Targeting larger, wary trout

In this article, I'll give my thoughts on targeting the larger or "gator" trout on the Georgia coast.  We will focus on habitat, and in the next blog we will go into further detail on presentations.  Big trout are generally loners.  The places they hide may surprise you.  Big trout get big for a reason, they are smart, wary, and seclusive.  One of the common factors I've found in big trout haunts is big, deep water.  And I mean deep-not 10' deep, but 30-50' deep.  I look for structure in one foot to twenty foot of water near the 30-50' depths I mentioned.  These haunts include jettys, rock piles, flooded grass, points, docks and pilings.  These areas can exist in pristine areas in the marsh as well as the nastiest urban setting you can imagine.  If this sounds like a broad range of places to seek a truly monster trout, you're right.  You'll have to probe many of these places to be rewarded.  Along the way, you will get rewarded with smaller trout as well as many of the other prized inshore species. 

Many times a run and gun approach will be your best bet, whether that means putting the trolling motor down and covering a long stretch of area or dropping anchor and fishing for no more than 5-10 minutes a stop.  I don't think tide is the major factor in targeting big trout (with the exception of flooded grass), but more importantly that you have moving, clean water. 

Tim's tip of the blog-Of the many structures that I have fished, I have found that rock and concrete are some of my favorites.  Look for our next blog to key in on just how and what to present to your next "gator".  Hope  this helps, there's many ways to skin a cat (or a speck), but these are a few things that work for me. 

Until then, you won't know if you don't go....

Capt. Tim

Coastal Georgia Inshore Charters

St Simons Island, Georgia