My friend, the late Sanford Saiki, with a fine Spotted seatrout taken inside the rock jetty of Long Beach Harbor

When Mississippi Gulf Coast fishermen think of big yellowmouth trout, images of a lone skiff probing the depths of a backwater bayou during the dead of winter usually come to mind. No doubt about it, cold weather does concentrate the big fish predictably during that time of the year; and they are easy prey to the knowledgeable fisherman. But knowledgeable fishermen also know that big trout can be caught even during the hottest time of the year. With just a little bit of savvy, you too can take advantage of some of the excellent big trout action that this month has to offer.

Just as deeper water draws big trout during the winter months because of the warmer temperatures to be found there, those same depths are equally attractive on a searing July or August day when everyone and everything seem to be hunting a spot in the shade. Unfortunately for the big fish though, there's just not enough bait in that cool, shady hole during the summer months when metabolisms run high; and they have to look elsewhere to satisfy their hungry appetites.

To meet their culinary needs, big trout will have to look to the shallow flats adjacent to these deeper holes; and, albeit reluctantly, the big fish will make a regular appearance in coastal shallows during the very early hours of the morning, before the sun has come up, or after dusk. For them, of course, the pickings are best when the incoming tide brings cooler, more comfortable water, along with plenty of bait. Surprisingly, at such times the big fish will venture considerable distances from their deep-water haunts. But when the searing midsummer sun begins its ascent, you can be assured that the big fish will be beating a path back to the depths.

While they're on the flats, though, an enterprising wadefisherman can be in for some of the best fishing of his life. Not only are these midsummer night stalkers big, they are particularly apt to strike a topwater bait; and there's a combination that's hard to beat.

For the best early morning fishing action, front beach wadefishermen should look for a moderately strong flood current, say about two knots, peaking an hour or so before daybreak. These conditions will bring the mullet, croaker and anchovy schools into the shallows at just the right time. The big fish will be foraging in the shallows just about the time the sun comes up or perhaps even an hour or two before. Under such circumstances, crepuscular species like spotted seatrout are always active; and during the summer months in particular, this pattern is closely followed. If the incoming tide and the rising sun do not cooperate, a second option would be for fishermen to look for the first hour or so of a moderately strong falling tide, again during hours of darkness or just before the crack of dawn. In any case, moving water is an absolute necessity if feeding trout of any description are to be found.

Depending on water clarity, there are any number of artificials that will take big speckled trout. My favorite for the big fish is the Zara Spook; and the red head and shore minnow flavors are among the best plugs for catching specks in the five-pound-plus category. Of course, the Countdown Rapala and topwater MirrOlure are two other dependable baits for these big fish. In all cases, it is best to stick with highly reflective silver or gold-sided plugs with dark-colored backs during the predawn hours. As the morning begins to wear on, try fishing the brighter whites, hot-pinks, and chartreuses, and also try switching to slow sinking and medium-running plugs as it heats up and the fish begin to retreat to the depths.

The Zara Spook is a sentimental favorite of mine, if only because it is the plug responsible for my personal best speckled trout - a nine pound, two ounce monster. The big Spook is most commonly fished using the popular "walking-the-dog" technique that works so well on largemouth bass. The bobbing and weaving, side-to-side action is similar to a finger mullet that has been mortally wounded and is struggling to keep its equilibrium. Such easy pickin's simply cannot be overlooked by any passing big fish; and along the coastal shallows, that big fish is as likely as not going to be a big yellowmouth trout.

Topwater MirrOlures are the mainstay for plenty of northern Gulf of Mexico fishermen from East Texas to the Florida Panhandle; and this dependable bait enjoys a strong following among Mississippi anglers too. The 5-M model with nose and tail spinner blades is a favorite of many, but the thick-bodied popping version is also popular among big trout specialists. There are also several quiet-running types, including the new 51-M series, that fishes very much like a stick-bait. Like the Zara Spook, these plugs should be fished to imitate a dying bait fish. An erratic retrieve - Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh... followed by a brief pause and then a repeat of the action works best. Generally speaking, the noisier plugs will catch more fish in muddied water; and their quieter counterparts, sans spinners, will garner more strikes when the water is glass slick. But that's a generalization that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Versatility is the key ingredient to catching fish, and that includes the big ones. If a quiet floater in clear, calm water doesn't do the job, don't hesitate to give that noisy popper a try.

