Weakfish are a big bonus for speckled trout fishermen

Gray trout are often caught on the same lures, in the same areas, as the more-popular speckled trout.

While most anglers who catch summer trout are targeting spotted seatrout exclusively, other species will torpedo lures intended for specks. One of the best of these bonus species is the gray trout, aka weakfish, so-called for its weak mouth. However, a mouthful of treble hooks that snags one usually holds it tightly all the way to the boat.

The reason gray trout mix with speckled trout is that the baitfish on which both species feed often occur in the same waters and they are attracted to the same type of structure. Anglers should be casting to deep holes, ledges and navigation channel edges, along with hard structure adjacent to deep water such as jetties, boat docks, oyster beds and sea walls.

Other species that strike lures fished for summer specks include flounder, red drum and ladyfish, which are high on the “good-fish” list. On the “bad-fish” list are bluefish and sharks, which can bite through the leader and leave with expensive lures. Anglers do not use wire leaders for speckled trout because the fish are notoriously leader-shy, and the wire can impair the action of the lure.

About Mike Marsh 356 Articles
Mike Marsh is a freelance outdoor writer in Wilmington, N.C. His latest book, Fishing North Carolina, and other titles, are available at www.mikemarshoutdoors.com.

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