By Neil Taylor, Times Correspondent

The end of the long hot summer brings changes.   The first cold fronts of the year jump-start the action for speckled trout.    Trout are our easiest species.   Big trout are easiest to catch the next five months.   Targeting trout is easy.   Fish over the grass..    Targeting big trout is often a decision of going shallower.  16 to 19 inch trout are thick in depths of about 3 feet right now..  The biggest trout will be caught in a foot and a half of water.   Don’t be afraid to try a big noisy topwater lure for the largest fish.

Trout make it pretty easy.   80% of the time, if you are in trout they will eat.   I rely on soft plastic lures.   I prefer five or six in jerkbait style tails.   This type you can move as slowly as you want and still get strikes.    It is good to have a slow pace for trout.   They hide down in the grass and if your lures are skimming the grass you get more strikes than if you are really swimming the lure fast.     Trout are edible.  The limit is four fish 15 to 20 inches.    One of your four trout can be over 20 inches.

Neil Taylor charters kayak fishing trips in the bay area and can be reached at strikethreekayakfishing.com and (727) 692-6345.