In recent years, the Rapala has taken more large trout for me than any other bait. And, while the traditional floater is a good choice, I have fished the Countdown, slow-sinker effectively in the shallows as well. The Rapala seems to be a particularly effective night-time plug for trout. It has a natural wobble that closely resembles the action of many of the smaller baitfish that concentrate under the lights. Fished with a moderate whip retrieve in the zone where light and darkness meet, the Rapala has coaxed more than its share of lunker specks from out of the shadows. Color selection for this plug is quite limited, but it's just as well, since the silver and gold models are the only two a fisherman really needs. The plug does come in three different sizes; and, for successful night-time action with spotted seatrout, a fisherman must have all three of these. It seems odd, but even the biggest trout will shy away from a bait that is drastically different in size from the swarms of baitfish that concentrate beneath the lights. Like the spring creek troutfisherman, here is a case where matching the hatch will get the best results.

The presence of mullet schools is always a welcome sight to fishermen in pursuit of big speckled trout whether it be at night-time or during the light of day. Big fish will oftentimes school with the smaller mullet, staying just on the perimeter of the school where they can pick off stragglers almost at will. Where casting directly into the center of such a pod of mullet will seldom pay off, casting a topwater plug to the fringes of the school can stir a big speck into action. If topwater baits are producing only school trout in a given area, fishermen would do well to try medium to deep-running plugs before moving on to another spot. Many times, the larger fish will be cruising beneath a school of more active smaller fish; and only by getting past these schoolies will a fishermen get a legitimate chance at catching the big fish.

Of the medium-running baits, the 52-M-series MirrOlure is found in more tackle boxes than any other plug. Other popular choices for big trout though include the Bagley's Finger Mullet, the Cisco Kid, and the Queen Bingo. The latter three lures have considerable built-in action, and they are easy to fish successfully, even for novice fishermen. Almost any retrieve will work effectively. To properly fish the 52-M MirrOlures, on the other hand, requires a stiff rod and a practiced whip retrieve. Snap the rod tip sharply to the side, or to the vertical, if you prefer; and then follow by reeling in any slack line. Repeat the action through the duration of your retrieve for best results. As a rule, the strike will come when you're least prepared for it - just as you're beginning to take in slack line. Specks, the little fellows and big yellowmouths alike, seem to prefer falling baits; and they will strike as most lures - plugs and jigs - are dropping in the water column or the instant that they hit bottom.

Live bait enthusiasts, of course, will have their say in the matter when asked how best to catch a trophy speck during midsummer; and they have their own ideas about how to match the hatch. Most of them will agree on one thing - fish, generally croakers, pinfish, pigfish, spot, or finger mullet - will entice many more strikes from big trout than any live shrimp ever could. And the scientific literature will support their contention. Big spotted seatrout, like big fish of most other predatory species, are mostly piscivorous. They are also opportunistic though and would find it difficult to pass up a five-inch live shrimp that's passed directly under their noses.

In Mississippi waters, there are four species of baitfish that commonly occur in the stomach contents of larger seatrout. Atlantic croakers and spot are most abundant along the nearshore zone wherever sand or mud bottom prevail. Over vegetated seagrass bottoms, pinfish and pigfish will most likely occur. In either case, the bottom type will dictate the preferred bait. For big trout, fishermen should use bait from three to four inches in length. A three-inch croaker, hooked just below the dorsal fin with a stainless or chromed number two hook is ideal; but some fishermen show a decided preference for lip-hooked finger mullet. Either bait is commonly free-lined, but some fishermen will prefer to use a float to keep the bait nearer to the surface where it will likely draw more attention from passing fish.

