Thursday, October 27, 2005
Pursuing the great speckled trout
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
I thought tarpon fishermen were super secretive. And red drum fishermen were tight-lipped. But I believe speckled trout fishermen are the most clandestine.
Last week when I went speckled trout fishing on the Eastern Shore, my host said, “No story. We keep this to ourselves.”
Speckled trout long have been a favorite of anglers who live within the scent of saltwater. I recall the excitement of catching bluefish in the surf of the Outer Banks in the 60s and 70s, but my guide would curse the blues because, as he claimed, they had chased off all the specks.
Why are speckled trout held in such high esteem? They are a beautiful fish, with the looks of trout you find in the mountains. They readily strike artificial lures, the Mirrorlure being a traditional favorite. They fight hard. I had a 3-pounder leap out of the water like a rainbow trout the other day. They are great for eating; mild without out an oily taste.
They inhabit shallow water, which can make them vulnerable to fishing pressure. This explains the secretiveness of their advocates.
Mild weather and high winds appear to have slowed speckled trout fishing this season in Virginia, but 62 citations have been registered—fish weighing 5 pounds or more. The top speck in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament is an 11-pound, 3-ounce beauty registered by Brain Pomije of Chesapeake. He caught it in the Elizabeth River. At least, that’s his story.
GO WEST FOR RABBITS
Virginia’s rabbit population is down 7.5-percent from last year, according to a major survey of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. But have no fear if you hunt in the Southwest Mountains region of the state. In that region, located west of Roanoke, rabbit observations were reported to be 27 percent above last year.
The greatest decreases were in the Northern (32 percent) and Tidewater (20 percent) areas, according to DGIF small game biologists Pat Cook.
The Piedmont region saw modest gains and the Central Mountain region experienced a modest lost.
“The 22-year rabbit population trend appears to be stable, with annual fluctuations occurring in response to weather conditions,” said Cook.
Rabbit populations have fallen off slightly from a high that occurred in 2003, but hunters with trained hounds and good cover should enjoy a productive season.
DRIVERS: WATCH OUT FOR DEER!
Two-thirds of all deer/vehicle collisions occur October through December. The animal-rights people would have you think that’s because of the deer hunting season. They like to drum up visions of deer crashing through the woods and onto the highways in wild-eyed fear because of hunters.
In reality, hunters don’t trouble deer all that much; rather, deer are killed on roadways this time of the year because it is the breeding season. Hunters call it the rut. It is an intense time of activity for deer.
So it is love, not fear, that puts deer into the grill of vehicles.
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>The Smith Mountain Lake Water Safety Task Force has voted for a 55-mph daytime speed limit on the lake for boats and personal watercraft and a 25 mph nighttime limit. The task force also says it will ask the General Assembly for 10 additional game wardens. Media accounts did not include information on where the money would come from to fund the extra wardens.
>Hunters for the Hungry has received a $50,000 grant from the employees of the Philip Morris Co.
>The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is promoting $3 billion cuts in Farm Bill-authorized programs. Hardest hit are conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program, the Conservation Security Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
>Pam Martin-Wells, winner of the preview event of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour in Lewisville Lake in Texas, is no stranger to tournament fishing or wining. The 42-year old Georgian has won more than $400,000 during 18 years of competitive fishing.
>A new National Shooting Sports Foundation site, www.wingshootingusa.org, offers hunters information on places to hunt birds and win a hut on one of nine preserves.
>South Dakota is using two words to describe its pheasant season: “Record numbers.” Brood counts were the highest in 40 years and the bird-per-mile count is up 21 percent over last year and the best in 10 years.
FISHING REPORT
>Two striped bass pressing above 26-pounds apiece set lake records at Little Creek Reservoir.
>Chickahominy Lake has been yielding good catches of bass. One party of three anglers landed 29 largemouths that weighed up to 3 pounds apiece.
>Anglers are enjoying good catches of crappie at Kerr Lake as these fish come shallow.
>Walleye, hybrids, catfish and bass are offering brisk action at Flannagan Reservoir.
>Brown and rainbow trout are being caught at Lake Moomaw.
>Lee Allison of Sutherland used a spinnerbait to catch Lake Chesdin bass that weighed 5-15, 4-2 and 3-8 pounds.
SALTWATER TOURNAMENT
There is a new leader in the spot category of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 93 pounds, 9 ounces, Willie McWhite, Jr., Richmond, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
COBIA: 96 pounds, Michael Goodove, Virginia Beach, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 4-pounds, 8 ounces, Elliott Souldourian, Virginia Beach, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
DOLPHIN: 52 pounds, Willi Fenske, Hopewell, ocean off Virginia Beach.
FLOUNDER: 17 pounds, 2 ounces, Hopie Firth, Poquoson, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 12 ounces, James Daughtrey III, Suffolk, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TROUT: 12 pounds, 14 ounces, William Flipin, Hayes, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
KING MACKEREL: 47 pounds, Frank Riganto, Virginia Beach off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 2 pounds, Joseph Phelan, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.
POMPANO: 3 pounds, 2 ounces, Mark Ottarson, North, Mobjack Bay.
SEA BASS: 6 pounds, 14 ounces, Chad Stoker, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 20 pounds, 12 ounces, Arun Nhek, Newport News, pier of Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
SPADEFISH: 12 pounds, 8 ounces, Jerry Carnell, Jr. Oxford, N.C. upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 9 pounds, 2 ounces, Bob Tolhurst, King George, upper western Chesapeake Bay.
SPECKLED TROUT: 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Brain Pomije, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 8 ounces, Willie Fleetwood, Hampton, lower James River.
STRIPED BASS: 63 pounds, 8 ounces, state record, Paul Leckner, Greenbackville, Bradford Bay.
TAUTOG: 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Larry Larue, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA (BLUEFIN) 158 pounds, Eric Holum, Silver Springs, Md., ocean off Eastern Shore.
TUNA: 90 pounds, 8 ounces, John Mackey, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
WAHOO: 83 pounds, 3 ounces, John Hamilton, Norfolk, ocean off Eastern Shore.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Final action on proposed hunting, fishing, trapping, boating and non-game proposals by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond.
H.C. Edwards Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society banquet, Oct. 28, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, $55 individuals, $75 individual and guest, information from Matt Smith, 540-432-7732 (W) or 540-459-3559 (H).
Skeet shoot at Arrowhead Gun Club to benefit Hunters for the Hungry, Oct. 29, 834 Arrow Head Road, Victoria, Va., details and tickets from Gary Arrington, 800-352-4868.
Fall turkey hunting season, Oct. 31-Nov. 12; Nov. 24 and Dec. 12-Jan. 7.
Primitive Skills Weekend at Holiday Lake (near Appomattox), Nov. 4-6, for youth and adults, $85 includes meals and lodging, information from Mike Hayslett, 434-248-5444 or www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/holiday/.
Muzzleloading season east of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 5-18.
Wilderness First Aid class, Nov. 5 and 6, Blacksburg, 18-hour, two-day study, cost is $160, registration and information from http://wfa.net.
Muzzleloading season west of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 12-18
Woodcock season Nov. 12-26 and Dec. 17-31, three per day limit.
Deer hunting season west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 19-Dec. 3
Deer hunting season east of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 19-Jan. 7
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Nov. 29, 9 a.m., DGIF headquarters, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Dec. 16, 9 a.m., DGIF headquarters, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Late muzzleloading season, Dec. 17-Jan. 7.
Got an event? Let us know: xtails@earthlink.net.
