Whats happened to trout fishing?

[silverking]

Yes, unfortunately spotted seatrout are still an eligible commercial species. I thought the rules had been changed to hook and line harvest only, but I may be mistaken. There could be an allowable bycatch for purse seines. Gill nets are banned but we know illegal netting still goes on around the Big Bend and elsewhere in the state.

Redfish are game fish in Florida, meaning there is no commercial sale. If you see them on the menu they are either from out of state, farm-raised or backdoor illegal harvest. If you suspect the latter, you can call the FWC Law Enforcement hotline and report it anonymously. If the fish are legally harvested or raised, the seafood seller or restaurant must have a documentation of the source.

I'd like to see the recreational trout limits lowered for awhile to allow stocks to rebound. The winter closure month or months formerly were also good to protect big spawning females when they are most vulnerable. The last couple mild winters wouldn't have had much effect, however.

Must admit it gives me pause when I fish a tournament like the Redtrout Shootout. Even though the overall numbers are limited the practice of killing big spawners does have an impact. I rationalize it with the overwhelming number of fish I've tagged and released in my fishing career. Love the competitive aspects of tournaments but still would much rather fish a modified release format like the CCA STAR or the now-defunct Big Bend Kayak Classic where photos count and the fish swim away to breed again.

Plan to share this thread with the FWC's Director of Marine Fisheries. Lots of excellent comments posted.

[DixieReb]

It may be commercials that are causing the decline in trout. If they go out and net that many in one night, and then go out again and again, then soon they will be depleted. Nothing can stand that kind of pressure.

[JohnnyB]

It has been my experience too! I think the St Marks / Aucilla / Econfini area is a trout hatchery and when the fish grow to legal size they leave and go somewhere else. Think about the number of 14 1/2" and 14 3/4" fish you have caught over the years consistently, doesn't it stand to reason that they would grow up and we would have a lot of 15" to 18" trout to catch the following year... but no! Next year they will still be 14 3/4" long.

[silverking]

Sorry to bust your theory Johnny, but trout are not migratory. They spend fry/juvenile life in the marsh and sea grasses and may move short distances as they age, like from the East Flats up into the Aucilla or St. Marks Rivers/tidal creeks during the winter. But they return to home waters/flats once the water warms. Trout spend their entire lives within a relatively small region. Redfish, on the other hand, spend young adulthood in the shallows and then migrate offshore once they reach a certain size/age. They do come back in the shallows at times but the majority of big breeding reds stick to nearshore/offshore depths.

But the Big Bend, with limited development and lush sea grasses, is definitely a trout nursery.

[Salty Gator]

I'm sure some comms are causing a decline. Seems like the fish in the market are large possibly breeder fish. But 150 fish is only 10 boats with a 3 man limit. On any nice Saturday there will be hundreds of boats between st marks and keaton trying to get that 3 man limit.

[eightwt]

Keep one and turn back the others. The only reason the commercial guys are on the water is that there are countless of us, myself included, that readily order fish at the restaurant or market.

Game fish are too valuable to only catch once- Lee Wulff

[Pirate]

Pardon my ignorance but I sure didn't know Trout could be commercially sold. If the "experts" determined the net ban was necessary back when it just stands to reason that the commercial guys are having a large impact on the population. We can't blame them. They are working within the law. If there is a shortage however some stricter limits needs to be placed on somebody somewhere. To me it won't help to lower rec. limits just to let commercials guys catch the ones we can't. Winter fishing needs to be restricted more like a few years ago. Why was that changed anyway?

[GaryDroze]

You can buy redfish and trout at the Southern Seafood market in Tallahassee (I buy oysters there). Where do those reds & trout come from? This is not a rhetorical question or smart-alecky statement. I really don't know how that works!

[flatsbroke22]

I know a local restaurant that has redfish and they come out of Louisiana so I guess the ones in a fish market are the same.

[Salty Gator]

You can buy redfish and trout at the Southern Seafood market in Tallahassee (I buy oysters there). Where do those reds & trout come from? This is not a rhetorical question or smart-alecky statement. I really don't know how that works!

I believe they come from Mississippi and Louisiana as mentioned. I've heard of farm raised redfish from there. Not sure if it's aquaculture or wild caught, but didn't cone from Florida (legally). And , btw did you see what redfish sells for by the pound

[doomtrpr_z71]

The redfish in restaurants are farm raised and actually raised in fresh water. Commercial sea trout harvest is an Atlantic thing and isn't that large, its mainly focused in North Carolina.

[Apalachee Inshore]

Trout are too valuable to the local economy to be fished commercially. I've wondered for years how it is still legal. Before we push reduced limits, like redfish, on trout for recreational fishermen the commercial fishing needs to be ended. There is no need to sell trout in fish markets with all the other farm raised options. Trout is not salmon, it is a white mild fish that can be substituted easily.

[Salty Gator]

Does anyone know if there are any commercial trout fishermen in the area? Next time someone is in southern seafood, ask where they come from. As previously stated, those fish may come from elsewhere. I see a lot more rec fishermen trout fishing than commercials. I see a lot more dead trout in cooler shots on this forum than I do in the market. Again, 150 trout is only 10 boats with a 3 man limit. You'll see that many boats on the flats any day during the week, forget about weekends. I don't trout fish, so it really doesn't matter to me personally, but I'd hate to see a fishery dry up that so many enjoy.

[silverking]

Don't know of any commercial trout harvesters around here. Not sure if it would be allowed in the SMNWR anyway. Maybe Gary knows?

There was a small trout fishery on the East Coast, like around Sebastian and IRL. Pigfish and croakers are the bait of choice and some used radio antennas as rods like a cane pole. Very effective technique with live bait, apparently.

I have sent this thread to the Marine Fisheries Division and asked for an update on future management plans for trout. Coastal Conservation Association urged the state to adopt game fish status for trout many times in the past. Would love to see the possibility come up again before the full Fish & Wildlife Commission.

I'd urge all concerned to share your comments officially with the commission. Here's the link to the page where remarks are cataloged and yes, the commissioners and staff do read these:

http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/ ... ents/#Form

[JWCAMILLA]

I remember my father used to tell me that back in the 70's and maybe early 80's, they (my family including myself, I was just a kid) would go every weekend to anywhere from Keaton Beach to Destin to fish. There were about 5 families and all had boats and campers. The main fish they loved to target was trout and king mackerel. He said, back in the day there was no limit on size or amount you could keep for trout. He said they would come home with coolers full of trout, flounder, rock bass. Pretty much anything they could catch. When the fishery was regulated, they stopped going as much because he said you couldn't keep enough fish to justify the trip any more. Well I love to fish and I love to eat trout, flounder, etc but I for one, I am glad there is a limit on the fishery. I enjoy fishing the big bend area greatly and have been able to take my son for the first time this year. (he's 4). In my opinion, if the regulations hadn't been established, then there would probably be nothing in the big bend area to catch. I do not know if the current limits are enough to ensure the longevity of this fishery or if the limitations should be adjusted to ensure it, but I do hope this is a fishery that my son and I can enjoy the rest of our lives and he can pass down to his children (one day). With the limitation on trout being 5 with one over 20" per person, this is more than enough fish to bring back and enjoy a meal or two or three. Especially if you target other species like flounder, reds, rock bass, etc. We shouldn't see this resource as a way to fill our freezers but able to bring home enough. With the ever increasing amount of people on the water fishing these days, I'm surprised tougher limitations hasn't already been tightened.