Florida Specks (according to the FWC)

[dixieangler]

Thought it might be helpful to post some Florida links I know. If they have been posted before, please disregard.

FWC (user-friendly site)
http://floridafisheries.com/

Florida Black Speckled Perch
http://floridafisheries.com/updates/crap2003.html

Panfish
http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/panfish.html

Florida has no White Specks . Black Specks can be real stinkers to fish for. I never know whether they are going to be biting or not. That is after I find them (seasonal location and feeding habits are my best bet). It can be frustrating to see the fish finder screen stacked full of them and they all have lockjaw. Maybe I need to start carrying a snatchhook:p . Now I know why the limit is 25 per day:D . I seldom get anywhere close to the limit no matter what I use (I will use most anything from flies to jigs to live minnows as long as it is legal) unless it is ideal weather, ideal water temp., the schools are thick and slow moving, or they are on their beds, and the rascals are biting. Then the fish finder can show no fish all day long and I'll be catching them. Go figure:rolleyes: . I hear all kinds of accounts of folks up north catching loads of Specks. When I ask, it seems the vast majority are catching White Specks, not many Black Specks. I can't say as I'm surprised. Fickle vascilating Black Specks.

[Yjwill]

That is a good site. I had stumbled across it once before, but forgot to put it under favorites.When you do find that school, though they can be pretty easy to pick off. The only time I can seem to get up above 14 or 15 is typically a few weeks after the first good cold snap. I usually try to get out the first weekend the AM temp dips below 60 or so and find them schooled up in open water. Lately, though it has been hit or miss. The St. Johns had about 5 boats other than myself fishing for crappie this past sat., and only 3 had any specks. The most was a guy with 6 he picked up jigging the vegatation and downed trees and such on the East bank North of blue springs. the wind was pretty strong, though, and I fish from a canoe, so I stayed behind the island and managed to get one 3-4" yellow-belly in two hours....