spotted sea trout in florida help

[Fishinaway]

hi guys,
I'm having a problem I need some advice. I am fishing for sheephead and porgy with bait but I keep catching tons of little spotted sea trout. The problem is the guys keep swallowing the hook and I don't know if I should just cut the line and let them go or what, they are very delicate fish and won't survive very long. I guess I either have to try some different kind of hook or go somewhere else because there are so many of them in this area but they are all too small. What do I do?

 

[patbalmos]

Re: spotted sea trout in florida help

Use a larger circle hook. If they eat your bait the hook will set itself and they wont swallow it. At what depth are you catching the trout they are usuall a shallow water flats type fish