 2 of the series, keep plugging and keep learning – consistency awaits.
\nTight lines and God Bless!
\nChris
It was quiet and still.
\nSo still in fact that the steam from my coffee cup gave great indication to the wind forecast - or lacktherof. Better yet, a glowing east sky provided a beautiful backdrop silhouetting palm trees on the barely present bank to the hum of an idling engine. The Northern Mosquito Lagoon is a wonderful estuary. Ever since I was a little kid, Flip Pallot’s words brought to life this majestic place during an episode of Walkers Cay Chronicles. I’d watch from my childhood home in New Orleans and let his narrative guide my imagination to a place I’d thought I’d never stand. Fortunately, life never stops and through a twist of fate, I got to see Flip’s words in the flesh.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Grass-1.jpg\")
As a faint orange light turned into a golden glow, my partner’s Hells Bay responded intently to his gentle command as he navigated the channels of the lagoon. Like we often do, we had trout on the brain. With each turn opening into a new body of water we effortlessly glided into the unknown leaving a trail of breadcrumbs signified by crab traps in a bubbling wake. Knowing we had to key on grass, he knew just the right spot and in no time the engine turned off and the push pole came out. As we perched on our stands and squinted down it was evident that the water was clear. Sand, the primary structure, provided eloquent bottom angulation which eventually gave way to the lifeblood of the lagoon – seagrass.
\nAs we carefully drifted into a cove, mullet and other forms of prey dimpled the motionless water. Actually, my MirrOlure Top Pup created most of the surface action and for the next hour did most of the talking. Fortunately the language it spoke wasn’t appreciated as it drew discontent from a few of the big trout present. Unfortunately, my line wasn’t so much up to the task and decided it would break from its sole purpose – such is life. For the next several hours we grinded out a few areas, with only a handful of trout willing to say hello. However, with clear water and clear skies, each drift we made my partner nodded in disgust. It wasn’t our inability to catch fish or the level of commitment each trout lacked but the simple absence of grass on each flat we drifted. What was once pastures of flowing grass has now been reduced to pockets of stubble and filmy green algae - disheartening to say the least. I can empathize with his heartbreak, mainly because I’ve witnessed the ebbs and flows of the water quality issues that plague the Florida East Coast. In merely 2 years as a resident, I’ve witnessed the Banana River rebound from the largest fish kill on record only to turn back to a brown tide rust-like body of water caused by raw sewage and fertilizer runoff. A once flourishing estuary, with world class trout, has recessed into the great depression of fishing. Year after year brown tides bloom, and although it’s a natural response, it’s biologically fueled by greed from Big Sugar among other things.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Jay-Wright.jpg\")
Unfortunately I wish I could stop there, but 4 of our 9 states that have speckled trout possess fundamental issues that shake the foundation of their fisheries. From North Carolina and Mississippi’s commercial netting issues to Louisiana’s Public Land Access it’s clear that many challenges exist and threaten a pastime that shapes the fabric of how we live. As a recreational angler and licensed charter captain, I also shoulder some of the blame. Ego and industry-assuredness has led me to poor judgement on many occasions. Fueled by social media status, speckled trout casualties line docks and boats for the simplicity of a “like” or a share. In short, I’m not perfect, and I don’t claim to be, but I’m trying to do better. Not only am I challenging myself to be a better angler, but I’m challenging myself to be a better steward of the resource.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Commercial-1.jpg\")
I have a tremendous passion for speckled trout fishing and chances are if you’re reading this, you do too. As a result, I would encourage you to do the same and educate yourself on issues or challenges that stare us in the face. Exercise your right to vote those politicians that share your vision and discipline yourself to attend public hearings or town halls. In addition, join or attend local chapter meetings for established organizations like CCA or Captains for Clean Water. Strength in numbers from the recreational side never hurt, but if that’s not your intent you at least have a forum to share concerns with other like-minded fisherman.
\nUnlike that day in the Northern Mosquito Lagoon, a gale force of concerns threatens our speckled trout fisheries. The choppy, undesirable conditions present a host of unforeseen challenges unlike the smooth calm seas I witnessed with every bend of the Florida landscape. Yet I’m still encouraged. Never in my life would I have ever imagined I’d pitch a bait to an 8+lb Florida trout, but fate brought me here to be inspired to ensure my children have the same opportunity in whichever fishery life takes them too.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Ramsey.jpg\")
So in closing, breathe deep the salty humid air, challenge yourself to be a better steward of the resource and pushpole your way to making a difference.
\nTight lines and God Bless!
\nChris
Jig Head styles and soft plastic profiles are vitally important to targeting big trout. In the below tables, we've outlines some popular Jig Head Styles and recommended soft plastic profile pairings.
\nAll that said, in the world of fishing there are no absolutes and exploring brands with various jig head styles is what makes targeting big trout so fun.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Jig-Head-1-1.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Jig-Head-2.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/04/Jig-Head-3.jpg\")
Fundamentally, how I targeted bigger trout came on the Eastern shoreline of Four Horse Lake in the Delacroix, Louisiana estuary in November 2003. That particular day, my best friend and long-time fishing partner, Brandon Treadaway, handed me at the time a “new” Catch 5 made by MirrOlure and the rest was history. We proceeded to catch a beautiful limit of healthy speckled trout at the mouth of a drain from an interior marsh bayou. Bait and other forage gracefully poured from the delta pantry and the trout, willing to be gluttonous, appreciated our offering.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/03/Brandon.jpg\")
So why am I telling you this?
