Trout fishing this year

[Pirate]

We have trout fished about 25 days since the middle of April. We have had some good days but overall nothing close to the last two years. Is this happening to others or are we just losing our touch?

[red_yakker]

I've been hearing a lot of negative reports, with a few good ones mixed in. Most are blaming the red-tide we got last Summer.

[guthooked]

Same here. 1 out of 3 is good.

[reelbad]

Just my opinion but I think the reason for the slow fishing is to much pressure. I think it is starting to take affect on the most sought after fish on the flats, the sea trout. If the blackend red fish recipe is to blame for the decline of that species, like they claimed, why not the pressure we are all putting on the spotted sea trout. This past weekend I saw more boats anchored on the party bar than I used to see while fishing an entire weekend in years past. As Pirate stated, he fished 25 days since the middle of April and we are only a few days into June. A lot of folks, me included would feel lucky (and worn out) if we fished that many days in an entire year. I say go fish as much and as often as possible but keep in mind that what you catch is not being reproduced fast enough to keep up with the pressure that we are all putting on the species. Just my thoughts.

[chickory]

Indeed, simply too many taken for dinner. However, after fishing this area for almost 20yrs- certainly small potatoes compared to many on this forum- I conjecture another possibility: too many catfish (which will consume fry). Their numbers and prevalence appear to be increasing steadily. No facts, just speculation.

[Redbelly]

Lets close the season on trout for 2 years.

[GaryDroze]

I suspect Redbelly has his tongue firmly in cheek. That said, I scratch my head over the fact that we can keep two reds, but five trout. Would like to see a fisheries biologist weigh in on this. Is this the right balance? I sure don't know. But...

I do kill every hardhead catfish I catch (MANY!), just to help the odds for reds and trout.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

I HAVE TO PUT MY .02 CENTS IN ON THIS. AS IN THE PAST, UNLESS THEY PUT THE COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN ON ZERO TAKE OF TROUT, THERE WILL NOT BE MANY TROUT TO BE HAD ON HOOK AND LINE. WONDER WHY WE ARE CATCHING SO MANY SMALL TROUT, THE SMALL TROUT ARE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE NETS AND THE LARGER TROUT ARE CAUGHT FOR COMMERCIAL USE. WHEN YOU SEE A LOT OF FLOATING GRASS, YA KNOW THE NETS HAVE BEEN WORKING THE NIGHT BEFORE. SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY ROCKS IN THIS AREA THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH NET PULLING CLOSE TO SHORE BUT YOU CAN BET THE HOUSE THEY ARE PULLING NETS JUST OUTSIDE THE ROCK AREA.
PA
SEMPER FI

[Pirate]

Reelbad, No offense taken, but I fish much less than most forum members. I am quite a ways from the coast so when I'm able to come I stay a week. I retired several years ago so while everybody closer to the salt was fishing weekends etc for the last 30 years I was working so I could fish 25 days in a three month period. Last year I fished 12 days in late may/ early June. Haven't wet a hook since June 25 last year. If there is a trout shortage I'm afraid I can't take the blame. The only over slot Trout that has been kept in my boat was a 22" my 8 year old nephew caught two years ago while fishing the Fisherman Choice youth tournament. Do you really feel there is too much pressure on trout? I just don't see that many boats when I go but I don't fish St Marks south much.

[Pirate]

Futch, agreed on the commercial stuff. I've seen shrimp boats in Apalachicola Bay recently behind St Vincients. I was under the impression they had to be eight miles out. Reelbad, How many days a year do you get to fish? Do you fish the tournaments? If I were closer I would enjoy that. We only use artificial. No gulps.

[fly n fish]

Many of you hit the woods in the Fall. I enjoy fishing in the Winter and do so with much enthusiasm. In the Winter when the trout are so heavily concentrated in the rivers they come under tremendous harvest pressure. Most of you have seen times when you could almost walk across the river on boats. And everyone was catching and keeping Trout. Day after day.

I don't think enough people believe that such a resource can be impacted by fishing pressure. They are always quick to point out natural phenomenon like red tides, storms, too much rain, too little rain, warm winter and so on. Most refuse to look in the mirror for any culpability. People who have fished these waters for generations will be quick to tell you how good the fishing used to be. The stories are backed up by pictures, often grotesque quantities of fish nailed a board or spread on the ground. These catches were made with equipment that we consider primitive by today's standards. Nevertheless, nearly all the "old timers" agree that it ain't what it used to be.

There is a biological term called "Minimum sustainable population". Simply stated, any natural species whose population in the natural world that, for any reason, declines below that number is doomed. I will use the Passenger Pigeon for example. We killed them by the millions, never believing we could impact their numbers and now they are gone forever. The list goes on and on, the Carolina Parakeet killed to extinction, Ivory Billed Woodpecker lost because of habitat loss, and the American Bison was hunted to the brink of extinction in 20 years from estimated numbers in the millions, many times just for the joy of killing them. Even the Southern Pine forests that many don't even know completely dominated the Southeast United States remain only in closely protected areas. All of this and much more happened in the blink of an eye in biological terms.

The inherent arrogance of mankind, with his thinking that he is the center of the universe and steadfastly refusing to recognize the consequences of his actions will continue to change the natural order of this planet. Those same people will point out how wrong I am because of this or that. Just look back folks. That's all you need to do to see a reflection of what's to come.

If you love fishing, you should learn to love the joy of fishing. That joy is not measured by the amount of dead fish in your freezer, but instead by your steadfast commitment to put 'em back. The greatest way to say thanks.

[Pirate]

Well said "Fly n Fish". I eat fish but never freeze any. Anyone who fishes for a food source might want to add up their cost and just go to the store. I believe the majority of folks on this forum truly love fishing, as they share so much experience and information. You might enjoy the book "American Buffalo".

[Salty Gator]

I'm not sure about this, but didn't they just change the commercial regs for trout? I'm pretty sure they are allowed much more than in the past. It may be a longer season. Also didn't trout used to be closed in February for recreational fishing?

[zload]

If over harvest was the issue I think it would have shown up in South Florida way before it would here simply based on angler population density. That is not the case as far as I have seen, read or heard. FWC only allowed February harvest within the past couple of years and that was because the trout population was so "abundant".

[Pirate]

Agreed, I just don't believe as strict as the fisheries are regulated that they would allow the trout to get "fished out". Like all of nature things run in cycles. In the areas I do the majority of fishing the trout fishing has been pretty consistent over the past years. Then two summers ago we had massive rain in June and July. The bay got massive fresh water influx. All the bait left as did the fish. Decent fishing was non-existent through the fall. The following summer trout numbers were down but the bigger trout were there. Trout fishing was almost like bass fishing. For example we fished all day one day with three bites and three fish. A 25/23/22. No numbers but nice fish. This spring has been real inconsistent. We have had a few good days and then "bam" not much happening. We have caught a lot of 14" trout this year. The Apalachicola river has really silted the bay bad in April, and early May, then late May /early June gets as hot as late July. Combine this with some bad tides and it adds up to really inconsistent fishing.