By Chester Moore, Jr.
Page 2

San Luis Pass

Veteran guide Capt. Jim Leavelle (713-667-8034) says if he were a betting man, he would place his money on the south shoreline inside of San Luis Pass to give up the S.T.A.R.-winning trout.

"There's really no way of predicting where the big fish will be caught, but inside of San Luis Pass is as good a guess as any," he says. "I've seen that area give up some huge fish."

Leavelle recommends that anglers wade their way through the pass on a moving tide and throw either a bone-colored or orange Rebel Jumpin' Minnow. "Big trout are going to be caught on big trout baits," he stresses. "You want to fish with something that's going to imitate a mullet, because that's what the trout are looking for. Accordingly, if you see mullet make sure you fish around them."

Leavelle employs a unique method of enhancing the plug. "Storm makes an accessory called the 'Suspen-Dot'," he explains. "I put one on the shank of the far back treble hook. It sort of weighs the tail down when you stop the bait, causing it to suspend vertically. After I walk the dog a little, I just stop the lure and let it sit for 5 or 6 seconds. You'd be surprised," he says, "what a difference that makes for big speckled trout."

Galveston Jetties

During summer months, the Galveston Jetty System offers some of the most consistent action there is for big speckled trout. Capt. David Dillman of Speck-Tacular Trout Adventures (713-729-3236) picks the Gulf side at the end of the south jetty as the top spot for trophy trout.

"During May and June, there are some huge trout caught off of the jetties," Dillman says, adding that "Most of the big ones will be caught on live bait."

Croaker are the common choice of live-baiters in the Galveston area, but Dillman prefers piggy perch.

"Piggies, for some reason, seem to get the bigger fish on the jetties," he notes. "These surf-run trout are different than those in the bay. In the bay, they're at the top of the food chain; out at the jetties, they're near the bottom. So," he continues, "these fish have a different 'attitude' if you will. They don't mind biting a palm-sized perch."

Dillman free-lines the perch on a 3/0 Kahle hook and fishes it right on the jetty rocks. "The most important thing to remember," he says, "is that you have to fish as close to the rocks as possible or you're missing out. The rocks are what hold the fish. And," he adds, "don't always think that the calm side is better fishing. In my experience, I have found that the better fishing is usually on the rougher side. But you have to both be careful and be able to stomach it."

For anglers who prefer fishing with lures, a 3/4-ounce silver spoon is a great choice for catching big fish at the jetties. Throw the spoon up to the rocks and let it flutter down by itself. An important note, however: When spoon fishing, you might want to use a small wire leader, since toothy Spanish mackerel and bluefish often lurk around the rocks.

East Trinity Bay Shoreline

Trinity Bay is certainly the wild card in the Galveston Bay Complex. Heavy late-winter and early-spring rains left the water here fresh for the most part, but a slight boost in the salinity level could have this area producing trout in no time.

Says Capt. George Knighten (281-464-9927), "You can never rule out those shorelines. Over the last few years there have been some very big trout caught by waders out there. If we don't get monsoon rains, expect that shoreline to turn on real strong by late May."

This is one of those areas where you really want to look for the bait. If you can find a heavy concentration of mullet during late spring/early summer, you're likely to find the trout as well.

Knowing this, Knighten likes to throw large mullet-imitating topwater plugs like MirrOlure's Top Dog and the big Heddon Excalibur Super Spook. Another one of his favorites is the B&L Corky.

"I've always been a believer that big baits equal big fish," Knighten says. "When people started realizing that large trout feed primarily on finfish, they started moving to these larger baits and catching bigger fish down here. I'd advise you to thoroughly work the refuge shoreline. That area might hold some big fish."

A word of warning, however: Wade fishermen who work Trinity Bay should be wary of the muddy bottom. It can make for treacherous wading at times.

Rollover Bay

Another area that was consistently brought up by the guides I interviewed was Rollover Bay. This little pocket in East Galveston Bay offers some fine wade fishing and has produced some monster trout in recent years.

The terrain here ranges from hard to soft bottom, so you will want to watch your step. But the shell pockets and oyster reefs that dot this overlooked little bay can hold impressive numbers of big trout. Furthermore, it's pressured very little.

Both Leavelle and Knighten list Rollover as one of the best "sleeper" spots for trophy trout.

"You could work that area over with a Corky or one of the 51 series MirrOlures and catch as big a trout as there is in the entire Galveston Bay Complex," Knighten says. "My best advice is to work the points on out to Marsh Point and take your time to read the water. If you notice any patches of extra-clear water or something different," he concludes, "fish there. That one element could literally make a very big difference."

(Editor's Note: To enter the CCA S.T.A.R. Tournament, or for more information on this super-popular annual event, call 713-626-4222.)