Rockport Texas - The History, Legends & Lore 1st Printing | Page 71

SPECKLED TROUT (sp. (Cynoscion nebulosu) Also called a Spotted Trout or Spotted Weakfish, they feel at home in our shallow bays and stay close to the seagrass during the Spring and Summer months. They seek deeper water as colder weather approaches. There are Sport Fishermen who fish exclusively for Speckled Trout. It’s another favorite! LORE: The Pro Anglers say that a person can actually ‘Sniff’ out a Speckled Trout. LORE: The largest Speckled Trout ever caught in Texas waters was over 37 inches long and weighed more than 15 lbs. FLOUNDER (sp. Paralichthys lethostigma) The Southern Flounder looks much like a smaller version of the Halibut. Although they are often caught with a rod & reel, Gigging for Flounder is considered by many to be the proper method of fishing for them. The female Flounder grows considerably larger than the male - up to twice the size - about 25 inches. Gigging (or Floundering) involves wading across sandy shallows at night (no moon, preferably), with a Gig (a spear-like device), and jabbing the Gig into the Flounder where they lay on the sandy bottom. 70