THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 28, 1994 TAG: 9409270141
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LEE TOLLIVER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
With the exception of a few hot and humid days that summer keeps pushing into the fall, autumn is upon us. And that means only one thing to many of the area's angling diehards.
Speckled trout!
It's a fish that is both rewarding in the catch and frustrating in the opposite.
The speckled trout causes arguably more anxiety in area inshore fishermen than any other species.
It is a roving bandit, working shoals and grass lines in search of shrimp and baitfish. It can be in its regular haunt one minute and somewhere else the next.
Finding this beautiful two-toothed critter can be extremely difficult at times and amazingly easy others.
It is safe to say that luck plays more of a part in catching the spotted weakfish than with any other fish.
Take grassy point near the turning basin inside Lynnhaven Inlet, for instance. Several boats can be anchored in this notorious spot, all waiting for trout to make a run through the area during a rising or falling tide.
Then it happens - an angler on one boat nails a beauty. The second angler in the boat nabs another one. Before long, the two are killin' 'em.
But no other boats around are getting so much as a strike even though they have spied the offering being used and the speed of the retrieve. They have positioned their boat almost on top of the successful one and are casting into the same bucket-sized area.
Still, the first boat is the only one catching fish.
Talk about an invitation to the nut house.
But, as any speckled fisherman will tell you, all the dues paying can be worth it.
Last Friday was such a day.
An old friend, a new one and myself were working Lynnhaven Inlet about as hard as any three fishermen could. We experimented with lures and locations but weren't having any luck. We figured the blustery northeaster of the two previous days had messed things up.
We were fishing hard for reasons for our lack of success.
So we decided to catch a good lunch at Bubba's to discuss the matter. Even we could catch that.
We gave ourselves one hour more and decided on a favorite spot of one member of the trio.
With 15 minutes left till quitting time, it happened. A school of fish moved through. A few minutes later, another. A boat anchored within casting distance failed to get a bite, even though its anglers slowly positioned their boat so that they could cast into ``our hole.''
But to no avail. We were experiencing the ``we're catching them and you ain't'' thrill on this magnificent sunny afternoon.
But time was wasting and high school football teams were preparing for the Friday night ritual. It was time to go and there were blessings to be counted.
We had worked hard and finally been rewarded by one of the most sought-after saltwater fish in the area.
What were we using and where in the inlet were we, you ask?
Well . . . that's another thing about speckled trout anglers. They are some of the most secretive going, and information isn't easily shared.
But I'll tell you what. Once the fall run is over, I'll be glad to tell you.
Speaking of fishing: The new Eastern Virginia Anglers Club for both freshwater and saltwater anglers is currently holding meetings at 7:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at the Marina at Marina Shores.
So far, 35 have joined the new club. Membership is only $5 for the first year.
For more information, call Tom Michaels at Ocean's East Tackle at 499-2277. by CNB