SpottedSeaTrout:

[LeftCoastAngler]

The trout are up on the flats!
Pulled a few out today... This one was 21"...
West Coast of Floridas slot size is 15" - 20", with one allowed to be over 20"
They were all caught on greenbacks. (livebait)

 

[Jim]

Nice job man!

 

[huntinfool]

Nice. Hope to be out Sat. evening or Sunday.

 

[muzikman]

Very nice catch!
=D> =D> =D>

 

[LeftCoastAngler]

Thx fellas.
U guys in TX and LA got the big, fat trouts that would put ours to shame!

 

[huntinfool]

That we do
Here are few lately.
View attachment 1View attachment 2

 

[PSG-1]

Trout is probably my favorite saltwater fish.


Caught all of these in about 45 minutes one afternoon at my favorite hole:



Nothing really big, most of them in the 16"-20" range.



Here's a 7 pounder we gigged one night in late November:

 

[huntinfool]

Didn't know giggng was legal. Awesome. I wonder if bowfishing them would be legal.
It's not legal here.

 

[LeftCoastAngler]

Whats yalls favorite ways to cook these bad boys?
Nice fish too BTW!
FLsECoasts trout can fatten up, but ours over here on the WestCoast dont....

 

[Captain Ahab]

Nice specs

 

[PSG-1]

Didn't know giggng was legal. Awesome. I wonder if bowfishing them would be legal.
It's not legal here.

It is legal to gig for sea trout and red drum (spot tail bass) in SC from Mar 1 to November 30. It is unlawful to gig for them in colder months, because the water is so cold, the fish don't really have a chance, as they move so slowly. Flounder may be gigged year round, but you're not going to see many of them in the middle of winter.

Bowfishing, and crossbow fishing for them is also legal from March to December, it counts the same as gigging.

In our neighboring state of NC it is unlawful to gig for red drum any time (at least that was on the books a few years ago, not sure if it's still on their books, or if it's since been changed.)

One of my friends who was a DNR officer (now he's a judge) caught a couple of guys gigging trout around the first of January several years ago. What's worse, the guys had twice their legal limit. Since each fish counts as a separate ticket, by the time it was all said and done, they ended up paying about $11,000 in fines and restitution. :shock: :shock: :shock: Ouch!

 

[KMixson]

One of my friends who was a DNR officer (now he's a judge) caught a couple of guys gigging trout around the first of January several years ago. What's worse, the guys had twice their legal limit. Since each fish counts as a separate ticket, by the time it was all said and done, they ended up paying about $11,000 in fines and restitution. :shock: :shock: :shock: Ouch!

Depending on the situation the DNR can take your boat, motor, truck, trailer and all your equipment for certain violations. I was told that the DNR has more authority than a local policeman or highway patrol officer.

 

[PSG-1]

One of my friends who was a DNR officer (now he's a judge) caught a couple of guys gigging trout around the first of January several years ago. What's worse, the guys had twice their legal limit. Since each fish counts as a separate ticket, by the time it was all said and done, they ended up paying about $11,000 in fines and restitution. :shock: :shock: :shock: Ouch!

Depending on the situation the DNR can take your boat, motor, truck, trailer and all your equipment for certain violations. I was told that the DNR has more authority than a local policeman or highway patrol officer.

Indeed they do. They have jurisdiction on land, sea, and air, and they can write a state trooper a ticket. :mrgreen:

Reason being, because they are enforcing federal fisheries laws, these officers not only hold state commissions as law enforcement officers, but they also hold commissions with federal agencies such as NMFS, USFWS, NOAA, FDA, and so on. And yes, in certain situations, such as night hunting deer, illegal trawling, or harvesting shellfish from polluted waters, DNR and/or DHEC can seize all equipment used in the commission of the offense.