Trout fishing this year

[kgarner1]

I like many others live and have lived in the immediate area for years and have seen the rains from previous years far worse due to tropical systems etc and have witnessed no real change in the Trout or Redfish population since they tolerate much higher concentrations of fresh water than others and assure you that from what has developed recently in our rivers in the Winter are heavily to blame! The Trout along with other flats/bay fish seek refuge in the surrounding rivers in the winter this normally is their safe zone, and I can personally attest to the fact that until the recent past few years I could fish on any given day in the local rivers in the winter and only see a couple of boats and on some days none at all. The past two years were absolutely crazy in the amount of people fishing and keeping way too many fish especially the "Breeders"! It's not the rain, the amount of fresh water or the cold or hot temperatures it's the pressure period! This area has never seen this before and we as a whole need to be conscious of this or all we will have within a couple of seasons will be "Catfish"!

[two tooth]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I don't think the pressure has much, if anything, to do with the bad trout bite.

We had an oddly warm first part of the winter, then cool/wet end, with hit and miss cold fronts in the interim. That throws things off. While trout can tolerate fresh water just fine while living in the river, an excess of fresh water flowing into the salt throws everything off. The bait isn't there, the water is dirty, the grass isn't as plentiful etc... More than likely the fish moved to deeper, cleaner water and the trout fisherman didn't adjust. That's exactly what happened where my father fishes a little south of here. Everyone was complaining about the trout bite on the flats, but those who went to 7-8 foot of water (instead of the 3-4) were wearing them out.

Folks have been pounding the wintertime trout around here for years. I can show you articles from Florida Sportsman a decade ago showing boats so thick in the Aucilla that you could dance across them. It also seems like the overfishing would impact the more populated areas before here, but there's no indication that is the case.

I had a nice day recently and heard similar good reports. The water clarity was much better and the bait was active. I'm hopeful that June will prove to be the normal spring fishing we're used to.

[Pirate]

I have never fished in the winter before. Of course the folks wiping them out aren't gonna post their results online. Where is the FWC? Maybe the woods chasing deer hunters. Why doesn't the state regulate this? If the winter is such easy picking all that would have to be done is just close it. What rivers are you seeing this pressure on? Is Reelbad aware of this? He needs to know its not us retired folks.

[Pirate]

That's good news Two Tooth. The reason I started this post was to get some info from other fishermen in other areas. You're exactly right about fishermen having to adjust their techniques to the fish. I. like you, I do know that the fresh water influx has a immediate affect on the fishing. The bait cant adjust and just get out of town.

[DixieReb]

I've been going down there fishing since 1976, and you can believe me when I tell you it aint like it used to be. We used to catch a full cooler just about every time we fished, bearing in mind the size limit was 12'' back then. And we didn't have to look far, just go out where grass was and fish. Nowadays, we are lucky to get a limit. and don't on most trips. I think it is a combination of all the things already mentioned. Too much pressure, commercial overcatches, warm winters, too much rain and fresh water, red tide, and another thing that wasn't mentioned-habitat destruction and pollution. I remember when all of the flats were covered with healthy eelgrass, but a lot of it is barren and sand now. Trout don't like sandy bottom, they want to hide and ambush their prey. Does everybody remember how good the fishing got after Hurricane Katrina? It brought in a lot of salt water, and trout fishing was just great for the next 2 years. After that, it started dropping off. I know it's a long shot, but if it could help things, I wouldn't care if trout fishing were closed for a year just to see if it helps. Just my .02.

[One Keeper]

Agree 100% ! NO GRASS=NO BAIT=NO TROUT. We was out Saturday and several places we fished had no grass. Last year the grass was there. All we can do is hope for better days to come . Just my .02 carry on!

[Pirate]

If they closed it to keeping fish all year, like Feb. was or is, would that help, in your opinion. Lets face it, most aren't fishing for food but fun. It might eliminate some of the meat fishermen. I love a good trout dinner as well as the next guy but if it would help the numbers it would be worth it. I wouldn't have a problem at all not keeping trout. I love the pull of Reds but had no problem releasing them. Most we have caught over the past few years have been over slot anyway. The thing this year that has been puzzling to me is that one day we have what we consider a good day, the next, with similar conditions, not so good. The inconsistency has been puzzling. Thanks for shedding some insight.

[big bend gyrene]

I... have seen the rains from previous years far worse due to tropical systems etc and have witnessed no real change in the Trout or Redfish population since they tolerate much higher concentrations of fresh water than others and assure you that from what has developed recently in our rivers in the Winter are heavily to blame! The Trout along with other flats/bay fish seek refuge in the surrounding rivers in the winter this normally is their safe zone, and I can personally attest to the fact that until the recent past few years I could fish on any given day in the local rivers in the winter and only see a couple of boats and on some days none at all. The past two years were absolutely crazy in the amount of people fishing and keeping way too many fish especially the "Breeders"! It's not the rain, the amount of fresh water or the cold or hot temperatures it's the pressure period! This area has never seen this before and we as a whole need to be conscious of this or all we will have within a couple of seasons will be "Catfish"!

