That’s Dr. Ken Neill holding up a real gator of a speckled trout before tagging it and releasing it. Thanks for the shot, doc.
Neill isn’t just out enjoying a sunrise on the water, tossing lures to hopefully hungry trout and puppy drum.
He’s participating in the fall right of passage and a tradition so strong in this area that most of it was largely secretive for decades.
Watch an old timer catch a speck and never take it out of the water or bringing up the bait they were using because other boats might steal vital information.
Locations and lures were almost top secret.
Lures quickly became known, as all the traditionalists threw head-headed baits with white bodies.
But just where the fish were wasn’t much shared.
All that started to change as the fish gained superstar status among local anglers. Populations of fish grew and honey holes to find them in became numerous.
More and more anglers wanted to get in on the action.
Now fall speckled trout fishing can become nothing shy of a zoo.
Thank the internet, where any and all information is much more widely known.
And when the fish are turned on, anglers in everything from small center consoles to kayaks likely will be hitting their favorite spots.
You’ll see boats in nearly all Eastern Shore coastal creeks and throughout the lower east shorelines. They’ll be stacked up in Rudee, Lynnhaven and Little Creek inlets and throughout portions of the Elizabeth River.
The mouths of the Nansemond, James and York rivers and areas around Back Creek the the Poquoson Flats will feature friendly competition.
Where they can find room, anglers are will trying, with much success, the shoreline.
There’s even a few weeks when jumbo trout show around the south islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Lures? Obviously made to catch more anglers then fish, come in a large variety of hard and soft plastics and in a bazillion colors.
Some lure colors work better than others depending on the clarity of the water, but I’m not talking.
Many anglers still sway to using live shrimp under popping corks. Don’t laugh, they catch a lot of fish.
But being a freshwater largemouth bass guy, I will say there is a lure most saltwater anglers would never think of.
Spinnerbaits.
Cast them close to rocks and expect puppy drum to join the party.
So as we look for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt in preparation for some cooler fall weather inshore fishing, remember – it’s not so much about fishing.
Toss in friendship, closeness to Mother Nature and a love of searching for fall trout and you understand the equation.
To read more of my work, go to: leetolliveroutdoors.com
