As fall comes, remember that fall is a period of migration for baitfish, so focus on areas in the marsh where drains meet open water or where drains may crisscross. These spots often hold the most trout. One of the best spots I’ve ever fished is found where a long, winding cut feeds into open water over an oyster reef. This spot is always good for trout in the fall, because the shrimp come out of the marsh on outgoing tides, and lots of baitfish are around the reef.

If you’re fortunate enough to find such a reef in the marsh, then by all means fish there. For targeting such a specific structure, live baiters can do well by chumming. Chumming inland is popular in the flats in Florida, and it can work miracles for specks over backwater shell.

Take a can of jack mackerel (available at most large grocery stores), punch it full of holes and put it in a minnow bucket over the side of the boat. It will create a large and environmentally safe oil slick that will grab the attention of trout in the area. Live croakers, pinfish or finger mullet are great choices for this application. Once again, use fish-finder rigs. Anglers who prefer fishing under a popping cork will find that a rig like a Paradise Popper with a live cocahoe or finger mullet under it can also yield results.

THE X FACTOR
A somewhat unusual factor to consider in the summer trout fishing equation is barometric pressure. I’ve always had much better luck on gloomy, overcast days than when the sun is bright and winds are dead calm. Research conducted by fish biologist Dr. Gary Van Gelder sheds some light on this.

“One explanation, based on observations made by scuba divers -- and that’s consistent with fishing experience -- is that there is an active feeding period as the cold front moves into an area,” he noted. “The theory is that the fish gorge and are less active during the post-front ‘bluebird-sky’ period. The second explanation is that the higher levels of ultraviolet radiation adversely impact the smaller life forms in the food chain and infrared radiation associated with sunlight under very clear sky conditions. It’s possible the bigger fish have ‘learned’ that feeding success is lower during these periods and thus maintain a lower level of activity until the food chain gets active and becomes more readily available.”

Many anglers seem to prefer the pressure to be around 30.00 and 30.10 inches. Many professional fishing guides feel that this is the peak biting period, and that anything higher turns the bite off. And there may be some science to back this up.

Researchers in Florida put several species of fish, including speckled trout and trout, in a large observation tank with a controlled atmosphere to study how pressure would affect their feeding habits. Between 30.00 and 30.10 inches, the fish started to feed; when the pressure was turned up to 31.30 the fish died. The scientists surmised that the confined tank allowed the fish insufficient depth to equalize the pressure on their body.