No matter where you fish along the Atlantic seaboard and Gulf coast, you’ll eventually discover some species of fish tend to loosely hang together in habitats they find mutually suitable. Think stripers and bluefish in the Northeast, croaker and spot in the Chesapeake Bay region, or snook and tarpon around the bridges of southern Florida.
Among the most popular of tag-team combos is redfish and speckled sea trout (a.k.a. “specks”). This dynamic duo inhabits southern waters throughout much of the year, but it’s fading water temperatures in November that breathes fresh life into the action following the heat of summer and early fall across the region.
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“November sees our redfish and sea trout perk up and bunch tighter as water temperatures retreat,” says Capt. Greg Hildreth of Hildreth Charters, who fishes St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and the Golden Isles of Georgia, GA. “When there’s a good bite going, our specks and reds mix together. The rips that form off points and around oyster bars make great starting points here. My bait of choice is a live shrimp under an adjustable popping float.”
Hildreth notes that slightly cooler temps don’t seem to really faze these fish; they’ll keep biting as long as the temperature drops aren’t too drastic. Once that water cools down for real, however, they’ll head for deeper water back in the creeks and stage in 9- to 15-foot depths instead of 5- to 6-foot depths on the flats.
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Capt. Lori Hall of Ladyfish Charters in Apollo Beach, Florida, says that when it comes to seatrout and redfish, it’s all about shallow water action in the Tampa Bay area. “Casting to redfish tailing in a foot of water and tempting sea trout on light spinning gear is an incredible experience,” she says.
Hall uses a 7- to 8-foot medium power Crowder rod, 10-pound-test braided line, and a 20-pound-test fluorocarbon leader with a 1/0 circle hook when seeking a mix of redfish and specks. “We’ll find them in the same general areas. The trout stack-up in potholes on sandy grass flats in 3- to 7-foot depths so they can easily ambush baitfish and shrimp but the reds favor scouring a little rougher and more open bottom.” She suggests throwing live “greenbacks” (small local baitfish) and pinfish for the reds, or soaking cut pieces of threadfin shad on the bottom if the current is moving slowly.
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“Moving later into November, we look for the reds to come out of the back country, sun on the flats, and inhale our live baitfish during the warmest part of the day,” Hall explains. “Sea trout, by comparison, love live shrimp but also strike soft-plastic lures. You can cover a whole lot of ground if you toss artificials while using your trolling motor.”
One trick for dealing with significant cold snaps this month is to fish the sea walls in residential canals, suggests Hall. “They radiate heat, so the water there warms quicker than on the open flats.”
Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service in Oriental, North Carolina, has been guiding clients to redfish/sea trout doubles on Pamlico Sound for 26 years.
“We don’t see that classic Texas/Florida tailing fish action in Pamlico Sound,” says Dubiel. “Our fish feed primarily around shorelines where they can find baitfish and shrimp. If you have an abundance of bait in an area, both the reds and specks, and possibly flounder, striped bass or even bluefish, should be lurking nearby.”
And what local baits light up the reds and specks? “Anything smaller than they are,” he says with a chuckle. “Look for pods of bait being pushed to the surface. If they stay high in the water column, there are likely predators below.”
People Also Ask:
Where do reds and trout stack in November?
Around oyster-bar rips, points, sandy-grass potholes, and shoreline bait concentrations.Best all-around bait/rig?
Live shrimp under an adjustable popping float with a 1/0 circle hook and 20-lb fluoro leader.How do temps change the plan?
Minor cool-downs = flats bite; sustained cold = slide to 9–15 ft in creeks or fish sun-warmed seawalls.What’s a simple redfish bait?
Live greenbacks or pinfish; on slow current, cut threadfin shad on bottom.Ideal rod/line?
7–8′ medium power, 10-lb braid, 20-lb fluoro leader covers most scenarios.
