Targeting specks???

[summersoff]

Had another great outing on the Eastern Shore this week and caught a slew of bass and a smattering of specks thrown in to spice it up (btw, you guys should really do that CCA Tournament Ravensdefense writes about a few threads down, if nothing more than to easily get the skunk off, it should be a hoot).
So here is my question, when I catch specks, they are more of an, 'hey, would you look at that!!' because I am targeting stripers, and I am always pleasantly surprised with a speck. In my book, specks are more of a bycatch, meaning they are somewhere By the stripers. But let's say wifey gives you the shopping list and says she is sick of striper and needs a good speck for dinner. Is there something you're doing differently that is speck specific? I've caught all my specks on paddle tails, both casting and trolling. Usually a smokey joe type pattern. I've tried an electric chicken, and chartreuse, and I even thrown the mirrorlure Mwhatevers with no more luck. Every time I tried to target a speck, a striper comes up and ADHD kicks in and I'm back throwing to sparkly stripers.
Any help appreciated, because all my internet searches have ended with a southern boy telling me to throw a Cajun flavored shrimp on the end of a popping cork and yelling YeeHaw a few times to bring in dem spotted sugarboggers.

[summersoff]

Went out again this morning with the intention of focusing on specks. I hit what I have to imagine is prime speckled trout habitat, grass beds points with current. Well, 8 bazillion striped bass later (some real pigs), the little bastard specks continue to mock me. I caught three dinkie specks, that basically melted in my hands. I know specks are there, if they are anywhere on this damn bay, they are there, but I ain't getting them. Tomorrow, I'm trying a few YeeHaws!

[RavensDfense]

I saw your message when I was heading out yesterday and I'm heading out again now (wife and daughter are visiting the inlaws....so I gotta take advantage), but I'll post out what I can to help tomorrow. Basically, you're on the correct track from where you described your fishing terrain. Stripers are part of specking on the shore, but there are a few things I look for if I'm targeting a speck. Stay tuned.....

[Mark]

I've caught only a couple of specks here in MD because I rarely fish the southern Bay. But in FL they are common and I've caught many.

There, they are not shoreline fish. They are open water dwellers.

The prefer areas thick with underwater vegetation. They do not like bottoms with no structure. You can see that in sunny FL even while sitting in a kayak. The water is noticeably darker when it covers vegetation than sandy bottom areas where specks are scarce.

They school. If you catch one, others are nearby and will be willing to bite. Everyone fishing nearby you will likely be hooked up.

They will hit topwater but I have never caught one on the surface. I've always used 1/8 to 3/16 oz. jigs with a 3 to 5 inch soft plastic.

They can be finicky. Sometimes they'll hit your lure hard as you make a steady retrieve. I imagine they are the ones susceptible to being caught by trolling. But sometimes you have to slow the retrieve. They'll grab the lure and let it go and then come back to it. It can be like trying to finesse a largemouth bass with a plastic worm. Be patient. Don't snatch it away. Lower the rod tip, give them slack until you feel their weight and then strike.

[RavensDfense]

I hope the yeeways improved your success rate! Ill see if I can add something that helps....

In short, specks and rock go hand in hand on the eastern shore much like red drum and specks go together down south. The one thing that I have noticed, is that specks do necessarily like competing with schoolie rock fish. The juvenile rock are more aggressive, faster, and out number specks 15-1 in most areas. With that said, here are a few things that I have noticed that increase my catching of specks. Others may disagree, so take this for what its worth of course.

Current

Going back to the fact that schoolie rock (and rock in general) like moving current (mid-tidal flow conditions), I find that my best speck fishing happens 30-minutes to an hour on each side of the current change. Specks are lazier fish in the sense that they don't seem to like fast moving prey being swept by them in a quickly moving current. Instead they appear more willing to eat when the current makes its change. There have been times in the past couple of weeks when I am catching TONS of schoolie rock and then all of a sudden that bite shuts off and ill catch nothing but specks for the next hour. So the take away here is to be in what you consider your best area at the current change.

Also something to consider is current direction. Specks (more so than rock fish) appear dependent on current direction. They like to feed with their heads facing into the current; meaning you should cast/troll with it. Going back to the theory that specks are "lazier", they don't want to chase down a fast moving bait when they could rather see it coming and grad it as it passes.

