Specks eat

[eman]

I have a question that i get many differing answers on.
They say when specks get past the 2-3 lb range their diet switches to mainly fin fish. I understand the reasoning behind this.
My question is, Are they cannibalistic? Do they eat smaller trout???

[Gerald]

Yes....... that is what I have read.

[AubreyLaHaye458]

I have seen more than one big trout caught with a smaller trout in it's throat just this year.


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[Sightwindow]

Like most fish, they're opportunist feeders. So yes.

[keakar]

the thing is its better to have one big meal then run around looking for a bucket full of smaller food so naturally bigger fish do indeed look for bigger meals and this is where the "big bait for big fish" logic comes in

and yes all trout are canabals and I think all fish are really, if it fits in their mouth they will eat it, they have no thought process about eating their own

[Clampy]

Originally Posted by Sightwindow

Like most fish, they're opportunist feeders. So yes.

They will eat whatever presents itself easiest

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[Clampy]

But I do believe they prefer a good mullet or pogie when they get bigger.
Oh and croakers b/c they eat the eggs
#dumeststatementever

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[bgizzle]

Originally Posted by Clampy

But I do believe they prefer a good mullet or pogie when they get bigger.
Oh and croakers b/c they eat the eggs
#dumeststatementever

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Spelled dumb wrong!! Haha

[Clampy]

Got me. I'm a tard

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[Goooh]

Haha

[BaseballFisherman]

I've seen it first hand on two different occasions last year. I had a 10-11 inch sand trout on the line and as I went to flip it into the boat, a 4-5 pound speck snatched it off my line right at the boat and made off with it. The water was crystal clear and made for an awesome sight to see! The speck surprised me so much when it came shooting from under that little sandy that it actually scared me a little bit!

The next time, I had a very small speck on the line, probably 8 inches, and I was reeling it in quickly, skipping it across the surface. A few feet out from the boat, a larger trout came up and enhaled it like a top water lure and I ended up landing it. Pretty cool to see!

[jpeff31787]

Originally Posted by BaseballFisherman

I've seen it first hand on two different occasions last year. I had a 10-11 inch sand trout on the line and as I went to flip it into the boat, a 4-5 pound speck snatched it off my line right at the boat and made off with it. The water was crystal clear and made for an awesome sight to see! The speck surprised me so much when it came shooting from under that little sandy that it actually scared me a little bit!

The next time, I had a very small speck on the line, probably 8 inches, and I was reeling it in quickly, skipping it across the surface. A few feet out from the boat, a larger trout came up and enhaled it like a top water lure and I ended up landing it. Pretty cool to see!

That's awesome!! I've had the same thing happen to me while reeling in a sandy, and I ended up catching it. It was probably around 5lbs


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[Clampy]

That's pretty cool. I've seen 8-9 inch red fish in one's stomach that weighed about 5 lbs

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[trophytroutman]

Yes they do, thats why if I'm on small trout I don't move right away.

[Gottogo49]

One of the best tricks at night under the wharf lights is to take a live white trout, bigger the better, and put it out under a popping cork. Big trout love those things, also big reds and big gars. I once hooked a 13" trout on Commissary pt and while I was reeling it in it all of a sudden took off to the side, in retrospect I should have hit the free spool but I didn't, I pulled it in and up comes a trout as big as my leg with my little trout cross ways in her mouth. When she realized what was going on she just opened her mouth and swam off leaving me with my mouth open and a small but well punctured keeper trout.
Remember the story last year when the dude who was fishing with a guide had a large dead shrimp under a popping cork and caught a 10 lb trout. Big trout are opportunistic feeders. Like lions they would rather eat a zebra than a rabbit but if a rabbit makes itself easy prey, goodbye rabbit.