The Fishing Report
Fishing seasons & conditions by region
Speckled Trout Cynoscion nebulosus
Speckled Trout Size, Range & Diet
| Typical size | 14–22 in, 1–3 lb |
|---|---|
| Maximum | up to 37 in and 17 lb |
| Lifespan | up to 10 years |
| Range | Gulf of Mexico bays and estuaries from the Florida Panhandle west through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the length of the Texas coast. |
| Habitat | Shallow grass flats, oyster bars and marsh drains in the bays; slides into deeper bay holes and passes when it turns cold. |
| Diet | Shrimp and small crustaceans when small, with bigger fish switching over to mullet, pinfish, pigfish and menhaden. |
Sizes are typical rod-and-reel and documented maximum figures, not size limits — see the regulations links below for the rules where you fish.
How to Identify a Speckled Trout
- 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
Tell it apart: 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.
Side by side: Speckled Trout vs Redfish
How to Catch Speckled Trout
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- Peaks in spring and fall; throw topwater and soft plastics over grass flats, then fish deeper holes and slow jigs in cold winter.GearSoft-plastic shrimp1/4 oz jigheadsPopping cork rigs
- Warm months — work topwater and paddletails fast over grass flats; cold months — crawl a slow-sinking twitchbait through deeper mud holes.GearMirrOlure twitchbaitsPaddletails + jigheadsPopping corks
When & Where Speckled Trout Are in Season
Peak Good Fair Slow
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf of Mexico Inshore | ||||||||||||
| Southeast Atlantic Inshore |
Speckled Trout Regulations
FloridaFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)AlabamaAlabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division (Outdoor Alabama)MississippiMississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR)LouisianaLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)TexasTexas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD)Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council)GMFMCGeorgiaGeorgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources DivisionSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources DivisionNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ), Division of Marine FisheriesSouth Atlantic Fishery Management CouncilSAFMCAtlantic States Marine Fisheries CommissionASMFC
Always check local regulations — seasons, size, and bag limits vary by state and species, and change year to year. When in doubt, release.