Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout have an elongate silvery body and a dark greenish back scattered with distinct round black spots that carry back onto the tail, plus a pair of prominent canine teeth. Their mouths are soft and tender, so hooks pull free easily.

They live over shallow seagrass flats, bayous, and estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, favoring grass beds broken by sandy potholes and dropping into deeper holes and channels during cold snaps or summer heat.

Seatrout feed on shrimp and small baitfish, usually in loose schools. A popular tactic is a popping cork rigged above live shrimp or a soft-plastic jig, where the cork chug calls fish in from a distance. Suspending twitchbaits and soft plastics worked over grass draw strikes in low light. Set the hook with a steady sweep rather than a hard jerk to avoid tearing the fragile mouth.