Terrain

Grass, grass, and more grass. Like Mark said, specks like grass beds; especially when there are sand patches or pot holes in them. I'm not saying you wont find them on other terrians, such as a sand bottom, because stranger things happen, but in general if I am looking for speck, I am looking for grass.

Also, don't be afraid to look further away from the bank. This past weekend I caught specks (nothing huge) riiiight up against the bank, but other times I've caught them as far as 100 yards off. Its all about finding the section of grass they are in that day. As you know, the stupid schoolie rock are all over banks, so this may have something to do with it.

As far as depth, I am looking for water in the 4-8' range. Ive caught specks in <2', but in general I've had better luck in 4' or more. The mouth of a creek at the beginning of an outgoing tide is a great place to find this type of terrain.

Lures

Schoolie rockfish seems to hit on just about anything. The don't give a crap if its a beer cap with a hook. Specks seems to be more selective. I'll typically troll two 4" paddle tails on a 1/4 oz jig head. Ill start with a trusted color on one and constantly switch out colors on the other until I find one they seems to like that say.

If trolling softbaits isn't working, ill throw on a hardbait such as a rapalla or mirrolure.

Once I find them, Ill post up on the spot and cast because as Mark said, where there is one there is usually more. With that said though, Ill spend a lot more time trolling than casting because some times, they simply hit a trolled bait 2-to-1.

Good luck in your search! I hope this helps in some way. If you are fishing the CCA RedTrout tourney this weekend, I hope to see you out there!

[summersoff]

Awesome post with a ton of info. If I can't catch them now, it's time to take up golf. Thanks so much, a lot to try, and change up. I'm going back and forth on the tournament. I usually head to Montauk this weekend, but the Bay bite has been solid, and M has gotten very hit or miss in the past few years.
Thanks again

[RavensDfense]

Anytime....good luck!

[whenican]

I have noticed that I will catch a speck when I am turning around, hence, my bait is moving very slowly. If I am trolling & nothing is biting I will go slower & the bite picks up.

[ronaultmtd]

You just have to put your time in and understand how they strike- Mark gave some good advice about the finesse..and the strike sequence...big Specks are a real trophy...they didn't get big by accident...

[Widgeon]

A popping cork and small curly tail or 3" paddle tail on light head 1/8 oz and light line 10 Lb. and cover water. Think edges along grass beds and structures. I have done well past sunset with them on a high tide that is moving in or out. And be quiet and stealthy.

[hale3333]

A popping cork and small curly tail or 3" paddle tail on light head 1/8 oz and light line 10 Lb. and cover water. Think edges along grass beds and structures. I have done well past sunset with them on a high tide that is moving in or out. And be quiet and stealthy.

This is my go to method also, I like it because it gives you the ability to adjust your lure depth to fish just above grass bed without fouling up your lure.

[mchottie]

How small of a cork are we talking? I've seen these in stores and always thought they were some sort of bobber...

<edit> pardon my ignorance, i'm all for learning new techniques from wise anglers on this forum!

[J.A. Veil]

The one you show has an egg-shaped float. They also come with a "popper-shaped" float with a concave front face. On Wed morning, I was casting to some shallows in the Chester River and saw a green object floating. I scooped it up. It is called a Back Bay Thunder popping cork. The previous user had a 5' line running from the rear to a swimbait.

I will have it for sale at my Jan 20 flea market table unless someone wants to buy it sooner ($3.00).

2017-10-06 14-16-11.jpg

[skinnywater]

This is all I use for specks and quite a bit of striper fishing. I use orange and lime green with a BA. works well in 4 to 6 ft. of water. First used in Fla. in the Gulf in open water over grass. Been using it for twenty years. Bought them years ago. I think they are called Cajun Thunder. Caught many stripers in the South River here a long grassless shoreline. I use it on the Honga and the islands of Tangier Sound. I have one rod and reel that is set up with this rig. Because of health problems I haven’t been down that way but the last trip I made I caught two specs that went about 4 lbs. each on this rig.

[mchottie]

I found this informative video on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXShRkfOX5U

Is the idea to tie the leader shorter than the depth of water you are fishing so the lure is suspended? Also, is this a cast and wait for the strike, or cast and retrieve steadily or jerk motion?