September Speckled Trout…… The First Signs of the Fall Bite

Fall speckled trout fishing is one of the traditions that Carolina inshore fishermen look forward to every year. Most people associate the best trout fishing with genuinely cool weather, but the transition begins well before jackets become necessary. September is when fishermen should start looking for the early signs that trout are changing their behavior.

From Topsail and Wrightsville Beach through the Cape Fear region, September water temperatures can remain warm, particularly during the afternoon. Nights, however, become longer and gradually cooler. That slow decline in water temperature combines with seasonal movement of shrimp, finger mullet and other forage to begin reshaping where trout feed.

Moving water remains one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. A point extending into a creek can create an eddy where bait becomes concentrated. Oyster beds bordering deeper water offer both structure and current. Creek intersections are especially interesting because they allow trout to position themselves where food moving from several areas comes together.

Masonboro Sound contains countless examples. Rather than drifting aimlessly down a shoreline, fishermen can concentrate on creek mouths, oyster points and depth changes. Topsail Sound and the New River area offer similar habitat. In the lower Cape Fear River, stronger current makes protected edges and current breaks particularly important.

South Carolina fishermen see the same transition around Murrells Inlet, North Inlet, Winyah Bay and Charleston. These systems contain enormous amounts of marsh habitat, and September shrimp and mullet provide trout with plenty of feeding opportunities. The exact timing may differ slightly from southeastern North Carolina because water temperatures and weather patterns vary along the coast.

Artificial lures allow fishermen to search efficiently. Soft plastic shrimp and paddle tails can be worked through different depths until fish are located. Suspending plugs become increasingly useful as water cools, particularly around deeper creek edges. Topwater lures can produce explosive strikes during early morning periods when trout are feeding near the surface.

One important adjustment is slowing down after the first bite. Trout frequently gather in relatively small areas. Catching a fish beside an oyster point or creek mouth should be treated as information. Instead of immediately moving another hundred yards, work the surrounding water thoroughly because several trout may be using the same current break.

September isn’t usually the peak of Carolina speckled trout season, and that is precisely what makes it interesting. Fishermen are watching the fall pattern develop rather than arriving after it is already established. Pay attention to cooler nights, changing water temperatures, moving bait and increasingly concentrated fish. Those first September trout may be telling fishermen that one of the best inshore seasons of the year is beginning.