\nSimple, I haven’t used a Catch 5 since 2012 and honestly I’m not sure why. It, as well as other tried and true MirrOlure products, etched their way into the lure making industry, and became the cornerstone for many of the newer companies seeking the same. Lures like the Catch 5, Catch 2000, Catch Jr. and 52 MR proved pivotal for many of us “artificial only” guys. Yet for some reason, we’ve lost sight of their productivity, or at least I have. That is until I came across a Jacksonville, Florida native Eddie Cabler.
\nLike many of you, Eddie is a follower of the page and chooses to humbly rests in the shadows of our community, despite being incredibly productive and well respected as an angler in that area. Seeking to learn more, we shared “follows” on Instagram and after about 30 seconds scanning pictures of huge trout, you can see why he’s been featured on TV and in many fishing magazines. One thing I found interesting though was his lure selection. In the majority of his pictures, Catch 2000’s and others from “The Forgotten” hang delicately from the toothy yellow canvas of a gator trout. In an effort to better understand his lure choice we exchanged messages, to which he gave me permission to share in this article. Additionally, I reached out to another close friend and personally admired angler from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Captain Glenn Ellis, because of his unwavering commitment to throwing these baits. Not only has he continued his success, but many of our outings together were spent using these baits. Also, I feel by having 2 perspectives leads to better understanding and hopefully, for me, reimplementation of these classics.
\n![\"\"](\"/content/images/2018/03/Glenn-1.jpeg\")
52 MR
\nThe 52 MR, by definition, is a sinking twitchbait. Verfied both by Eddie, Glenn and MirrOlure’s website, the bait sinks about a 1’/second, weighs a 1/2oz and is 3 5/8” long. With the line eyelet on top of the baits head, its design is to fish greater than 3’ of water with a horizontal decent. For this particular lure, Eddie uses a 6’9” Fenwick Work Class Rod with an Abu Garcia SX Spooled with 30lb Spiderwire Invisabraid tipped with a 4’ piece of 15lb flourocarbon leader (no preference). Optimal conditions he likes to throw this bait are in water temps ranging from 45 to 55 degrees. He then stated that one of key characteristics to fishing this lure is what it doesn’t do. Eddie feels that the minimal action this bait provides mimics the mood of the fish and baitfish in his estuary. “I retrieve this lure extremely slow, and every couple of cranks, I’ll give it just the slightest pop.” He compares this lure to a freshwater glidebait, and feels most confident when fish are sitting deeper in the water column (6-12’). Capt Glenn concurs, but states that he gives a little more action to the bait, “simply to add a little more flash.”
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Catch 2000 & Catch Jr.
\nThese baits were and still are fish catching machines. Both listed under the “Classics” tab on MirrOlure’s website the Catch 2000 is 3 ½” long and weighs the same as the 52 MR. The Catch Jr. is slightly less at 3” long and weighs 3/8 of an ounce. Designed to fish 3’ or less, it’s been “scientifically weighted to achieve neutral buoyancy at 10-16” in the water column. Shaped like mullets and targeting the part of water column mullets occupy it’s no wonder this bait has been a top producer for so long. Both Glenn and Eddie were quick to fire back and say that this is one of their favorite baits. They both throw them year round, but have found better success in certain times of the year. Eddie’s favorite time of the year is Spring – Fall vice Glenn’s which is November – April. They both distinctly stated they feel like they can “aggravate a fish” into eating their offering. In their preferred times, they both employ profound twitch cadences with notable pauses. Eddie stated that he almost “dead sticks” the bait after his cadence and urged that’s often when they hit it (when it’s sitting still). Glenn, verbatim, said the same thing but he called it “hovering”. Both feel that the bait is overlooked by many inshore anglers mainly due to the birth of the 17MR (MirrOdine), and personally, I can attest to that being true. But it still doesn’t discount the specific job the Catch 2000 can employ, and that is to fish skinny and imitate mullet.
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Catch 5
\nThe Catch 5 is a little younger in production than the aforementioned, but like the other 2 has fallen by the wayside for me as an angler. With a great profile (3 ½”) and weight (3/4oz) the versatility of this bait is truly endless. As mentioned in my opening story, 2003 was the first time I tied a loop knot to catch 5 and although I don’t use it currently, it’s good to know it’s still producing across state lines. For Eddie, he primarily throws it in the late summer and fall. Glenn, on the other hand, uses it all year especially at night or in off-colored water. He correlates its production to the sound and profile or when conditions aren’t exactly perfect. Eddie did have one absolute and that is he never throws it in the winter. Glenn will still throw in some wintertime situations, but his technique changes entirely. Instead of twitching it in cold water situations, he’ll just straight retrieve very slowly and let the “wobble” produce flash. All in all though, they both ensure a catch 5 is part of their arsenal, and encourage us to do the same.
\nWRAPPING IT ALL UP
\nThe old adage, fishing lures are designed to catch fisherman and not fish, truly applies to me in this case. My angling ambitions to find the “next best thing” has caused me to lose confidence in the very baits that helped me develop as a junior angler. Fortunately, like most things do, our re connection has come full circle. In the next couple of months as I wait to move back to the TX Coast, I’ll reemerge these baits from their dusty bins and reflect on my forgotten fishing memories of when I once used them. I’m certain I’ll employ a pair of split ring pliers to change the rusty gnarled hooks earmarking their productive past. And, during that time, I’ll reflect on trips with those that helped me along the way. So, in an effort to encourage you to not make the same mistake I did, remember where you came from and never forget what was once forgotten.
\nTight Lines and God Bless!
\nChris
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