# Wade Fishing For Trout at Fort DeSoto



## SnookMook

This past Monday I had the pleasure of acting as a shore based fishing guide to an out of town fishing guide and outdoors writer from way north of the Mason Dixon Line, northern Wisconsin to be exact.

Patricia Strutz, a licensed muskie guide from Eagle River, Wisconsin, contacted me a while back asking if she could get together with me to do a story about shore based fishing in Florida.

Strutz has been guide fishing for muskie for 10 years and runs a charter service up north called “A Blond and Her Boat.” She writes for various magazines including Great Lakes Angler, Muskie Angler, Women In The Outdoors, and ESOX Angler.

She told me she was working on some stories on the subject of Florida fishing vacations and various other species specific outdoor pieces. Strutz told me she was interested in doing a specific piece on shore based fishing on central Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Being the middle of winter I suggested we do a piece on wade fishing for spotted sea trout or (speckled trout) as us good ole boy Floridians call them.

Patricia and I met up at the bait bucket in Terra Verde located very near to Fort DeSoto Park. We loaded up with some live shrimp. I restocked on some Mission Fishin jig heads and we were off to the sand holes of the park to fish for trout.

We pulled off the road near some sandy potholes on a flat looking east with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge off in the distance. My friend Capt. Tommy Zeismann had told me this area was holding some respectable trout above 20 inches instead of the usual fish measuring in the mid-teens.

Loaded up with medium spin cast rods and reels rigged with D.O.A. Deadly Combos switched out with circle hooks and live shrimp, we made our way to the water.

The wind was howling out of the north and the water was a little on the chilly side. We were thankful we had our waders.

Trailing a flow through bait bucket we waded out to water about three to four feet deep and were quickly set up on our first spot. This spot, however, turned out to be loaded with the usual suspect pinfish, which decimated our shrimp. We caught quite a few and quickly moved on to the next sand hole.

This spot just looked fishy to me and I told Patricia to cast to grass edge on the far side of the hole. I figured any trout would be staged there waiting to ambush any bait.

Like a champ Patricia cast her cork and shrimp perfectly. She was rewarded with a solidly submerged cork. After a brisk, short fight her reward was a nice 22 inch trout.










Patricia landed another nice trout measuring around 21 inches from another hole. However, I was not having much luck. I switched to a Berkley Gulp jerkbait with a 1/8oz. jighead thinking I might cover more water this way.

My hunch quickly paid off and I was rewarded with the nice 21 inch trout pictured above.

I continued to work the area and not long after I caught another trout on the Gulp which measured at 19 inches.










Not long after that the wind picked up even more. The bite slowed and we decided after nearly two hours of wading in the miserable gusts it was time to call it a day and get some lunch.

All in all it was a great day. I successfully guided Patricia to a fine day of shore based, speckled trout fishing and I felt pretty good about that. She told me she had a wonderful time and got plenty of material to base on article on.

I do have to thank Capt. Tommy Z though. I know a lot of spots out there at Fort DeSoto, but those holes had some big old trout on them, just like Tommy said.


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## jhmorgan

Used to wade that area with my brother in law when he and my sis were at Stetson Law down there. Some of my favorite fishing ever was wading those waters, especially gettin charged by dolphins several times. Snookmook, once again a great story with great pics!


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## emanuel

Nice report. Can't wait to fish down there again one of these days. I know who to call.


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## Sea Level

*Pressure Is On*

Nice report Snookmook! 

You've added to the pressure -- Patricia is fishing the surf with me here in Flagler Beach on Sunday. I'm headed out now to prefish planned beach stretchs today. The prolonged NW wind has turned the surf dirty and cold.


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## sprtsracer

Sea Level said:


> Nice report Snookmook!
> 
> You've added to the pressure -- Patricia is fishing the surf with me here in Flagler Beach on Sunday. I'm headed out now to prefish planned beach stretchs today. The prolonged NW wind has turned the surf dirty and cold.


Sure has Jeff...and rough, also! Have fun and catch a BUNCH!

Snookmook: Great write-up! I enjoyed that.


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## SnookMook

Thanks for the replies everyone.

SeaLevel--She told me she was going to fish with you. I told her I knew of you from the board. That's awesome. I hope you guys do well. She is a sweet lady, a darn good angler, and fun to fish with.

Good luck.


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## rocrfella

Hi, can you tell me where this spot is. I've looking for a good spot for trout lately. Where exactly is this place in Fort DeSoto?


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## SnookMook

Rocfella--There are tons of places out at DeSoto to wadefish for trout. Some of the best are the sand holes due east of the toll booth for the pay bridge as well as the due north of the old dirt canoe launch, along with the entire area of East Beach. 

Drop me an email and I'll see if I can dig up more specifics for you when I get a little more time. I might even screen capture some aerial maps if you're polite enough. j/k


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## rocrfella

Some screen captures some aerial map would be AWESOME! My email is [email protected]. Thanks alot!


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## eaglesfanguy

Way to go Mook!


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