This is the time of the year for taking a record speck, as big roe trout, heavy with eggs, roam the beaches of the Peach State. Keep in mind that a lot of small trout are taken at this time of the year also; the minimum-size limit is 13 inches, with a creel limit of 15 fish per person.

Be sure to release the small fish unharmed. The best way to do this is to use a "fish flipper," which features a round handle about 12 to 14 inches long and a 5-inch stainless rod with a U-turn in it sticking out one end. To release a fish, all you do is slip the U on the turn of the hook, hold the line tight and flip the fish over the line. The fish will fly off the hook and into the water, untouched by human hands.

TRIPLETAILS OFF JEKYLL ISLAND
Tripletails, or "eddy fish," move into the waters surrounding the Golden Isles in May. These fish get one name from the fact that their dorsal and anal fins extend back almost as far as their tails, giving them the look of having three tails; the other reflects their habit of nosing up to a piling or other structure on the downcurrent or eddy side, from there ambushing whatever prey swims by.

These fish are shaped much like a freshwater bream, but grow to near 30 pounds. This broad shape allows them to put up a strong fighter when hooked, with the added benefit of producing several jumps before coming to boatside.

For some reason, the north end of Jekyll Island holds the biggest concentration of tripletails in the area. Fish move with the tide and can be found from a couple of hundred yards off the beach on a high tide to a couple of miles on a low one.

Tripletails also have a unique habit of floating on their sides near the surface of the water. I believe this may be a way of attracting shrimp and minnows to the shadow they cast, just as those forage species are attracted to the shadow of debris floating in the water. If you see one from a boat, and its back is to you, it'll resemble a black plastic trash bag floating in the water; if its belly is toward you, it'll look like a white plastic bag.

The best bait for tripletails is live shrimp, with the 4-inch artificial Gulp! shrimp produced by Berkley a close second; either is fished a foot below a Cajun Thunder cork. Spinning tackle works best, as long casts are sometimes necessary. I prefer a Shakespeare Ugly Stik 7 1/2-foot rod and a Pflueger President reel. For this fishing I like braided line in 30-pound-test and 30-pound test Vanish fluorocarbon line for a leader. A 3/0 circle hook is good when fishing live shrimp and a 1/16-ounce jig head on a 3/0 hook when using the Gulp!.