LDWF wants your thoughts on Speckled Trout

As for size, when they’re fried they fit perfectly on a piece of fresh Evangeline Bread.
Limits, as many as you feel like cleaning.
Miss anything?

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your thoughts on Speckled Trout

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Very good Almondine

I think we should increase size limit and decrease the creel limit. I think the trout population is being negatively affected, and something should be done about it to preserve these fish. I’m not one of those “who can’t catch trout” btw, but I do not have a problem with this. I am all about preserving our wildlife and our ecosystem. Doesn’t make you a liberal either for supporting something like this.

I have only fished for trout twice in La. this year. Both times, I caught the absolute shite out of 11.78" trout. Over 12? Not so many. Just makes me wonder where the older classes live, and why I have so much trouble catching them.

I've been trout fishing for 3 decades in the vermillion bay and cocodrie areas. I fish probably 15 to 20 times a year from June till Nov. I took the survey and every bit of it is true. There is a decline. I personally like the 25 fish bag a person because personally we dont always limit out. However, I have seen most of my travels that trout in cocodrie have been more school sized(12 to 14s) trips and in years past the trout were always bigger at Vermillion Bay area. Not the case as much at Vermillion bay these days. In the last 3 yrs at vermillion Bay as well as cocodrie the fish are smaller. Years before the trout were much bigger and anyone that really know Verm bay area knows what I'm saying. But now there are many trips with throw backs, many many. Here is my suggestion and here me out, it's just a suggestion and I gave it to the survey.

If you wanna change it, if the science says it's okay, reduce the limit to 15 trout but make the size 16 inches like reds. I must be crazy right? Listen to my reasoning. 15 trout at 16 inches or bigger will be much more meat than 25 12/13s....any real trout fisherman knows this. So there isn't any drop off at all to the fisherman's harvest and the trout population can grow big. It may take a couple years for the population to grow but to me it's worth it. All of us are tired tbh of the smaller fish and love the bigger trout.

Just my 2 cents from a long time trout angler.

I wonder what the mortality rate is on the undersize specks caught and thrown back. I went fishing yesterday and caught the shite out of undersize trout. They were hooked in the eye, through the skull, mouths shredded, etc. i would imagine a significant number wont make it. Cant compare redfish to trout. Reds have hard mouths. Mortality rate must be lower on the throwbacks.
That said, I would be for a much lower limit but of any size. Like bass.