Fall speckled trout fishing

MOBILE BAY, Ala. - Muddy water coming down the rivers has flushed the shrimp out into Mobile Bay. Fresh water has pushed most of the saltwater fish south of I-10. This is common in the spring, but unusual for this time of the year. More water coming down from the upstate early next week will keep the fish farther south this fall.

I fished with Captain Lynn Pridgen  and we targeted speckled trout under flocks of sea gulls. The birds show you where the fish are. We used popping corks, and double lead head rigs. I used locally made No Slack Tackle corks and lead heads.

You want a good sturdy popping cork, and a three foot leader, with two 1/8 oz heads. I used a smoke colored sparkle beetle. Lynn was using a chartreuse sparkle beetle, on a double rig without a cork.

You will catch undersized fish, and the trout under 14” have to be released. You can keep 10 trout over 14”. It’s not uncommon to find a good school and catch them two at a time.

For more information about fishing with Captain Lynn Pridgen check out his website at www.captlynnsinshoreadventures.com and here's the link for more information about the locally made tackle http://noslacktackle.com.