Plenty of purists also favor the cork when fishing for trout in the shallows. The red and white, concave-topped popping cork is standard equipment in the arsenal of every wadefisherman. The cork is usually attached directly to the line; and the bait - usually jigs fished singly or in tandem - is attached using two to three feet of heavier, thirty-pound monofilament. This double-rigged affair is deadly on school trout, oftentimes taking them two at a time; but it can also excite a big yellowmouth into action as well. Double-rigged jigs fished under a noisy popping cork are most effective in muddy or discolored water of from four to six feet in depth. And, of course, live natural shrimp fished on a number two or four short-shank hook can replace either one or both of the jigs if you prefer.

With either live or artificial bait, fishing for big late summer yellowmouths is a combination of structure and opportunistic sight fishing. And catching one also calls for a little bit of luck. The front beach and barrier island shoreline is largely an unbroken expanse of sand bottom, interrupted here and there by a vein of mud substrate, a patch of seagrass, a rip-rap jetty, or merely a gut or gully that is several feet deeper than the surrounding water. All of these seemingly minor structures are potentially major fish attractors.

As the early morning flood current begins to push its way into the shallows, big trout will begin to move onto the flats from the channels and deep-water basins where they have been holding. During the predawn hours, they will patrol the shoreline relentlessly in search of prey. With superior night vision, a big trout can take quick advantage of any unsuspecting finger mullet that it might trap between itself and the water's edge. With the protection of the cover of darkness, the big trout will be content to roam the shallows in this fashion.

Most of the active feeding will occur before the sun begins to etch its face onto the early morning sky. As first light approaches though, the big fish will retreat from the skinny waters to the nearest structure where they will continue to feed as long as the tidal currents sweep bait in their direction. Smaller, school trout show a decided inclination for staying on the flats much longer than their larger brethren; and these little fellows can oftentimes be taken well into the day.

The average size of fish caught can vary considerably from year to year, dependent chiefly on the relative strength of the year class that has recruited to the fishery. Whenever these smaller, ten to twelve-inch fish predominate in great numbers, it seems that good fish come few and far between. In recent years, Mississippi-caught spotted seatrout have averaged a pound or so in weight; but the current fourteen-inch minimum size limit should help to increase that average size in coming years.

A wall-hanger or trophy fish still is gauged around the ten-pound standard by most anglers, though six and seven pound trout have taken top honors recently in most local fishing tournaments. And none of the current state records are recent catches. The standard around which all others are measured, of course, is still William Katko's sixteen pound World Record taken off Mason's Beach, Virginia in 1977. Then comes Michael Foremny's fifteen pound, six ounce speck that holds the Florida state record and, in fact, represented the world's best for nearly ten years. Both of these fish though are Atlantic Coast trout, spawned and reared under nearly ideal conditions and perhaps unfairly compared with those that come from the Gulf of Mexico. Of these Gulf states, Texas boasts a thirteen pound, nine ounce speckled trout taken by Mike Blackwood back in 1975 in the productive and hypersaline waters of the Laguna Madre that forms the state's southernmost coast. Louisiana's twelve pound, six ounce state record fish, taken by Leon Mattes in 1950, is the longest-standing of these records. But Mississippi's own Francis Creel has held the state mark of ten pounds, six ounces since 1973. Since then, there have been any number of bona fide ten pounders caught in our state waters; but the old record still stands. The most recent of the state records for speckled trout is the Alabama mark of twelve pounds, four ounces caught in 1980 off Alabama Point by Wilfred Ducharme. Here too, though, the waters surrounding the rock jetties of the point each season give up plenty of ten pound fish.

Wherever one might choose to wet a hook, catching trout that average over five pounds in weight, much less a ten pounder, is not something that a fisherman can expect to do every day. Such larger fish are generally always solitary, and they are most certain to be females. These spawning sows would school with others of the same year-class; unfortunately, their numbers are few. As might be expected, schools of these larger fish are relatively rare and contain relatively few fish. Nonetheless, the lucky fisherman will on occasion happen onto such a school of big fish.

Several years ago, I was fortunate to encounter a school of big sow trout. The place was Flatboat Key, an oyster shoal in the vicinity of Isle Aux Pitre, just several miles south of Pass Christian. The nearly half-mile long shoal rose two feet out of the water in places back then, and strong currents on either side would concentrate both prey and predator. That particular morning, disoriented pods of mullet, tightly schooled for protection, could be seen all around. Here and there, a big speck would strike into the school, showering fish in its wake. Small slicks, with the distinctive fragrance of freshly cut water melons, popped up everywhere. For a wadefisherman, this was heaven.

