PORT O’CONNOR

Reported by CAPT. KIM GOULDEN

Extreme Measures for Trout

 

SPRING IS IN THE AIR and winter trout fishing is loud and proud on the Texas coast. It felt as if summer would never end last year, and the new year hit us with a historic cold front that brought a 35+ degree air-temp drop and 40mph north winds within 12 hours. Fortunately, this is an extreme and not something we deal with often. However, adapting to challenging conditions will be necessary to place your efforts in areas that are more likely to produce a quality trout bite. 

 If you’re targeting big trout, adjusting to the day’s conditions is critical for consistency. Two of the biggest challenges I face are wind direction changes during fishing and wind speed. 

Shifting wind direction can turn the bite on or off. To manage this, I always keep in mind how the wind change is affecting the bait source. Sometimes you can continue fishing the same area and simply adjust your direction. If you stop catching fish and bait activity stops, you may have to move altogether. 

Wind speed plays a big role in where I choose to fish. If I have zero wind, I might fish drop offs to deeper water or around a point. This can be a visual or submerged point. Water tends to naturally move around this structure absent of wind or tidal influence. While it might be subtle, it may be just enough. 

On the flipside, high wind speed can produce challenges, but more often provides opportunity. The wind is your friend because it moves water and creates areas of off-colored water. Trout are ambush predators and will use the dirty water for stealth. Deeper drop offs can be a solid plan on windy days. However, a good trout might just hunt a meal up shallow because it’s easier. I have found big trout in a foot of filthy water enough times to know it’s not an accident. 

 While we all have favorite areas to fish, adjusting your approach to those areas based on the current conditions can produce consistency. Always keep an eye out for the presence of bait and adjust the depth you’re fishing before you leave an area you believe to be holding fish. 

Springtime on the Texas coast is prime fishing season for targeting a true trophy speckled trout. If that’s on your shortlist this year, I hope these tips help you land THE ONE. When you do, grab you a picture in the moment and enjoy watching her swim away knowing the next angler can have the same thrill and catch of a lifetime.