Specks of a Different Color

Live bait often will work in winter when artificial lures fail.

Wilmington-area anglers head for the Brunswick River during winter when they want to load the boat with gator trout.

Boats lining the banks of the Brunswick River south of the U.S. 17-74-76 Bridge between Leland and Wilmington have become part of the winter scenery. They create a flotilla rivaling the cruisers in Banks Channel during a busy summer weekend.

The air temperature and water temperature are obviously much colder in December and January, and the boats are considerably smaller. But dozens of skiffs, john boats and other small river craft are there because of the speckled trout fishing.

One john boat held two anglers. Gary Pszczultkoski and Randall James cast to the shoreline at a river flat where the tide had left a swath of exposed mud.

“I like fishing for speckled trout because they’re good eating,” Pszcsultkoski said. “Sometimes we catch red drum right along with the specks. Occasionally some of the boats also catch a few stripers.”Click here to read more on Specks of a Different Color

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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