Have you ever been out fishing for speckled trout and caught several in a row that make a croaking noise?
Those are males. According to studies, the ability of the male to produce this sound comes out during courtship and when distressed. The croaking occurs because of the contraction of sonic muscles on either side of their swim bladder.
If you multiple males in a row you’re actually in a good location for a big female as males will gather in spawning aggregations to “croak” and attract females.
Spawning takes place in nearshore and estuarine waters when water temperature and salinity are favorable, specifically between 77 to 86 °F and 17 to 35 ppt (parts per thousand). Knowing this, anglers should monitor local water conditions to determine the optimal times for fishing.
Male spotted seatrout aggregate in areas with good tidal current flow. These include:
- Shallow bays and lagoons
- Deeper channels and depressions close to grass flats
These locations provide the ideal environment for males to gather and attract females by croaking. Males often begin their drumming near sunset, with spawning activity usually continuing until about midnight. Therefore, evening and early night are prime times although they will sometimes gather early in the morning and also in the afternoon.
It’s an obscure tip but one that could lead to big catches.
It might be worth staying in an area if you’re catching croaking specks and having a rod with a big topwater or a slow-sinking lure tied on to see if the big girls are moving in to see the boys.
