Big Bend Fishing

[grasshopper]

I haven't fished here as long as csmarine and probably some other folks. But I have been fishing this area for over 40 years, I know most of the commercial fisherman in this area and know of no one that commercially fishes for speckled trout. All the pressure on this fishery is from recreational fisherman. I do not keep trout to eat because I would rather have a mullet. I do fish for trout but only for trout over 5 pounds so you know I don't catch a lot. I just wanted to point out the fact that there are two different stocks of trout, one that winters in the creeks and rivers and one that winters offshore. I believe the creek and river stock is doing quiet well but the offshore fish are almost eliminated for some reason. The offshore wintering fish are either being consumed by predators such as goliath groupers, big sow red snappers, and sharks or either red tide has taken its toll. Just my 2 cents on the issue, but there is a problem with the trout population and it needs to be addressed.