I once had an old timer tell me that the first full moon each November was the peak of trout season along the North Carolina coast. I had been casting a DOA CAL Jerk shad for about an hour when the gentleman in his early 70’s mentioned to me that it was still too warm.
That comment led to a discussion on trout movement and migrations that stuck with me over the years as I began to really target specks year-round in our local waters. As the seasons change so do the fishes behaviors and during the seasonal transitions it can be challenging to stay on them. Once the cold finally sets in trout school up and stage themselves in a predictable pattern that many anglers refer to as “trout season”.
During the spring and summer specks tend to spread out and utilize shallow waters to spawn, but as the colder weather approaches the Carolina coast with a shift in the prevalent wind direction to the north, they fish tend to stage up in areas that provide more stability in terms of temperature and food availability. Some of the fish will move up stream into deeper creeks while some will head out to the ocean to survive the oncoming winter season. During the months of October and November the fish will stage on these ideal locations and school up giving savvy anglers an opportunity to have epic days easily filling their limits of these tasty gamefish that are eager to bite both natural baits and artificial lures.
Finding the fish can take some time but there are certain habitat features anglers can key in on. Typically, back in the marsh this time of year the fish are going to be schooled up in holes with moving water in depths from 4-12’ deep. They like to orient towards structure so oyster bars, marsh points and irregular changes in the shoreline can hold fish. I like to anchor up or pole down within casting distance of the ledges or edges I hope to target, planning to cast up current letting my bait ride the flow back to ambush points that trout prefer created by a break in the current from the irregular bottom composition. Fish a likely area for 15-20 minutes, attempting to cover the entire water column knowing that some days they may be feeding near the surface and others they are slow and sluggish on the bottom. Even when cold and lethargic, they will likely still eat a well presented offering as they are opportunistic this time of year never knowing when the next meal may be available with a upcoming cold snap likely to shut things down for at least of few days. Life in the marsh during fall and winter can be feast or famine and the fish seem to understand that as their feeding habits are constantly changing to take advantage of what ever food source is available.
The same can be said for anglers that prefer to fish the beach, usually around Thanksgiving of each year we see a solid run of specks in the surf. Anglers with 4X4 access will drive the coastline looking for the deeper holes that form close to the shore where the trout will stage. You want to identify locations with sandbars just off the beach and a narrow slough that runs right along the edge of the shore. Trout will stage in those zones, ambushing mullet and other bait fish that are running out of the inlets heading south every fall. Nearshore jetties and other submerged structure can be especially productive coming into the fall season as the structure creates a break in the current and a refuge for prey.
Shrimp, mullet and mud minnows are all common options for anglers who want to utilize live baits. Plenty of people will fish a slip float rig for trout with live bait, and I will sometimes toss one off the back of the boat in the current on a Carolina rig to soak as I am working my artificial lure of the bow. Both slip float rigs and Carolina rigs are easy to make on your own or you can purchase them pre rigged at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Matt and the shop crew have everything you need, and they keep plenty of live bait in stock through trout season so anglers can always head out with bait in the live well ready to fish as soon as the sun comes up. They also manage one of the largest speckled trout tournaments in our area each fall. Matt also constantly post updates online so make sure to find Chasin' Tails on social media to keep up with fall fishing along the coast.
Of course a lot of anglers like to use soft plastic baits fished on weighted jig heads for trout. The first trout I ever caught were on the old Sea Striker sting ray grubs and Jimmy Price trout killers. The lures dad used to use still work but there are a lot of different designs out these days to offer anglers options in presentation. In most situations I am trying to create an offering that slowly falls in the water column as I give the lure some action with a short series of pause and twitches with slight flicks of my wrist. A light 1/8 oz. jig head keeps the bait up closer to the surface for the days where they are feeding up top, while a 1/4 oz. head will allow me to slowly bump my offering on the bottom in current on the days where they are staying deeper.
One great thing about soft plastics is the ability to quickly change out the lures color or design. Some days it’s a green curly tail grub that gets the bites, others it’s the pink jerk shad that requires a little more finesse to present it just right. Don’t be scared to change up your offerings before you bolt to the back up spot, as there are days where trout are known to be super finicky. Its never a bad idea to add some procure to your plastic for those days when the fish are hesitant to commit. I've recently started using the scented Fishbites Fight Club soft plastic baits and having success with them as well.
