Wading Baffin with Live Bait for Large Summertime Speckled Trout

It's not often I fish with live bait, but when @hannah_gulfcoast (check out her IG now) says she wants to try fishing with croaker, you go fish with croaker. Personally I don't have anything against live bait, and honestly using a single hook and single piece of bait in my opinion is about as authentic and true to the roots as you can get, however; waiting on the bait shop when I could be running to the first spot, loading up bait buckets in the boat when I could be in the water, and waiting for a bite when I could be covering ground boils my blood. That's why I always hire my buddy Captain Jarrett Ledger (link to FB) to do the dirty work.  

Two reasons I pay Jarrett to run us out on these live bait trips, even though his specialty is artificial lures.  1. He will always be the first person to get croaker and leave the bait shop, everytime.  2. He is fast to the spot and out of the boat (may help he uses LSG wade gear).   

The trip started off as it always does, waiting for the bait shop to open, but as soon as it did, we were off like a rocket in his Haynie magnum. Getting there before sunrise, let us slip into the water and nab Hannah's pb trout just in time to get some amazing photos.

Once that bite died down we headed back stopping halfway to use up the rest of the croaker and playing catch and release with some feisty schoolies.  Then another photo op and on our way. 

The only down side to this trip is now Hannah thinks I should offer live bait trips instead of staying stuck in my own vices.... We will see.

Thanks for reading! Check us out on Instagram and don't forget to buy some gear or book a trip.