The spotted seatrout, also known as the speckled trout, is a popular sport fish that can be found along the coastline in the Atlantic Ocean. Some effective methods for catching spotted seatrout include drift fishing, fly fishing, saltwater jigging, still fishing, and top water fishing. These fish prefer bait, especially shrimp.
Habitat: Bay, Ocean
How to identify Spotted Seatrout
The spotted seatrout has a silvery gray or greenish upper body and a white belly. It has a pointed snout, elongated body, and a lower jaw that extends outward. There are two large noticeable teeth in its upper jaws. As their name implies, spotted seatrout have well-defined black spots on their upper bodies, second dorsal fins and tails.
Where to catch Spotted Seatrout
Though it is most plentiful along the coasts of North Carolina and Texas, the spotted seatrout can also be found along the coastline of the Atlantic. Its range runs from as far north as Long Island, New York, to the Gulf of Mexico. It lives mostly in the shallow waters of estuaries, tidal rivers, coastal bays, and sometimes along the surf.
Common spotted seatrout habitat includes inlets and creek mouths, underwater structure, oyster beds and grass beds.
The following are habitats where you can catch Spotted Seatrout:
- Backwater Fishing
- Bays
- Estuaries
- Channel Entrances
- Current Edges
- Drop-offs
- Eddies
- Man-made Structures
- Ripples, Currents, Swirls and Sprays
- Rock and Boulder Pockets
- Saltwater Tides
- Saltwater Weed Beds
- Schools
- Small Pointed Waves
How to catch Spotted Seatrout
Spotted seatrout is a popular table fare and sport fish. It can be found in sea grass beds, bays, estuaries, and areas with underwater structures. The best techniques for catching spotted seatrout include still fishing and drift fishing using jigs, lures, and live bait. Some anglers also catch them by chumming, jigging, fly-fishing, and surfcasting. Peak spotted seatrout season runs from May through October. These fish are primarily bottom dwellers, though they will feed at any level of the shallow waters it inhabits. Most spotted seatrout are caught in less than 10 feet of water.
The following are effective fishing methods and techniques for catching Spotted Seatrout:
Best Lures, Bait & Tackle to catch Spotted Seatrout
Shrimp is the preferred and most effective bait for catching a spotted seatrout. Live minnows and peeler crab are also effective baits. Spotted seatrout can also be caught using various artificial lures including jigs, spoons, swim baits, shrimp like lures, as well as lures that mimic fish.
The following are fishing lures, bait and tackle that can be used to catch Spotted Seatrout:
