Keith Lusher 01.08.24
![Drop Shotting for Winter Speckled Trout](https://outdoorhub-res.cloudinary.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:low,w_auto,dpr_auto/https://cdn.outdoorhub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Screen-Shot-2024-01-02-at-8.59.55-PM-460x600.png)
Drop shotting is a well-liked technique utilized by numerous anglers who goal bass, however within the saltwater world, it isn’t as well-liked. For many speckled trout anglers a weighted jig head on some type of plastic minnow serves as their go-to technique of catching fish – I do know it’s definitely my most well-liked solution to fish. On my newest fishing journey, nevertheless, I used to be launched to a rig that I’ve by no means used whereas fishing for speckled trout – The drop shot rig!
My journey started early as I met Danny Hunter of New Orleans Finest Charters on the boat launch. It was 5:00 a.m. and really chilly. As Hunter gunned the engine we each put our hoods on and tied the strings. (55 mph + 30 levels isn’t mixture) The solar was barely peaking over the horizon as we pulled as much as our first spot. It was a neighborhood fish gap in Jap New Orleans often called the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). This spot is thought for its nice manufacturing of speckled trout through the chilly winter months due to its depth. The canal depth is attributed to dredging which makes it preferrred for giant ships and barges to move by way of. The ship channel accommodates depths of 40 ft in some locations.
I began throwing my customary plastic shad on a 3/8 oz. jighead and Hunter was utilizing an in-line drop shot hook with a 1-oz. financial institution sinker. He was utilizing a small 3-inch Zoom Tiny Fluke within the Smokin Shad coloration. “With the water so filter out right here, all you really want is a naturally coloured lure to get the fish to chunk,” Hunter mentioned. After his fourth solid of the morning, Hunter set the hook on a 14-inch speckled trout and tossed it into the ice field.
After he made a couple of extra casts, Captain Hunter had our second fish of the day. I then determined to look at how he was working the drop-shot rig in order that I might replicate his outcomes. He was casting his line out and letting the load sink all the best way to the underside. Then he barely dragged the load on the underside lifting his rod with each 4 or 5 revolutions of the reel. I did precisely what he was doing however got here up empty. After watching Hunter put the third fish into the boat I made a decision to modify over to the drop shot rig. Instantly I noticed outcomes as I used to be capable of really feel the chunk and set the hook on a 13-inch speck. “The drop shot rig presents the lure extra naturally. With a jighead, you might have an up and down movement, however with the drop shot rig, that lure stays horizontal and stays within the strike zone for suspended fish,” he mentioned.
We fished that very same deep gap within the ship channel for about three hours and have been capable of catch about 30 speckled trout utilizing the drop shot rig. I’ll say that the throw-back-to-keeper ratio was 5-1 with most of our fish being 12 inches. The brand new speckled trout laws that went into impact in December for Louisiana performed an enormous half in what number of specks we threw again. Hunter mentioned it ought to stay this manner till the brand new laws begin leading to 13-inch keepers. “It’s going to be a grind for some time with numerous throwback trout however all-in-all I feel we’ll get used to it and it’s going to lead to extra high quality trout, he mentioned. Ultimately, we managed a 2-man restrict of trout however extra importantly, I discovered a brand new method that I beforehand solely used whereas bass fishing. Drop-shotting specks will certainly be a technique that I incorporate sooner or later when on the lookout for cussed trout through the mid-winter months!