There are many different types of swim baits and plastic shrimp with weights and hooks molded into the lure. DOA and Betts Tackle make popular offerings a well as Storm and Vudu. They all work well when fished properly in the current. I’ve found a lot of anglers tend to over work the lures instead of allowing the current to push the bait into the trout's feeding zone. Like with live baits, many anglers choose to utilize a small popping cork to present the lure to the fish. While I personally admit to a strong disdain for throwing popping corks, there is no denying that the clacking sound of the cork being pushed across the waters surface draws feeding fish in. Since they are weighted, you can also tie them directly to your leader and fish like any other soft plastic and have success, just don't over work them.
Another popular option for sluggish trout are suspending baits that flow with the current. A lot of anglers like to utilize hard baits like MirrOlures and Rapala X-Raps to trigger the attack instinct in cold fish that might not eagerly chase bait. These slow sinking lures allow an angler to glide and drop the lure into the deeper pockets of water where the fish are often laid up. These twitch baits style lures can be frustrating for new anglers, as they tend to overwork them in the current, especially in cooler temperatures. Like the swimbait style lures, simply toss the lure up current and let it glide back down into the water column with the tide, only occasionally lifting your rod tip with a quick twitch to bring the lure back up in the water to only settle and fall again, much like and injured baitfish flowing in the current. Often the fish hit on the fall, so it is important to remain in contact with the lure, so you do not miss the quick tap that anglers often feel, giving them just a short moment to set the hook before the trout realized their mistake and spits the offering.
I like to use an ultra-light set up for trout in the fall so I can really feel the bite, once it gets cold it can be very difficult to detect. My 1000 class Penn Conflict II is my go-to reel spooled with 10lb Suffix braid, typically using a lure under 3/4oz in weight so I match it up with an appropriate Stellar Lite Star Rod that will give me enough backbone to land the slot reds I find mixing in with the fall specks, but not to heavy where I will get sick of casting it repeatedly. I typically am using a 20” 12-20lbs fluorocarbon leader tied directly to my main line utilizing a double uni knot. Trout can be selective and leader shy so be prepared to scale back in clean water and scale up if fishing around a lot of structure. I do still fish mono for trout too, especially on some of my older reels like the Penn SS models that were not designed for braided line. In that situation, I fish 6lb test and often tie the lure directly to the main line.
The final thing to mention is angler ethics and attitude. With so many new anglers on the water it is important to remember the golden rule and not let fishing fever take over your outlook. I say it all the time, but I fish primarily for fun and recreational enjoyment. With a lack of understanding from many it seems like sometimes it is hard to enjoy yourself as you are constantly having to deal with people who either have not learned basic unwritten rules on the water or somehow maybe they just don’t care. That said, it is common for people to encroach on an angler that is on a good bite. Resist that temptation to approach another angler if they are anchored up and stay at least twice the casting distance away from another boat, especially if you are running your big motor to get around. Some areas like the Haystacks or the Cape Lookout rock jetty are going to be crowded when the bite is on, but there are plenty of other spots you can easily identify with a quick scan online using a satellite map.
While I personally don’t get it, I know there are plenty of people that like to troll for trout. If you decide to try to fish on the move, never run up on other anglers that are anchored up and do not cut off an angler between their boat and the bank. Remember no one owns the water and its typically a first come first serve kind of situation so its best to get up early if you have a specific spot you are interested in fishing. Better yet, put in time on the water and develop a community approach that doesn’t make you reliant on one particular spot. The fish are spread out and can be found just about everywhere you find the right habitat features during the fall run. Since they are on the move, there really is not any one secret spot. Just put in time and move around until you find them.
I will add, if you are fortunate to be on a boat, please be mindful of the shore bound angler wading along the waters edge. Truthfully there are very spots for anglers who do not have a boat, so I personally choose not to pull up on top of them. Certain spots are best fished from shore and it is always very frustrating when someone tries to set anchor on top of the rocks for the 14th time, effectively killing the bite for everyone. If you have a boat, there are likely many good spots close by that you can fish without ruining it for everyone that is wading. Just remember the golden rule and don’t let the desire to catch fish come at the cost of other anglers out on the water attempting to have a good time as well. Plenty of good trout water in North Carolina anglers just have to be willing to get out there and explore.
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