AMERICA'S BEST SALTWATER FISHING

Speckled Trout and Redfish

Editor's Note: If you're dreaming of the clean smell of salt water, the sight of cobalt-blue waves crashing against a boat's white hull and becoming white lacy foam on a slick calm sea, and big fish changing colors as they come from the deep water to the surface, then plan a trip to some of the finest saltwater fishing in the nation. Although the Atlantic and Pacific coasts have the most miles of shoreline, the Upper Gulf Coast and Florida's east Atlantic coast offer some of the best saltwater fishing in the world. Let's look at destinations that can produce the reality of your saltwater fishing dreams.

I have a tough time making this call. From the Texas coast all the way to the Florida coast and then up the Eastern Seaboard, you'll find plenty of speckled trout and redfish to catch. I'll only pick the places and the guides I've fished with personally and have enjoyed success with them.

Venice, Louisiana: In the swamps and marshes around Venice, Captain Anthony Randazzo produces huge limits of big speckled trout and redfish almost every day of the year. Besides fishing with Yum's Croaker Tail Grubs, Randazzo also uses crankbaits like Heddon's Zara Spook and Rebel's Pop R. If you've never tried crankbait fishing for big speckled trout and redfish, you'll have great fun on this trip. Contact Captain Anthony Randazzo at (504)-656-9940, or visit www.lurenet.com.

Lake Charles, Louisiana: Captains Jeff and Mary Poe fish the waters of Lake Calcasieu every day. The Poes regularly produce speckled trout in the 5- to 7-pound range and redfish as big as you want to reel in at this bait-rich estuary. Often anglers fishing with the Poes will catch a limit of speckled trout and redfish as well as two or three nice-sized flounder before noon. Because the Poes roam these waters every day, they keep up with the movement of the fish, which means great fishing for any of the inshore species throughout the year. To fish Lake Calcasieu, contact Big Lake Guide Service www.biglakeguideservice.com or call (337)-598-3268. Visit the Lake Charles Chamber of Commerce at www.chamberswla.org.

Mobile Bay, Alabama: Not many anglers know about the lower end of Mobile Bay near Ft. Morgan, a defense post since the founding of this country, where you can catch numbers of speckled trout and redfish. The State of Alabama, one of the first states to build inshore artificial fishing reefs, has laid concrete pilings end to end in a giant circle and then poured oyster shells in the middle to create oyster reefs up off the bottom. The speckled trout, redfish, flounder and other inshore species have loaded-up these reefs. Captain Gary Davis fishes here throughout the year, and he targets speckled trout and redfish during the spring, summer and fall. In the winter months, his anglers still catch plenty of redfish and sheephead. You'll find very little fishing pressure in this region but plenty of big trout and redfish for the taking. Contact Captain Davis at 218 West Marigold Avenue, Foley, AL 36535, or call (251) 943-6298.

Destin, Florida: Destin's Choccolocco Bay homes plenty of speckled trout and redfish. Fishing Choccolocco Bay reminds me of flats fishing in south Florida. Often you'll fish crystal-clear water, 1- to 4-feet deep with shallow flats. In the cooler weather, the specks and the reds pull out into the channel into the deeper water. This region yields really-good inshore fishing. To learn more, contact Captain Mike Parker at www.destincharterboats.com, or call (877) 827-7667.