The Incredible Impact of Releasing ONE 20″+ Trout

What if releasing just ONE big speckled trout could help produce millions of future fish?

Sounds pretty wild, right?

Well, there’s some fascinating science behind it.

I recently caught up with my buddy David Fladd, founder of Release Over 20, to talk about what happens when we give bigger fish a chance to keep growing and spawning.

And what started as a simple idea to protect trophy trout has turned into something MUCH bigger.

Check out our conversation below!

Learn More About Release Over 20

Why 20 Inches Matters

Here’s something I didn’t know until I first met David several years ago.

Most speckled trout over 20 inches are females.

And those larger females play an incredibly important role in producing the next generation of fish.

According to David, a 20-inch female trout can potentially produce around 20 MILLION eggs in a single spawning season!

And here’s where it gets even more interesting.

Unlike fish that spawn just once a year, speckled trout can spawn repeatedly throughout the warmer months.

In fact, David explained that females may release portions of their eggs every four to five days during spawning season.

And as those trout get bigger?

Their egg production can increase dramatically.

A 23- or 24-inch trout may produce considerably more eggs than a 20-inch fish.

Now, that doesn’t mean every egg becomes another trout. Far from it.

But when you consider how many eggs a single large female can produce, you start to see why giving some of those bigger fish another chance can make a difference.

One fish today could potentially contribute to thousands of fish in the future.

Pretty cool stuff!

The Impact Is Already Adding Up

Here’s where this story gets REALLY exciting.

When David started Release Over 20, he wasn’t trying to create some massive conservation movement.

He simply wanted to catch more big trout around Charleston, South Carolina.

So he made a personal decision.

Every speckled trout he caught over 20 inches was going back into the water.

That was it.

No new fishing regulations. No complicated rules.

Just one angler making a choice to help improve his local fishery.

Fast-forward to today, and thousands of anglers have joined the movement.

During our conversation, David shared that more than 17,000 speckled trout over 20 inches had been recorded through the program.

Using an estimated 20 million eggs per fish over one spawning season, that represents a theoretical spawning potential of approximately 345 BILLION eggs!

Of course, that’s not a count of actual eggs produced or fish that survived.

But it helps put the potential impact into perspective.

And I’m especially proud of how our Salt Strong community has gotten involved.

Multiple Salt Strong chapters are participating, and our Charleston chapter even earned recognition as the top organization in the program’s inaugural awards.

Our St. Pete chapter had already surpassed its goal of 500 releases for 2026 when David and I recorded this conversation.

That’s what I love about this whole thing.

Anglers coming together to make fishing better for EVERYONE.

It’s Bigger Than Speckled Trout

While Release Over 20 started with speckled trout, David and his team have expanded the program to include five species:

• Speckled trout
• Redfish
• Flounder
• Sheepshead
• Striped bass

And each species has its own interesting story.

Take flounder, for example.

David explained that male flounder generally don’t grow nearly as large as females.

That means the keeper-sized flounder we’re catching in his region are overwhelmingly females.

Pretty fascinating, right?

Then there’s redfish.

David and I discussed how protecting spawning fish can be especially important in areas where redfish populations have declined.

And sometimes, helping those fish doesn’t necessarily mean releasing everything we catch.

It might mean releasing a particularly large fish.

Or giving spawning fish a break during certain times of the year.

Or simply keeping a few fish for dinner instead of taking home a full limit.

The goal isn’t to stop enjoying the fishery. It’s to help make sure there’s an abundance of fish to enjoy for years to come.

And that’s something I think just about every angler can get behind.

How YOU Can Get Involved

One of the coolest things about Release Over 20 is how easy they’ve made it to participate.

They’ve even turned conservation into a fun challenge with prizes!

Here’s how it works:

1. Download the FREE Release Over 20 app.
2. Create your profile.
3. Catch and release an eligible fish over 20 inches.
4. Log your release in the app.
5. Get entered for a chance to win fishing gear!

That’s right.

You can actually win tackle, hats, shirts, and other fishing goodies just for participating.

The app doesn’t collect your GPS coordinates.

You only need to provide the state where you caught and released the fish.

David and his team are anglers, too. They understand how important it is to protect those hard-earned fishing spots!

They’ve also created leaderboards for fishing clubs, organizations, and individual anglers.

So if you’re part of a Salt Strong chapter, this is an awesome way to get everyone involved.

Learn More About Release Over 20

Final Thoughts

One thing I really appreciate about David is his approach to conservation.

He’s not trying to tell everyone how they should fish.

And neither am I.

I love catching fish. I love eating fresh fish. And I love seeing families bring home a few fish for dinner.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the harvest side of fishing within the regulations.

But I also love the idea that one simple decision on the water could help create better fishing opportunities for our kids and grandkids.

Imagine what our fisheries could look like if thousands of anglers made small decisions like that throughout the year.

More fish.

Bigger fish.

And more incredible memories on the water.

That’s a future worth working toward!

So a HUGE shoutout to David Fladd and everyone involved with Release Over 20.

Keep up the awesome work!

And if you haven’t already, check out their free app and consider joining the movement.

Now I’ve got a question for you…

Do you have a personal size limit for releasing bigger trout, redfish, or other inshore species?

Or have you participated in Release Over 20 already?

Let me know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should you release speckled trout over 20 inches?

Larger speckled trout are often females capable of producing millions of eggs during spawning season. Releasing these fish gives them additional opportunities to reproduce and potentially contribute to future trout populations.

How many eggs can a 20-inch speckled trout produce?

According to David Fladd of Release Over 20, a 20-inch female speckled trout may produce approximately 20 million eggs over a spawning season.

This is an estimate, not an exact number. Actual egg production varies based on factors such as the fish’s size, age, and reproductive condition.

What species qualify for Release Over 20?

Release Over 20 currently includes speckled trout, redfish, flounder, sheepshead, and striped bass.

Anglers can record qualifying releases through the organization’s free app.

Is the Release Over 20 app free?

Yes! The Release Over 20 app is completely free.

Anglers can record qualifying releases, participate in leaderboards, and receive entries into fishing gear giveaways.

The app also protects your fishing spots by not collecting GPS coordinates.

Does Release Over 20 mean you shouldn’t keep fish?

Not at all!

Release Over 20 encourages voluntary conservation and responsible fishing practices.

Anglers can still enjoy keeping fish for dinner while making personal decisions about releasing larger fish that may be particularly valuable to future spawning populations.

The goal is to help create healthier, more abundant fisheries for future generations.