Not debating winter fishing pressure may play a PART in any population decrease that may have occurred, but do want to point out personal observations regarding your point on heavier rains from tropical systems and your belief rains the past few years haven't played a part.

I've been here since 2002, and accordingly have seen my fair share of tropical systems come through, especially when we got bumped repeatedly by numerous systems in 2005. While some of those systems dumped copious amounts of water on us for a few days, their timing tended to be in summer / early fall when temps were high and sea grass beds already established. What they did NOT do was stain the water throughout the entire spring, nor did they continually block sunlight from the grass floor for months on end as steady spring rains did during the springs of the past few years. Scalloping out of Econfina has allowed me to dive same spots repeatedly and over the past two years I saw areas that had been knee deep in rich grass go to bare sand for as far as the eye could see. Areas that had been teaming with baitfish, crabs, etc, were largely barren. Areas I had loaded the bait-well with pinfish produced not a single bait.

On the other hand, while I don't personally like winter fishing (been twice in 13 years) I've listened to friends cry foul over the number of boats targeting fish in the rivers for as long as I've been here.

Do I think that winter fishing could have been a variable in hurting a fishery already stressed by a number of factors, absolutely, but do I suspect it to be causal alone? No.

[FHC]

I know I am going to get abuse for what I am going to say but the lack of grass, lack of bait fish and lack of trout is caused from pollution from the buckeye paper mill.

The hurricanes from 2005 flushed the flats and the next 3 years after were the best years of my fishing career. I started fishing in 1963.

On the information on the buckeye paper mill. I do not have any data or scientific proof just a gut filling but, I know I am opening a can of worms.

[reelbad]

I have never fished in the winter before. Of course the folks wiping them out aren't gonna post their results online. Where is the FWC? Maybe the woods chasing deer hunters. Why doesn't the state regulate this? If the winter is such easy picking all that would have to be done is just close it. What rivers are you seeing this pressure on? Is Reelbad aware of this? He needs to know its not us retired folks.

Retired folks?, H--L, I am retired. I did not intend for my comments to be directed at anyone or to place blame on any body that goes fishing. I have done my share of it in the Saint Marks area for the past 50 + years. I just know over the years that the fishing pressure has increased quite a bit. I also agree that there are other factors involved that play a part for the lack of fish from year to year. Exactly what that is remains to be seen. Lets all try to conserve what we can but still let Mother Nature provide for all. BTW I am certainly not a tree hugger, I do not believe in Global Warming and I like seafood dinners and cold beer as much as any one.

[Pirate]

Heck Reelbad, I didn't take offense to what you posted. This is the first year I have really had control of my "retired" schedule, if you know what I mean, and I just planned to fish as much as possible between April 15 and the end of June. Last year we really caught some good fish and I had high expectations for this year. We haven't done bad but it just has been no pattern or consistency. Then I have been noticing a lot of reports of tough days on the water and wondered if it was sort of wide spread. I think in our area it has been. Who knows why? Many reasons I guess.

[DixieReb]

FHC from Moultrie- that's Frank Clements, right? I thought so. You are dead-right about the pollution. If they closed that mill and stopped polluting the gulf, I bet a lot of things would improve. During the heavy rains, they are bad about letting their holding ponds spill into the river and all that winds up on the flats. I don't remember the mill having much effect on fishing years ago, and they were in business then, too. Another thing I remember hearing a clerk at JR'S Store say was all the mining and blasting done in the lime pits causes a lot of toxic runoff that winds up in the rivers.

[Pirate]

Where is this paper mill located?

[reelbad]

Dang Pirate, you do have a haul just to come here fishing. I don't blame you for fishing as many days as possible while your here. Next time your in the area give me a shout @ Lee Trailer Sales, 3922 Crawfordville Rd. Tallahassee fl. (850) 878-0788. Ask for Tommy.

[DixieReb]

Frank, you are right about the paper mill polluting the water. During heavy rains, their holding ponds over flow and all that mess goes out to the flats. No wonder grass can't grow and the fish don't stay where they used to. Another thing I heard a clerk at JR'S Store say was all the mining and blasting that is done in the lime pits causes a lot of runoff into the rivers that also pollute them. I bet if they closed that mill and didn't mine so much things would improve on the water. But that would put a lot of people out of work and if they didn't mine the lime, we couldn't lime our fields up here and crops would not grow so well. I don't know if there's an easy answer to all this, bit I really miss the good fishing we used to have .