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R.Arnold · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:04 am Post subject: surf trout question

In years past the great debate was if the trout lived in the surf permanently or if they migrated back and forth, at least from what I've always heard anyway. Many opinions, but not real data on this topic other than a few tagged fish I believe. However; this year after the freeze and the fact that trout are very hard to come by in the bay, if they are thick in the surf this year what does that tell us?

My thoughts are if the surf sucks this year, then obviously most of the "surf trout" simply migrate in and out of the bays and have died.

If the surf is as good or better than normal that may lead us to believe those trout are there year round just likely out deeper.

I really don't know, but I think we will see a major downturn of the surf trout as well as a result of the freeze killing the bay trout. I personally think simply based on observation and size of fish caught in surf which is almost always 17-23 that a certain age of trout make the surf trip. I think the young ones and the old ones stay in the bay. Maybe it's the trout equivalent to spring break. who knows but hoping for the best.

lifeaquatic · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:15 pm Post subject:

Good questions. I can add a few more for thought.

I've always heard that trout prefer shallow areas to spawn over a grass-sand bottom mix and are broadcast spawners. To believe there are two separate populations of trout between surf and bay brings up a question on how does a surf population spawn with no grass bottom. Following up with, has anyone ever found any baby trout in your cast net in the surf? I find these baby trout in estuaries and on grass flats all the time.

I have seen year old school trout in the hundreds come down the beach to Fish Pass jetties in the summer. I just have to believe they migrated from the bay.

It was interesting TPWD put the emergency limits on surf as well as the bay. Could that be evidence of a prevailing thought that trout have a significate exchange between the two systems? Bring on the tiderunners!

Sorry if this is all answered in a study that I am not aware of.
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R.Arnold · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:29 pm Post subject:

yea I think the tiderunners theory is what actually happens and there will be alot less this year.

Windy Day · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:33 am Post subject:

These are good questions. How do we account for the more stocky body types of surf caught trout?

awesum · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:58 am Post subject:

lifeaquatic · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2021 4:31 pm Post subject:

Shalor · Horse Mullet Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 180

Billy Sandifer used to say he thought there were three populations. The surf trout that never left the surf. The homeboys they were born and raised in Laguna or Baffin and never left the bay(but might make a little run down to the land cut in the spring). And the tide runners. I also remember him thinking the tide runners took a big hit with croaker fishing in The Bay which became popular in the late 90s.

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

In 2013 Dr. Greg Stunz with the Hearte Institute did a study on the "tiderunner"
trout. Trout were caught, tagged and released in the surf on PINS with a acoustic tag. The acoustic receiver were put in the passes, Port A jetty, Port Mansfield jetty. I was fourtnate enough to see the study and saw some of the trout from the surf had traveled up to 70 miles and come through the P.A. jetty.
I think the study ran out of money so wasn't completed but Dr Stunz told me with what information he had the study was inconclusive.

Maybe one day someone will finish the study. It's seem to me that information would be important to determine how long it would take the Laguna to restock the trout population.

ST

Towboat Trash · Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2021 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: surf trout question

BayFly · Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2021 4:56 pm Post subject:

TowBoat Trash, you might be an excellent person to reflect on what it will or might take to get the barge traffic to stop during a freeze like we have recently experienced. However, if you feel like it might encumber your livelihood we will understand you not commenting.

Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3974

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

Thanks for the update.
No wonder I missed it, this study was done on 2008-2010 prior to Greg's study which you were involved in (2013). So Dr Stunz study was never completed.

ST

Towboat Trash · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:51 am Post subject:

Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3974

texancare · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:49 am Post subject:

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