Side by Side

Redfish Sciaenops ocellatus

Typical: 18–30 in, 3–10 lb; bulls run well over 40 in

Key field mark: The black spot(s) on the tail base plus the absence of chin barbels separate redfish from the barbeled, bar-sided black drum.

• Coppery-bronze to reddish back, white belly
• One or more black ocellated (eyespot) spots at base of tail
• No barbels under chin
• Square-ish, slightly notched tail
• Subterminal (underslung) mouth, no large canines

Full Redfish guide — season, gear and rules →

Speckled Trout Cynoscion nebulosus

Typical: 14–22 in, 1–3 lb

Quickest tell: The pair of prominent canine fangs at the front of the upper jaw plus loose black spots that run onto the soft dorsal and tail (never on the spiny first dorsal) confirm a spotted seatrout; the spots are discrete black dots, not the rosette pattern of a redfish.

• Silvery body, dark gray/blue back, distinct black spots scattered over upper body, tail, and second dorsal fin
• One or two large canine fangs at the tip of the upper jaw
• Black spots extend onto the soft dorsal and caudal (tail) fins, but NOT onto the spiny first dorsal
• Elongate, somewhat compressed body; no chin barbels
• Yellow-orange inside the mouth

Full Speckled Trout guide — season, gear and rules →

When Each Is Running July — current month highlighted

Where Redfish and Speckled Trout Overlap

Both run in Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Atlantic — that is where telling them apart actually matters.

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