In knee-deep water, I cast a 52-M-11-FGO MirrOlure to the nearest of the slicks. As the plug began to sink, I began a slow but deliberate whip retrieve. As I swept the rod skyward for the second time, it was rudely snatched to the water by the strike of a big speck. A fine mist filled the early morning air as line spat out against a moderately light drag setting. The big trout fought relentlessly as I attempted to winch it towards the shallows and the waiting net. First to the left, then to the right - heavy headshakes beat a staccato rhythym as loose trebles shook against the plastic plug. The ten-pound test monofilament held fast though, and I steadily gained on the big fish. As I began to bring it close to the sharp drop off near the reef's edge, the big trout turned doggedly towards the relative safety of the deeper waters of the channel. Now it began peeling off line in earnest in its struggle to escape. From plenty of past experiences I knew that if the big trout could keep this up, the tide would turn in its favor. I grew nervous thinking about the many times that I'd lost good fish right at the last minute. It was that same experience though that kept me from tightening up the drag, if only ever so slightly. If I was going to lose this fish, it wouldn't be because of a lack of patience.

A moment later, the fish surged and ran right towards me. Cranking furiously, I regained the slack line just in time to see the big fish streak across the key and into the shallower, muddier waters of the south side. As it disappeared into the gloom continuing to take line, its path was marked by skittish baitfish anxious to clear the way. Then, almost anticlimactically, the hefty yellowmouth relented, came directly to the surface and put up only a token battle as I engulfed it in my landing net. Slipping the fish onto my wadefishing stringer, I judged it to be a fair six pounds.

By now, there were plenty of other fishermen that had drawn close to join in on the action. Luckily, no new boats had arrived on the scene or they might easily have frightened the feeding schools of trout away. Big trout are notoriously finicky and shy; and they will stop feeding or leave the area altogether if alarmed by careless fishermen. This morning though, the seven or eight of us that lucked into the big fish muttered scarcely a word, relishing in silence the good fortune that had befallen us.

The action continued for nearly an hour; and when all was said and done, I had a stringer of six trout that weighed a total of thirty two pounds to show for my efforts. Several of the others had caught personal best fish - one a thirty-inch, eight-and-a-half pounder, and another, a nice seven pounder.

Year in and year out, there are a number of local hotspots known for their ability to produce good speckled trout again and again.

The flats east of the Long Beach Harbor towards the Gulf Park College Pier have given up several nice fish in recent years. And the rock jetty of Gulfport Harbor's West Pier always seems to produce a wall hanger or two each season. Boaters can head for Flatboat Key for dependable fishing for big trout; and the more ambitious might even head further south to the Chandeleurs. In midsummer, the Chandeleur surf on the island's eastern shore is reknowned for its big yellowmouth trout; and wadefishing the surf is an experience in itself. Veteran surf fishermen swear by Mr. Champ, Johnson Sprite, and Sidewinder Spoons; but MirrOlures, Cocahoe Minnows, Boone Touts, and other soft plastic baits also work well.

If wadefishing chest-deep in sometimes shark-infested waters is not your cup of tea, then perhaps drift fishing the grass flats of the island's western shores will get you that wall hanger. A fourteen-foot skiff and fifteen horse outboard is all you need to negotiate these waters. In fact, anything bigger is a liability. Chandeleur-bound party boats are recognizable by the flotilla of small skiffs that they carry up top. And plenty of local fishermen will drag a small skiff behind their larger runabouts for added mobility once they reach the islands.

North Island, Schooner Harbor, Redfish Point, the East Bar, Monkey Bayou, Hollywood and Freemason are all household names among Mississippi trout fishermen. And, on any given day, any of these perennial hotspots is capable of producing a bona-fide wall hanger. Freemason, in particular, is a wadefisherman's dream. Miles of anastamosing oyster shoals form a network of deep water pockets and connecting channels that provide a haven to many a big speckled trout during the heat of the summer. Easily accesible via skiff from any of numerous Chandeleur anchorages, the waters surrounding Freemason Island should not be overlooked by anyone seeking to find big trout. The fish out here feed heavily on bay anchovies; and the smaller Mr. Champs, Johnson Sprites, MirrOlures, Sparkle Beetles, and StingRay Grubs that resemble them are extremely effective in taking these trout.

On a strongly running tide, fishing the Freemason shoals can be reminiscent of fishing pocket water in a mountain stream. As the tide spills over the upcurrent edge of a productive hole, big trout will concentrate here, picking off baitfish as they pass overhead. In such situations, lofting a topwater bait into the riffle just beyond the deeper water and retrieving it with the current - no faster - will bring vicious strikes from these ambushing fish the instant the lure reaches the strike zone.

Wadefishermen can work such areas very effectively, catching a fish or two from each hole and then moving on to the next hotspot which, at Freemason, is only a few steps away. The key to success here lies in keeping a low profile and moving slowly. The fish in these relative shallows are spooky, and they'll cease feeding in a heartbeat. Closer to home, access to superb wadefishing along the Mississippi Gulf Coast is provided by parking along U.S. Highway 90 that parallels the sand beaches for some twenty-seven miles. At four in the morning, you can be assured that any small concentration of cars along an otherwise nondescript section of beach means good fishing.

Wade fishermen headed offshore to the Gulf Islands National Seashore - Petit Bois, Horn, and East and West Ship Islands - will find good boat ramps at the Park Headquarters in Ocean Springs. Biloxi Small Craft Harbor and the launches at Bert Jones Park in Gulfport are two other popular staging areas for barrier island-bound fishermen. These last two sites also offer a fairly straight shot due south to Chandeleur Light, the northernmost point of the Chandeleur Islands and home of some of the best trout fishing in the world.

If you're in the spirit to head south for a little wadefishing action, but lack the necessary transportation, there's no reason to fret. For a nominal fee, the Pan American Clipper and Pan American Tour Boats that operate out of Biloxi and Gulfport provide twice daily trips to West Ship Island. The island's entire north shoreline is haven to big speckled trout; and wadefishing these gin-clear waters is a rare pleasure indeed.

Fishermen with Cat Island, Isle aux Pitre, Flatboat Key, and the Louisiana marshes in mind will do well to launch their boats at the improved Long Beach Harbor facilities or even further to the west at Pass Christian Harbor. Ample parking is available at both of these locations; and live bait, snacks, and a limited selection of tackle can also be purchased at any of the nearby fishing camps.

Whatever your wadefishing destination, there are two safety considerations to keep in mind. The late summer months are prime season for stinging jellyfishes and stingrays along the Mississippi Gulf Coast; and either of these can put a serious damper on a wadefishing trip. The best preventative for stinging jellies is a pair of long trousers. And the best after-the-fact cure for a jellyfish sting is application of either household ammonia or papain-based meat tenderizer to the affected area. Keeping a small supply of these items in your tackle box is a well-advised precautionary measure that can save your wadefishing trip.

Unfortunately, there is no such cure-all that can save the day for the hapless wadefisherman that has an encounter with a stingray. Here, the only solution is avoidance: do not step on one. Experienced wadefishermen walk with a characteristic shuffle, dragging their feet along the bottom as they go. This way, if a stingray is bumped, it'll just move along instead of taking more drastic measures - get the point?

Equipment requirements to successfully wadefish for monster trout during this time of the year are minimal. Water temperatures in the coastal shallows easily reach the eighties; and no waders are needed. An old pair of sneakers will protect tender feet from oyster shells and other rough stuff, and a belt provides the necessary attachment for a stringer. The stringer itself should be at least eight to ten feet long with a float at the extreme end to keep all those fish from getting under foot . Add a pair of needlenose pliers and a styrofoam pith helmet loaded with a handful of selected baits, and you're in business.

Standard bait casting or spinning gear loaded with eight to twelve pound monofilament will put you on equal terms with most any speckled trout that you might encounter. Just to make sure though, I wouldn't forget a landing net - and make it a big one. You never know when that wall hanger of a yellowmouth will decide to join in on the fun . . .