Speckled trout feast on the thousands of small minnows and juvenile fish that invade the estuaries in summer. Georgetown is flooded with primary nursery grounds, and speckled trout fill their bellies at every available chance. Trout are not the only predator taking advantage of these groceries, either. Birds of various genus and species hone in on these confused schools of juvenile fishes and pick off their daily meals simultaneously.
Steve Roff of Barrier Island Guide Service keeps an eye out for terns and sea gulls when scouting for prime trout areas.
“Watch for birds feeding consistently in one area, picking at bait around oyster habitat,” he said.
Birds and trout have the same objective, but birds are much easier to spot. Roff recommends approaching using a trolling motor and anchoring far enough away from the feeding frenzy to prevent spooking the fish.
Birds consistently picking at one spot reveal available forage fish near the surface and the predator fish down below, but speckled trout may not be the only predator fish riding to feed. Be prepared to connect to a fat redfish, flounder, or even a jumbo channel bass in these same locales.
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